This page serves as an information hub for the impending age group reclassification that will occur for the 2026-2027 seasonal year. It will be updated with additional information as it becomes available.

Currently the age groups used to organize players and teams is defined by the calendar year. Players born between January 1-December 31 represent an age group (ex: January 1, 2014-December 31, 2014 is one age group, January 1, 2015-December 31,2015 is another, etc.).

 

Following the 2025-2026 soccer season, age groups will be defined by a different 12-month band, which ties more closely to the school calendar. Age groups will be organized with an August 1-July 31 calendar (ex: August 1, 2014-July 31, 2015 will be one age group, August 1, 2015-July 31, 2016 will be another, etc.).

 

These new age groups will take effect between March and July 2026, depending on when teams in the current age group conclude their 2025-2026 season.

The governing bodies of youth soccer (AYSO, US Youth Soccer, and US Club Soccer) voted to implement this change, and the vast majority of member leagues - specifically ECNL and SOCAL - are following their lead.

 

As such, clubs and teams are following the direction of those leagues.

 

This change is intended to boost participation and retention of youth soccer players across the country, by better tying the age groups to the school calendar.

 

Following the conclusion of their 2025-2026 seasonal commitment, the new age groups will be:

 

2026-27 New Age Group	Birthdate Ranges	Playing Format
U8	8/1/18-7/31/19	7 v 7
U9	8/1/17-7/31/18	7 v 7
U10	8/1/16-7/31/17	7 v 7
U11	8/1/15-7/31/16	9 v 9
U12	8/1/14-7/31/15	9 v 9
U13	8/1/13-7/31/14	11 v 11
U14	8/1/12-7/31/13	11 v 11
U15	8/1/11-7/31/12	11 v 11
U16	8/1/10-7/31/11	11 v 11
U17	8/1/09-7/31/10	11 v 11
U18/19	8/1/07-7/31/09	11 v 11

 

It's important to note: players are being reorganized across the country into a new 12 month band.

Players are NOT "moving up" or "playing down" next year - they are simply being reorganized into a new age group classification.

See the chart below for an estimate transition timeline based on the age of your child and the league they currently play in. 

A small subset of players may have a gap between the end of their current season and the start of their new season; accommodations will be made for those individuals.

To use this chart: 

1) determine the age range of your child (first column)

2) select the league their team currently plays in (second column)

 

Age Groups	Current League	Age Group Training	Tryouts	Estimated New Season Start Date
8/1/17-7/31/18 8/1/18-7/31/19	SOCAL	October and November	Week of December 1	March 2026
8/1/16-7/31/17 8/1/15-7/31/16 8/1/14-7/31/15 8/1/13-7/31/14 8/1/12-7/31/13	SOCAL	December and January	Week of Feb 23	March 2026
8/1/15-7/31/16 8/1/14-7/31/15 8/1/13-7/31/14	Pre ECNL	December and January	Week of Feb 23	March 2026
8/1/13-7/31/14	Pre ECNL ECNL ECNL RL	December and January	Week of Feb 23	June 2026
8/1/12-7/31/13	ECNL ECNL RL SOCAL	March	Week of April 20	June 2026
8/1/11-7/31/12 and older	ECNL ECNL RL SOCAL	March	Week of April 20	June 2026

 

Age Group Training sessions will be held to allow players to meet future teammates in their new age groups, and to help coaches work with and evaluate players in these new 12 month bands.

Attendance is expected for all current LAFC So Cal Youth players; communicate with your coach if they are unable to attend. All sessions are at Pierce College, unless otherwise communicated.

 

Boys Age Group Training Schedule:

August 1, 2018-July 31, 2019: Sunday October 26, 1:30-3 PM and Sunday November 9, 9-10:30 AM

August 1, 2017-July 31, 2018: Sunday October 26, 1:30-3 PM and Sunday November 9, 9-10:30 AM, Saturday January 31, 10AM-12 PM at Oak Park HS Turf

August 1, 2016-July 31, 2017: Friday December 12, 5-6:30 PM at El Camino Real HS and Saturday January 31, 10AM-12 PM at Oak Park HS Turf

August 1, 2015-July 31, 2016: Friday December 12, 5-6:30 PM at El Camino Real HS and Monday February 9, 6-7:30 PM at Pierce College

