U.S. Youth Soccer, US Club Soccer, and the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) collectively announced a major update to age group formation that will take effect beginning with the 2026–27 seasonal year. This change moves away from the current calendar-year (January 1 – December 31) model and returns to a seasonal-year (August 1 – July 31) model for age grouping.

In order to be eligible to participate in U.S. Youth Soccer, US Club Soccer, NPL, and ECNL league play & competitions, South Carolina Surf must be compliant with this change. We understand that transitions like this can bring questions and concerns, and we want to assure you that our staff is already working through the details to develop the best processes to support players and families.

As of the 2026–27 season, age groups will be defined by a seasonal model that starts on August 1 and ends on July 31 of the following year.

Age groups are currently defined by a birth year model that starts on January 1 and ends of December 31 of the same year. This was mandated by U.S. Soccer in 2017 to align with FIFA international standards.

This change will be enacted by US Youth Soccer, US Club Soccer and AYSO following extensive review and discussion.

The collective decision was made based on additional critical feedback, data, and expert input to better align players with their school-grade peers.

Our associations feel that this age group player formation will be the most inclusive and help increase participation.

All of our current competitive programs will be affected.

Because this is a systemic change, some players will experience a shift into a different “age group” and team formation will look different for the 2026-27 year.

We are working diligently to ensure a smooth transition for the 2026-27 season, and will take all player development needs into consideration.

The change will apply to all USYS-sanctioned league and cup competitions (National Championships, Presidents Cup, National League, etc.) and US Club-sanctioned league and competitions (ECNL, ECNL-RL, NPL, etc.).

Our club leadership and coaching staff are currently (1) reviewing all current rosters and birthdates to project how the shift will affect teams at each level, (2) designing a process for new school year group trainings, tryouts and evaluations for the 2026-27 season, and (3) communicating clearly and early so all families know the timeline and rationale.

We are continuously monitoring updates from US Youth Soccer, US Club Soccer, and state associations to ensure we remain compliant with new rules and provide the best experience for our members.

We will share more information, timelines, and next steps as soon as they are finalized. In the meantime, please know that we are committed to helping every player continue to grow, develop, and thrive within South Carolina Surf.