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

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

Travel Program Players

• 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.

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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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EASTERN FC JOURNEY


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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.