August 1, 2014-July 31, 2015: Friday December 12, 6:30-8 PM at El Camino Real HS and Tuesday February 10, 6-7:30 PM at Pierce College

August 1, 2013-July 31, 2014: Friday December 12, 6:30-8 PM at El Camino Real HS and Thursday February 12, 6-7:30 PM at Pierce College

 

Girls Age Group Training Schedule:

August 1, 2018-July 31, 2019: Monday October 27, 4:30-6 PM and Monday November 3, 4:30-6 PM

August 1, 2017-July 31, 2018: Tuesday October 28, 4:30-6 PM and Tuesday November 4, 4:30-6 PM

August 1, 2016-July 31, 2017: Friday December 12, 4:30-6 PM and Friday January 9, 4:30-6 PM at Pierce College

August 1, 2015-July 31, 2016: Friday December 12, 4:30-6 PM and Friday January 9, 4:30-6 PM at Pierce College

August 1, 2014-July 31, 2015: Friday December 12, 6-7:30 PM and Friday January 9, 6-7:30 PM at Pierce College

August 1, 2013-July 31, 2014: Friday December 12, 6-7:30 PM and Friday January 9, 6-7:30 PM at Pierce College

LAFC So Cal Youth is well prepared to navigate this change.

A similar change occurred in 2017 (where school year age groups were changed to calendar year). The club's current leadership team is drawing on best practices and lessons learned, and formed a sub-committee in early 2025 to design and execute a transition plan.

This includes creating and monitoring a database for each new age group, to better evaluate current players and forecast team counts, and scheduling Age Group Training sessions.

The leadership team has also identified challenges and determined solutions, and continues to work on solving potential hiccups as they're identified.

The club is committed to communicating with families by providing them regular updates via Town Hall meetings, its website, and messaging.

The club's depth of players places it in a unique position to both manage and thrive in the new age group format, whereas smaller and/or less organized clubs may not have the depth or experience.

Talk to your child and explain what is happening. Highlight the positives - a new challenge awaits them - and use this to teach a valuable life lesson of navigating change.

Acknowledge and address their concerns.

Set the example - they will follow the lead of the adult figures in their life.

Remain flexible - there are many moving parts, and any inconveniences will be short lived.

Address questions and concerns to club directors in an appropriate and timely fashion.

Q: How are teams formed?

A: Teams will continue to be formed via competitive level of play. Current LAFC SCY players are assessed based on their play from the previous season, while outside players are assessed via tryouts.

Following tryouts, the entire player pool (current players and trialists) are evaluated, with players then selected to a roster and invitations extended. Families then enroll in the program, and their new season begins.

Q: Who will coach the teams?

A: LAFC So Cal Youth is fortunate to have a deep and talented roster of coaches. Assignments will be shared before invitations are extended.

Q: My child is born later in the calendar year. Are they now going to "play down" an age group?

A: No. Where they were now one of the younger players in the current age group structure, they will become one of the older players in the new age group, and are now more likely to be playing with peers in the same grade.

Q: Can my child play up an age group?

A: LAFC So Cal organizes its players into teams by competitive level of each age group's player pool, as well as each child's developmental level. Players capable of competing on the first team of an older age group may be considered for placement as they currently do now. Given the depth of the club's player pools, playing up an age group and on the first team of LAFC So Cal is challenging.

Q: My child is born in July and is old for their grade. Can they play down?

A: Unfortunately no. Since August 1 is the cutoff for the competitions and leagues we play in, they are not permitted to play in a younger age group.

Q: Will this change impact our current season?

A: Team rosters should remain as is through the end of the final competition (State Cup, league play, post-season playoffs, etc.). There are a full slate of competitions ahead of us to remain focused on. A small cohort of players may face more logistical challenges than others, based on when their season ends and when their new season begins, but any challenges will be short lived.

Q: I have questions about this. Who do I contact?

A: Families are encouraged to speak with their appropriate age group director:

U8-U12 Boys: Dan Raben, dan.raben@lafcsocal.org

U8-U12 Girls: Wendi Whitman, wendi.whitman@lafcsocal.org

U13-U19 Girls: Richard Simms, richard.simms@lafcsocal.org

U13-U19 Boys: Alberto Bru, ab@lafcsocal.org