US Soccer Age Group Changes for the

2026-2027 Season

US Youth Soccer, US Club Soccer, and AYSO are moving from a calendar-year (January–December) age cutoff to a school-year cutoff (August 1 – July 31), beginning with the 2026–27 season. The shift aligns age groups with school grades, reduces the number of “trapped players” who miss their grade cohort, and gives families more flexibility to play with classmates.


For the 2026–27 season, Eastern FC is adopting the new School Year Model (Aug 1 – July 31) for all levels of play and programming. We are excited to return to a system that prioritizes player development, friendships, and long-term enjoyment of the game.

What OUR families need to know

Starting with the 2026–2027 season, U.S. Youth Soccer and US Club Soccer are switching from a calendar-year cutoff to a seasonal-year cutoff.

Current age grouping for 2025 - 2026

Calendar year: January 1 – December 31


New age grouping for 2026-2027

Seasonal year: August 1 – July 31

U.S. Youth Soccer, working with U.S. Club Soccer and AYSO, approved the change after extensive research and member feedback. The goals are to:

• Better align age groups with the traditional soccer season

• Align more closely with school grades

• Reduce the number of “trapped players”

• Improve social and developmental fit

• Give players greater flexibility to compete with their grade-level peers

Beginning with the 2026–2027 seasonal year, age groups will be based on the seasonal-year format. This applies to 2026 competitive program tryouts and registration for the 2026–2027 season, as well as Fall 2026 recreational program registration.


The Spring 2026 season is not affected by this change.

  • Meet with current coaches and gather feedback on all existing Eastern FC players
  • Review and evaluate the new age-group player pools to forecast where players might be placed on rosters
  • Review current player evaluations
  • Establish a clear communication process and resources for parents and Eastern FC families

Eastern FC strongly encourages players to play in their designated age group.

• All players must try out in their 2026–27 age group under the new age-group system.

• If a play-up is in the player’s best developmental interest, Eastern FC Directors or Staff Coaches may suggest it during tryouts.

• Any play-up decision will be communicated by Eastern FC Directors to players and parents — not the other way around.

Eastern FC is entering a refill year for the 2026–2027 season under our Adidas uniform contract. Our goal is for every player to keep the same jersey number they had last year. If two players want the same number, the coach will meet with them to discuss it and agree on a resolution.

Players born between August 1 and December 31 are the ones most likely to be affected—they’ll probably remain in their current (2025–26 season) age group. For example, a player with a November birthday who’s in the U12 group this year will likely stay in U12 for the 2026–27 season.

Age Group Birth Year
U-5 Born between Aug 1, 2021 – July 31, 2022
U-6 Born between Aug 1, 2020 – July 31, 2021
U-7 Born between Aug 1, 2019 – July 31, 2020
U-8 Born between Aug 1, 2018 – July 31, 2019
U-9 Born between Aug 1, 2017 – July 31, 2018
U-10 Born between Aug 1, 2016 – July 31, 2017
U-11 Born between Aug 1, 2015 – July 31, 2016
U-12 Born between Aug 1, 2014 – July 31, 2015
U-13 Born between Aug 1, 2013 – July 31, 2014
U-14 Born between Aug 1, 2012 – July 31, 2013
U-15 Born between Aug 1, 2011 – July 31, 2012
U-16 Born between Aug 1, 2010 – July 31, 2011
U-17 Born between Aug 1, 2009 – July 31, 2010
U-18 Born between Aug 1, 2008 – July 31, 2009
U-19 Born between Aug 1, 2007 – July 31, 2008

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Our goal is to create and foster a positive environment for all our players and parents to develop and learn. Eastern Football Club will strive to develop players utilizing a proven educational approach that will make the whole player a well-rounded human being through “Life Lessons" learned on and off the field.