Birth Year Changes

2026-2027 Age Group Update

U.S. Youth Soccer, US Club Soccer, and the Association Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) collectively announced a major update to age group formation that will take effect beginning with the 2026–27 seasonal year. This change moves away from the current calendar-year (January–December) model and returns to a seasonal-year (August–July) model for age grouping. Please see the full article from US Club Soccer here.

TRYOUT REGISTRATION

What is Changing & Why?

As of the 2026–27 season, the new standard will shift to a seasonal model, with age groups defined from August 1 to July 31.
We currently use birth-year model (January 1 – December 31) to define age groups, which was mandated by U.S. Soccer in 2017 to align with FIFA international standards.
To create a unified path forward in player development and age groupings, the largest youth soccer governing bodies (i.e., US Youth Soccer, US Club Soccer, and AYSO) agreed to move to the “school year” model.
In order to be eligible to participate in US Youth Soccer, US Club Soccer, NPL league play & competitions, FC Alliance North must be compliant with this change.
This change will be enacted by US Youth Soccer, AYSO, and US Club Soccer following extensive review and discussion and made, “…based on additional critical feedback, data, and expert input to better align players with their school-grade peers. Our associations feel that this age group player formation will be the most inclusive and help increase participation.” (US Youth Soccer)
The change will apply to all USYS-sanctioned league and cup competitions (TSL, National Championships, Presidents Cup, National League, etc.) and US Club-sanctioned league and competitions (ECNL, ECNL-RL, NPL, etc.).

Who Will Be Impacted?

All of our current competitive programs will be affected: This includes Core Academy and all U8-U19 Competitive Players.
Because this is a systemic change, some players will experience a shift into a different “age group” than they would under the old model. This new parameter will influence how we form our teams. We are working diligently to ensure a smooth transition for the 2026-27 season and will take all player development needs into consideration.

What's Next?

We understand that transitions like this can bring questions and concerns, and we want to assure you that our staff is already working through the details to develop the best processes to support players and families.

Our club leadership and coaching staff are:

Reviewing all current rosters and birthdates to project how the shift will affect teams at each level
Designing a process for new school year group trainings, tryouts & evaluations for the 2026-27 season
Communicating clearly and early so all families know the timeline and rationale
Providing support tools and resources, including FAQs (please see below).
Monitoring updates from US Youth Soccer, US Club Soccer, and state associations to ensure we remain compliant with new rules and provide the best experience

We will share more information, timelines, and next steps as soon as they are finalized. In the meantime, please know that we are committed to helping every player continue to grow, develop, and thrive within FC Alliance North

Age Group Resources

Age Group	Birth Date Range (2026-27 Season)
U19	Aug 1, 2007 - Jul 31, 2008
U18	Aug 1, 2008 - Jul 31, 2009
U17	Aug 1, 2009 - Jul 31, 2010
U16	Aug 1, 2010 - Jul 31, 2011
U15	Aug 1, 2011 - Jul 31, 2012
U14	Aug 1, 2012 - Jul 31, 2013
U13	Aug 1, 2013 - Jul 31, 2014
U12	Aug 1, 2014 - Jul 31, 2015
U11	Aug 1, 2015 - Jul 31, 2016
U10	Aug 1, 2016 - Jul 31, 2017
U9	Aug 1, 2017 - Jul 31, 2018
U8	Aug 1, 2018 - Jul 31, 2019

What is changing with the age groups?

Starting with the 2026-27 season, youth soccer will move from the current calendar-year (January-December) model to a seasonal-year (August-July) model for age grouping.

Current System: Birth year (January 1 - December 31)
New System: Seasonal year (August 1 - July 31)

This aligns age groups with the school year, placing players with their school-grade peers.

Why Is This Change Happening?

U.S. Youth Soccer, US Club Soccer, and AYSO agreed to this change based on extensive research and feedback. The key reasons include:

Better alignment with school-grade peers for social and developmental benefits
Increased inclusivity and participation opportunities
Unified approach across major youth soccer organizations
Expert recommendations supporting the school-year model

will i have to purchase a new uniform?

The 2026-27 season marks the start of a new uniform cycle, and everyone will be required to purchase a new uniform kit from soccer.com

when does this change take effect?

The change will take effect for the 2026-27 seasonal year.

This means:

The 2025-26 season will continue to use the current calendar-year model
Starting at tryouts in May for the upcoming fall season in August 2026, all competitive programs will use the new seasonal-year model. We will be working towards this transition throughout the 2025-26 year by reviewing rosters & birthdates, designing processes for school-year group trainings, tryouts, & evaluations, and providing resources for our families.

What is FC Alliance North doing to prepare for this change?

Our club leadership and coaching staff are actively preparing for this transition:

Reviewing rosters: Analyzing all current rosters and birthdates to project team impacts
Planning tryouts: Designing new processes for school-year group trainings, tryouts, and evaluations
Clear communication: Providing early and transparent updates on timelines and rationale
Staying compliant: Monitoring updates from governing bodies to ensure we follow all new guidelines

We are committed to creating the best processes to support players and families.

where can i get more information?

We will continue to share updates, timelines, and detailed information as it becomes available. In the meantime:

Check official announcements: Read the full US Club Soccer article for comprehensive details
Watch for updates: We will provide more information as we finalize our transition plan
Email jbaker@fcalliancenorth.org with any specific questions

what programs will be affected?

All programs will be affected:

Core Academy
FC Alliance North U9-U19 Boys/Girls Teams