Leagues explained
Youth soccer leagues in New England
MLS NEXT, ECNL, Girls Academy, NECSL… Pick a league to see what it is and which clubs play in it, or start with a guide.
Guides for parents
How the leagues fit togetherMLS NEXT, ECNL, GA Aspire, NAL, NECSL… Here is roughly how the leagues New England families run into compare, for boys and for girls.
What age group is my child in?Starting with the 2026-27 season, most youth soccer moved from birth-year age groups to school-year age groups (August 1 to July 31). Enter a birth date to see where your child plays.
What is State Cup?State Cup is a knockout tournament run by each state’s youth soccer association. It is not a league: teams enter it on top of their regular league season.
What is ODP?ODP is US Youth Soccer’s state select-team program. Individual players from any club try out to train with, and represent, their state.
Leagues
NECSL
New England Club Soccer League (NECSL)
Competitive club (travel) players of almost any level, from first-year travel teams to strong regional teams. Most New… 23 clubs listed →
NAL
National Academy League (NAL)
Strong U13-U19 players, mostly boys, who want high-level games and showcase exposure without being on a club's top… 12 clubs listed →
ECNL RL
ECNL Regional League (ECNL RL)
Strong competitive players who want an ECNL-club environment and college exposure with less national travel than the top… 9 clubs listed →
MLS NEXT Academy
MLS NEXT Academy Division
High-level U13-U19 boys who want an MLS NEXT environment and college exposure but also want to play for… 9 clubs listed →
MLS NEXT
MLS NEXT
Boys aiming for professional or top college soccer who can commit to a near year-round schedule. The Homegrown… 9 clubs listed →
GA Aspire
GA Aspire
Competitive girls who want a Girls Academy pathway with mainly regional travel, often the club's second team behind… 9 clubs listed →
DPL
Development Player League (DPL)
Competitive girls (mostly U13-U19) at clubs that want national showcase exposure and a pathway toward GA Aspire and… 7 clubs listed →
ECNL
Elite Clubs National League (ECNL)
High-level players targeting college soccer (and for some, pro) who want national exposure but also want the option… 7 clubs listed →
NEAL
Northeast Academy League (NEAL)
Strong U11-U12 boys at academy-style clubs who are aiming for MLS NEXT or NAL teams at U13. 7 clubs listed →
Girls Academy
Girls Academy (GA)
Girls with college or pro ambitions looking for a top national platform focused on female players. 6 clubs listed →
RAL
Regional Academy League (RAL)
Strong U13-U19 boys and girls teams that are ready for more than regular NECSL play but aren't in… 5 clubs listed →
National 1
National 1 League
Strong U13-U19 club teams, boys or girls, that aren't in ECNL or ECNL RL but want a merit-based… 5 clubs listed →
USL Academy
USL Academy
Older teen players (about U15-U19) at clubs connected to a USL team who want a pathway toward semi-pro… 3 clubs listed →
Maine State Premier League
Maine State Premier League
Premier (club) teams from Maine, mainly 12U to 19U. Strong town teams, high school age teams and younger… 3 clubs listed →
VPL
Vermont Premier League (VPL)
Competitive club teams in Vermont, about U10 to U19. Other clubs can apply to join. 3 clubs listed →
NHSL
NH Soccer League (NHSL)
Travel teams from New Hampshire clubs. Any club in good standing with NHSA and US Soccer can take… 2 clubs listed →