Who are the governing bodies for youth soccer in the US?

In the United States, youth soccer is primarily governed by the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF), with three major organizations managing most youth players: US Youth Soccer (USYS), US Club Soccer, and the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO). These bodies oversee leagues, state associations, and national championships, often operating under the U.S. Soccer Youth Council.  In Maryland the state association,  MSYSA is a member of USSF and affiliate with USYS.

Brit-Am All Stars Age Group Changes for 2026/27

U.S. Soccer, along with US Youth Soccer, US Club Soccer, and AYSO, is changing the youth soccer age group cutoff from the current birth year (Jan 1-Dec 31) to a seasonal year (August 1 – July 31), starting with the 2026-2027 season, to better align players with their school grade peers for improved social and developmental experiences. The transition begins in 2026, with the new August 1 cut-off becoming standard for leagues and tournaments to reduce “trapped players” (those in an older soccer group than their school year).

What’s Changing:

• From: January 1 – December 31 (Birth Year).
• To:  August 1 – July 31 (Seasonal Year)

When it Takes Effect:

• For the 2026-2027 Season: All leagues that Brit-Am All Stars teams participate in will use the new August 1-July 31 cycle. (MSI, SAM Rec & Select, EDP, Chesapeake Premier Soccer League).

Who will be affected the most:

• All current U9-U14 (2017-2011) players that played in the 2025-26 season and born between Aug 1 and Dec 31 (the youngest players on the current rosters). However, this does not mean that Brit-Am will be moving every player that falls into this category, since this will cause many teams and players to be removed from playing with the team that have grown to love.

What age will Brit-Am follow the New Guidelines:

• All current U7 (2019 BY) players who choose to return will be placed on teams that fit the new guidelines. Some may get to repeat U7 and some will become U8 depending on when they were born.
• All current U8 (2018 BY) players who choose to return will also be placed on teams that fit the new guidelines. Some players will get to repeat U8 and older players will move up to U9.
  
  

Decision process for current U9-U15 Teams:

• All 2025-2026 All Stars players born Aug 1 or later will be identified by the Academy Directors and Head Coaches.
• The Head Coach and the Academy Directors will determine whether that player will benefit developmentally (technically, tactically, physically, and socially) from repeating the age group or whether they should stay with their current team and play ‘UP’.
• Communication with each family will then come from the Academy to determine the best fit for that player.
  
  Potential Outcomes will be:
  1. The player drops down to play on age, and they will get to repeat the age group with a new team and possibly a new coach.
  2. The player remains with their same team for the 2026-2027 season, since it is deemed that they can continue to develop (technically, tactically, physically, and socially) and compete at that age group. The player will be reevaluated at the end of each season to see if they are continuing to develop (technically, tactically, physically, and socially) and compete.
  3. If neither option works for the player and family, they can choose to decline the options and leave the Academy.

New Player looking to join the All Stars Academy:

• For All New Players that attend ID sessions and are coming from other clubs, they will be evaluated under the new guidelines. For example if a player who was born September 1, 2014 comes to an ID Session, they will be trying out for U12.

Why the Change?

• School Alignment: To group players with classmates, enhancing social development and team cohesion.
• Reduces “Trapped Players”: Minimizes situations where players are in a different soccer age than their school grade, which can be socially and developmentally challenging.
• Increased Participation: Aims to make soccer more inclusive and retain players longer.

Who’s Involved:

• U.S. Soccer, US Youth Soccer, US Club Soccer, and AYSO.
• How the School Year Calculation Works
• To calculate your player’s soccer age, determine if they fall within the birthdate ranges listed below or click here to use the U.S. Soccer age group formation tool. 
• For Example: In the 2026-2027 seasonal year, if your child is born in October 2016, they fall within the school year range of August 1, 2016 – July 31, 2017. That places them in the U10 age group for the 2026-2027 season.

US Soccer Age Group Guidelines for 2026/27 Soccer Year and Beyond

When do ID Sessions for girl’s and boy’s soccer teams take place?

ID Sessions for our boy’s and girl’s soccer teams will take place in April and May each year. Updates will be coming soon with the most up to date schedule.

If you miss our ID Sessions and are interested in joining the All Stars Academy, please contact our Academy Technical Director; Coach Steve at allstars@brit-am.com to schedule an evaluation.  

Players are welcome to be evaluated year-round. In your message, please tell us if this is an evaluation for a girl or boy, plus your child’s date of birth. This will help us provide you with the correct program information.

How many ID Sessions are required or recommended?

Players are only required to attend one ID session for consideration on an All Stars Academy team. However, we encourage players to attend at least two sessions to maximize their chances of demonstrating their abilities to play the game.

What does the ID Session entail?

These sessions can be viewed as assessments that look at the player’s ability to read and play the game. Players will also be assessed on their physical and social abilities.
Based on their current level of play, if available we will provide you with a team option that will best serve your player’s long-term growth. Assessments are done by our program Directors and coaching staff who ensure players are placed on a team to help them build a progressive and joyful soccer future.

My child was offered a spot, what’s next?

Once you receive your offer, a 72-hour deadline is placed on players to accept or decline their team offer.

If your child receives an offer, please know that a per-player team deposit is required when accepting an offer of a spot, which will be your first payment towards team fees.

When to arrive:

• Arrive at least 5-10 minutes before the scheduled time to allow enough time to check-in, get familiar with the environment and get ready to play.

What to bring:

• Pumped-up soccer ball labeled with your child’s name.
• Size 3 for U7-U8
• Size 4 for U9-U12
• Size 5 for U13 and above
• Water bottle labeled with your child’s name.
• Shin guards

What to wear

• Please wear a plain white t-shirt.
• We encourage players to wear black (or dark) shorts and Black or white socks, if possible.
• In the event of inclement weather or field changes, we will notify you via email and/or post weather cancellations on our homepage.

What if my plans change?

• If you cannot make any of the dates, please contact allstars@brit-am.com to schedule a separate evaluation.