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What age group is my child in for 2026-27?
Youth soccer moved from birth years to school years for the 2026-27 season. Here's the chart, who stays in the same group for a second season, and what size game each age plays.
The short answer
From the 2026-27 season, US Youth Soccer, AYSO and US Club Soccer group players by school year, August 1 to July 31. Find your child's birth date in the chart. Your club or league has the final word, so confirm with them before tryouts.
The 2026-27 chart
| Age group | Born on or after | Born on or before |
|---|---|---|
| U19 | August 1, 2007 | July 31, 2008 |
| U18 | August 1, 2008 | July 31, 2009 |
| U17 | August 1, 2009 | July 31, 2010 |
| U16 | August 1, 2010 | July 31, 2011 |
| U15 | August 1, 2011 | July 31, 2012 |
| U14 | August 1, 2012 | July 31, 2013 |
| U13 | August 1, 2013 | July 31, 2014 |
| U12 | August 1, 2014 | July 31, 2015 |
| U11 | August 1, 2015 | July 31, 2016 |
| U10 | August 1, 2016 | July 31, 2017 |
| U9 | August 1, 2017 | July 31, 2018 |
| U8 | August 1, 2018 | July 31, 2019 |
| U7 | August 1, 2019 | July 31, 2020 |
| U6 | August 1, 2020 | July 31, 2021 |
| U5 | August 1, 2021 | July 31, 2022 |
| U4 | August 1, 2022 | July 31, 2023 |
The quick rule: if your child was born between August 1 of one year and July 31 of the next, take 2026, subtract the first of those years, and that's the U-number. Born October 3, 2015: 2026 minus 2015 is U11.
Who stays in the same group for a second season?
Children born August to December keep the same age group in 2026-27 that they had in 2025-26. Everyone else moves up one, as usual.
Here's why. In 2025-26, age groups ran by birth year, so a child born in October 2014 played U12. In 2026-27 the school-year chart puts August 2014 to July 2015 in U12, so the same child is U12 again. A child born in March 2014 played U12 in 2025-26 and moves to U13.
That's the change families notice most. Teammates born a few months apart can end up a year apart, and a child can end up with classmates instead of birth-year friends.
What size game each age plays
U.S. Soccer sets the largest game for each age. Smaller games are still allowed.
| Age group | Largest game |
|---|---|
| U7 and U8 | 4v4 |
| U9 and U10 | 7v7 |
| U11 and U12 | 9v9 |
| U13 and older | 11v11 |
So a child who stays in U12 for a second season plays 9v9 again, and a child born in the spring of 2014 moves up to the full 11v11 game.
Where birth years stay
Not every program moved. MLS NEXT keeps birth years for its Homegrown Division. Girls Academy moves to the seasonal year from 2026-27. Our guides to MLS NEXT and the girls pyramid cover where each fits.
Check one child
U.S. Soccer's age group calculator gives one child's group from a birth date. It's a guide. The club or league running the program decides, so confirm with them, above all before tryouts.
For clubs setting up 2026-27
In Squadora, age groups follow the August 1 to July 31 cycle. A season rollover copies teams into the next season one year older and can move the players with them. Once a birth date is set it's locked, and a parent asks the club to correct it, so a typo can't put a child in the wrong group. Our guide to rostering a youth soccer club walks through the season in order.
Keep reading
Sources
- US Youth Soccer, "Updated decision on age group formation", June 10, 2025. Read October 25, 2026.
- SoccerWire, "Youth Soccer Age Groups: Easy Chart for School-Year Age Grouping", June 2, 2026. Read October 25, 2026. Rows checked against the rule in source 1.
- U.S. Soccer, "Game formats", ussoccer.com/us-way/player-development/game/game-formats. Read October 25, 2026.
- U.S. Soccer, age group calculator, ussoccer.com/ecosystem-review/player-registration/age-group-calculator. Read October 25, 2026.
- MLS NEXT, "MLS NEXT announces age group update". Girls Academy, "Girls Academy to adopt seasonal-year age group formation beginning in 2026-2027".
- Squadora, features. Read October 25, 2026.
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Updated October 25, 2026