AGE GROUP CHANGE

Beginning in Fall 2026, DC Soccer Club will align its Travel Program age group registration with the school-year age band of August 1 – July 31, replacing the current birth-year or calendar-year model of January 1 – December 31.


This change is in alignment with the updated guidance from US Soccer’s national member organizations US Club Soccer, US Youth Soccer and AYSO, and will be implemented uniformly by leagues and clubs across the country. As a member club, DC Soccer Club has to follow the age group change.


Tryouts held in Spring 2026 to form teams for the 2026–2027 Travel season will be organized using the new August 1 – July 31 age cut-off for registration. Information about tryouts will be released in February.


Please note registration is still based on date of birth, not grade level in school.


Please read our FAQs   for more information, and use the chart below to find your player's birthdate and corresponding age group for the 2026-2027 travel season.  If families have questions about these changes that are not addressed in our FAQs, please reach out to your Age Group Director.

What to Know

  • All Academy, Travel and Select teams in the Travel Program beginning in Fall 2026 will follow the school-year age group of August 1 - July 31.

  • Since 2017 - current season, travel teams have been aligned by birth years (January 1 - December 31). This change to school-year age groups reverts to team formation prior to that change in 2017.

  • Tryouts held in Spring will have registration set up as the school year age group (August 1 - July 31). Details on DCSC Travel Program tryouts will be released in February.

  • Players will register for tryouts and be placed on teams in their correct age group . Players will not "play up" to remain with their current teams. In very limited cases, the technical staff may determine a player to "play up" because it's in the player's best interest developmentally.

  • This change is not an individual club decision -- DCSC is following the policy implemented by the national organizations and member associations.

2026-2027 SEASON AGE GROUP CHART

AGE GROUP CHANGE FAQs

  • Can my player "play up" an age group to remain with their current team?

    DC Soccer Club’s expectation is for players to register and compete in their designated age group under the school-year cut-off.


    In exceptional cases, coaches and technical staff may determine a player to play up an age group because it is developmentally appropriate and in the best interest of that player’s development based on skill level, maturity and overall development needs.


    Please note that the U18 and U19 age groups are combined in our travel leagues and listed as U19.


  • How will travel program tryouts be affected?

    Player placement from tryouts for the 2026-2027 season will follow the new age group cut off of August 1 - July 31. Players and families will receive guidance and updates ahead of tryout registration.

  • Why is this change happening?

    First, the Aug. 1 age group cut-off most effectively reduces the number of “trapped players” in youth soccer and reduces negative impacts on these players at multiple stages of their career. “Trapped” players are those who, due to soccer age group cut-offs, are in an older soccer age group than their school year. Trapped players have significantly reduced competition opportunities and disrupted training experiences in 8th grade (when most of their team is in high school) and are similarly negatively impacted four years later when players from the older soccer age group, but who are still in high school, are moved down into the same soccer age group.


    Second, an Aug. 1 age group cut-off best aligns soccer age groups with school year ages, maximizing the number of players who participate in soccer programs with their school-year friends. This alignment has a positive correlation with increased numbers of youth players entering and staying in the sport.


    This decision to move to the Aug. 1 cut-off reverts to the same age group cut-off used prior to 2017. In 2017, U.S. Soccer mandated the  Jan. 1-Dec. 31 (birth year) timeframe. Prior to 2017, youth soccer registration followed the school year model; this is a return to that model. 


  • Will travel registration be based on grades?

    Registration is based on date of birth, not grade level. Players’ eligibility for grades in school vary depending on the state and school system. After research and discussion, US Club Soccer, US Youth Soccer, and AYSO jointly announced a move to the school-year cut off of August 1 - July 31 to best reduce the misalignment between age and school year.

  • Does this affect all youth soccer leagues?

    DC Soccer Club’s Academy, Travel and Select teams participate in as part of the travel program will move to the school year cut off August 1 - July 31. 


    USYS, US Club and AYSO – umbrella organizations under the governing body of the US Soccer Federation –made a joint announcement of changing to school year age groups. All USYS and US Club affiliated leagues– national, regional and state–will have registrations of the school year age group August 1 - July 31. This includes ECNL and ECNL Regional Leagues, Girls Academy, EDP, NCSL as well as MSYSA leagues such as MDSL.


    MLS Next announced their MLS Next Academy (second tier) would align registration to the school year cut off August 1 - July 31, while the MLS Next Home Grown (first tier) will remain as birth years.


  • Will other DC Soccer Club programs use the school-year age group cutoff besides the Travel program?

    DC Soccer Club will follow the August 1 - July 31 school year age band to be in alignment with the competitive leagues operated under our affiliate organizations of USYS and US Club. DC Soccer Club’s recreational league and other programs will not be affected and will remain as it has been. 


    While DCSC’s Pre-Travel Academy for U6-U8 players is considered a bridge program between rec and travel to prepare players for the travel level, the registration age group will continue to be the same as rec.


  • Will this affect high school soccer eligibility?

    No. High school soccer eligibility is governed by school athletic associations, not club organizations.