Age groups are changing? …Again?
Following extensive review and discussion, US Youth Soccer, AYSO, and US Club Soccer have all made a collective decision. They will move to an age group player formation cycle that runs from August 1 to July 31. This change will start with the 2026/27 season/registration year. This change was based on additional critical feedback. It was also influenced by data and expert input. The goal is to better align players with their school-grade peers.
The August 1 to July 31 age group player formation cycle will be used for all USYS league and Cup competitions for the 2026-27 season/registration year. This includes the National Championship Series (State Cup), the Presidents Cup, National League / Midest Conference and the MADL.
US Youth Soccer CEO Tom Condone addressed the adjustment to the registration process: “At US Youth Soccer, our mission is to support the development of every player. After careful collaboration with our partners and listening to our membership, we believe this shift to an August 1 player formation cycle better aligns with school calendars, supports social and individual needs, and ultimately enhances the youth soccer experience for families across the country.”
When does this change occur?
Again, please note that this decision is effective beginning with each Organization Member’s 2026-27 season/registration year, beginning August 1st 2026. This will not impact the current, 25/26 season.
As a reminder, under U.S. Soccer’s new policy, each Federation member can determine age group registration rules for the leagues and competitions they operate or sanction. To support this transition, U.S. Soccer has introduced a tool to help parents and guardians easily understand the age groupings based on their child’s birth date.
How does this change impact Missouri Youth Soccer Association players?
The simplest way to summarize the upcoming change is that on August 1st, 2026:
- Players born January 1st through July 31st will progress to the higher age group for the 26/27 season.
(Ex. Player born in June 2017 – 25/26 Season: U9 26/27 Season: U10) - Players born August 1st through December 31st will remain in the same age group for the 26/27 season.
(Ex. Player born in September 2017 – 25/26 Season: U9 26/27 Season: U9)
Teams are assigned to an age group based on the age of the team’s OLDEST player.
If you intend on keeping the majority of your team together through next season, please be prepared. Some players may then be required to play-up to a higher age group. However, MYSA roster rules prevent players from joining teams more than 2 age groups above their natural age.