Squadora™Guide
Where the ECNL sits in the youth soccer pyramid
The ECNL runs at two levels of the youth soccer pyramid. Here is where ECNL Boys, ECNL Girls and the ECNL Regional League sit, how the National 1 League ties to them, and how the ECNL compares with MLS NEXT.
Facts as of October 20, 2026. Every line names the page it comes from.
In short
- ECNL Boys and ECNL Girls are in the national top tier. The ECNL Regional League is the second national tier.
- The National 1 League is one national platform tied to the ECNL. Clubs that do well in it can earn promotion to the ECNL Regional League.
- The ECNL was founded in 2009 with girls' programming first.
The ECNL's levels
The ECNL appears twice in this pyramid, at the top and one step below it, with the National 1 League beneath.
National top
BoysMLS NEXT, the Homegrown Division and the Academy Division. ECNL Boys.
GirlsECNL Girls. Girls Academy.
Second national tier
BoysECNL Regional League. The MLS NEXT tier added in 2025.
GirlsECNL Regional League.
What changed in 2026-27
The National 1 League replaces the NPL and US Youth Soccer's National League. The 2026 NPL Finals were the NPL's last event, after 15 seasons.
What it means for you: if your child's team played in the NPL or US Youth Soccer's National League, ask the club where it plays in 2026-27. The National 1 League is where both leagues went, and clubs that do well there can move up to the ECNL Regional League.
Questions people ask
What is the ECNL Regional League?
The second national tier in this pyramid, for boys and girls. Clubs that do well in the National 1 League can earn promotion to it.
How does the ECNL compare with MLS NEXT?
For boys, both sit in the national top tier, side by side. Which one sits highest is argued about, so this page shows them together.