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 change aims to better align soccer teams with school grade levels, allowing more players to compete alongside their classmates and reducing the challenges faced by "trapped players" (those whose birthdays cause them to be separated from grade-level peers at key transition points like 8th grade or high school senior year). In order to be eligible to participate in US Youth Soccer, US Club Soccer leagues and competitions, MVP players must be compliant with this change.

The new August 1 – July 31 system starts with the 2026-2027 seasonal year (fall 2026 tryouts and registration) for all MVP players and teams.

• Teams will now span two calendar birth years (e.g., a U12 team might include players born August 1, 2014 – July 31, 2015, plus any approved play-up/play-down exceptions).

Not exactly. Age groups will still be based on birth year, but the eligibility window will shift from January–December to August–July. Players who are in a different school grade than their age cohort will compete in the age group that aligns with their date of birth.

“Playing up” is permitted in specific cases based on a player’s individual developmental readiness. It is not the default solution for keeping a roster together. Decisions are made player by player, not team by team, through a collaborative conversation between the coaching staff, club leadership, and the player’s family. These players will be contacted by their Age Group Directors prior to tryouts.

Yes! The school-year alignment is designed to reduce the "relative age effect" and "trapped player" issues that have impacted many families under the birth year system.