Important Update: Team Formation Changes For 2026/2027 SeasonDuring our upcoming tryout window (May 2026), the way teams are formed will change for the 2026/2027 season. Please read below to understand what’s changing, why it’s happening, and how it may impact your player and family. |
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What the U.S. Soccer Age Group Change Means for Our Families
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After a long evaluation process, U.S. Soccer announced a nationwide update to how youth soccer age groups are determined. This change applies across all levels of youth soccer, including our programs in Davis. Below, we break down what’s changing, why it’s happening, and what it means for your player, especially those with August birthdays.
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What’s Changing?
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Beginning with the 2026/2027 season, youth soccer will move from a calendar-year system (January 1–December 31) to a school-year system (August 1–July 31).
This means: |
🟢 Teams will be formed based on birthdays from August 1 to July 31, rather than January 1 to December 31. This more closely aligns teams with school grade levels.
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🟢 United Birthday Exception: If a player’s birth date places them in a younger age group than their school grade (most commonly August-born players), at United, players will be eligible to try out with their school-grade cohort to remain aligned with their classmates
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🟢 No change for the 2025/2026 season. Everything remains the same until tryouts in May.
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Why Is This Change Happening?
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This shift is intended to improve the youth soccer experience nationwide. Most U.S. students attend school on an August–July calendar. Aligning soccer age groups the same way helps players stay with classmates and peer groups which has shown to increase participation rates as players get older.
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FAQ — Top Questions Answered
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Q: When does this take effect?
A: The new system begins with the 2026/2027 season. The 2025/2026 season is unchanged. Tryouts held in May 2026 will use the new age-group structure.
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Q: How do I know what age group my child will be in?
A: US Soccer and member organizations are providing age-group lookup tools based on birthdate.
CLICK HERE FOR A LINK TO THE 2026/2027 AGE GROUP BREAKDOWN |
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Q: Will my child have to change teams?
A: Some players, particularly those born between August and December, may shift age groups under the new system.
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We will:- Communicate coach assignments as early as possible
- Provide opportunities for current United Player to connect with their new cohort
- Communicate directly with families eligible for our United Birthday Exception.
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Q: Can my player play up even if they will be in a younger grade?
A: Play up exceptions are extremely rare and will follow our current process for play up determinations. To be considered for a play up, email [email protected].
Note: Players who fall under our United Birthday Exception, whose birth date places them in a younger age group than their school grade, will be eligible to try out with their school-grade cohort. |
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Q: Can my player down to ensure they are with their grade level team?
A: No. Due to NorCal rules and regulations and age-group insurance requirements, playing down is not allowed. You may email us to confirm eligibility - [email protected].
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Q: What will team names be?
A: Team name conventions are still being finalized
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Q: Is this change optional?
A: No, this change is mandatory.
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Q: What about our teams that have two birth years on them now?
A: Our goal at tryouts is to form single-year teams whenever possible. That said, as we currently do, we may form teams that include two age cohorts when it makes sense based on the number of player and competitive level of the team.
When teams include two cohorts:
- They will always play in the older age group (no play downs)
- Our selection process will be communicated before and during tryouts
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A Quick Example
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Under the old (birth year) system for 2025/2026,
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| • | a player born in November 2014 is U12 and plays for 2014G Blue
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| • | a player born in April 2015 is U11 and players for 2015G Blue
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| • | very likely both players are in 6th grade in the 2024/2025 school year
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Under the new (school year) system 2026/2027:
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| • | both players would be U12
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| both players are likely in 7th grade for the 2026/2027 school year
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Additional notes:
- U12 remains 9v9
- U13 starts 11v11
- 2014 players born between August and December will have a third year of 9v9, rather than moving to 11v11
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What This Means for Our Community
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This change is the result of extensive feedback gathered from parents, coaches, clubs, and administrators across the country. A consistent theme emerged: aligning soccer age groups more closely with school years helps increase participation, strengthen team continuity, and improve the overall social experience for players. When athletes are with their classmates and peer groups, they are more likely to remain engaged in the sport over time. Those with older players may recall school year registration was the standard prior to 2017. For many families and clubs, that structure proved more effective than strict birth-year teams, particularly in supporting player retention, social cohesion, and long-term development. This shift represents a return to a model that many communities found more successful. At United, we trust our coaches, players, and families to build a strong and supportive soccer community. While any change can feel challenging, we are committed to communicating clearly, planning thoughtfully, and supporting families throughout the transition. We believe this update is a positive step forward and will provide continued growth and stability for our youth soccer players in Davis
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Ask Us Your Questions
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We’ll be online to explain more or answer questions. Each meeting will start with a short introduction (presenting the information from above) and then we’ll take questions. Feel free to drop in to hear our voices and ask a question! Dates coming soon and we will provide an English and Spanish version (this website page translates to a persons selected phone language already)
Join a virtual meeting this month (in English)
Unasa a una reunion virtual este mes (en espanol)
- Proximamente se publicaran las fechas y los enlaces.
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We’ll be online to explain more or answer questions. Each zoom meeting will start with a short introduction (presenting the information from above) and then we’ll take questions. Feel free to drop in to hear our voices and ask a question!
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2026 Tryout Timelines
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•January 2026 - Communications of age group changes, coach applications opens
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•March 2026 - Coach selections announced, tryout interest form opens
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•April 2026 - Tryouts town hall
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•May 2026 - Tryouts
11U-14U: May 11-13 Times TBA
15U-19U May 18-20 Times TBA
2026/2027 Age Group Matrix |