MLS to announce new youth league involving 95 clubs

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U15 and U17 MLS teams that need to travel the country to play other MLS teams? That sounds like a great idea for high school players. Good luck with that!

High school-aged players, but not high school players.

Sorry, but this is where the size of the US works against us. We need a tiered system and the ability to move players up as with other countries.

This move actually makes it a little better, since originally it was JUST MLS clubs so there was really nothing nearby. Now, at least, there's a little more than nothing nearby...

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To clarify, 4 MA clubs were invited in (NEFC, Revs, Valeo, Bolts)...but NEFC and Bolts have already been invited to play boys ECNL?

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No GPS?

[Unregistered]

To clarify, 4 MA clubs were invited in (NEFC, Revs, Valeo, Bolts)...but NEFC and Bolts have already been invited to play boys ECNL?

Bolts already had boys ECNL.

[Unregistered]

Will there be a fall season of this or not? Otherwise high school soccer?

[Unregistered]

Will there be a fall season of this or not? Otherwise high school soccer?

I think you are more likely to have a fall season through clubs than you will through HS. HS will be tied to schools opening up and each state's overall governing body which will take into account each school, team, and sport. Clubs operate more independently and if there are not any resource restraints (i.e. fields) and if beaches and other common areas are open, Clubs, I believe, could leverage that to play.

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I think you are more likely to have a fall season through clubs than you will through HS. HS will be tied to schools opening up and each state's overall governing body which will take into account each school, team, and sport. Clubs operate more independently and if there are not any resource restraints (i.e. fields) and if beaches and other common areas are open, Clubs, I believe, could leverage that to play.

Maybe yes, maybe no. Local or state level government may decide differently. MLS teams have their own fields obviously but anyone who rents space may not be able to.

[Unregistered]

To clarify, 4 MA clubs were invited in (NEFC, Revs, Valeo, Bolts)...but NEFC and Bolts have already been invited to play boys ECNL?

ECNL is the new B Team at NEFC.

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I feel badly for the Revs U19 players.

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No gps??

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All 30 MLS clubs — the 26 current and four incoming expansion teams — will participate in the league, which will also include five USL Championship teams and 60 non-professional clubs, for a first season total of 95 teams.

The sources said that the new league will include Under-13, -14, -15, -17 and -19 age groups. MLS teams will be required to field U-15 and U-17 squads, but it will be up to individual clubs if they want to field teams in the other four age groups. The league is also considering an Under-16 division, though there are no current plans for it to be included in the first season.

Exact details of the competition structure are being worked out, but the sources expect that the platform will be divided into separate MLS and non-MLS divisions. Multiple sources said that it’s likely that MLS academies will primarily play other MLS academies, and non-MLS clubs will primarily play against each other in their own circuit.

The full list of the 65 non-MLS clubs, known as “founding members,” is below:

Phoenix Rising FC (USL)
RGV FC Toros Academy (USL)
Saint Louis FC (USL)
San Antonio FC (USL)
Tampa Bay United Rowdies (USL)
Barca Residency Academy
IMG Academy
Shattuck-St. Mary’s
NEFC
SF Glens
Albion SC
Ballistic United
Baltimore Armour
Bayside Futebol Club
Beachside of Connecticut
Bethesda FC
Blau Weiss Gottschee
Breakers
Cedar Stars Academy Bergen
Cedar Stars Academy Monmouth
Chargers Soccer Club
Chicago FC United
Chula Vista FC
Cincinnati Premier Soccer Club
City SC
De Anza Force
Empire United Soccer Academy
FC Delco
FC Greater Boston Bolts
FC Westchester
Florida Rush Soccer Club
Indiana Fire Academy
Internationals
Jacksonville FC
L.A. United Football Academy
LA Surf Soccer Club
Lanier Soccer Academy
Metropolitan Oval
Miami Rush Kendall SC
Michigan Wolves
Murrieta Surf Soccer Club
New York Soccer Club
Nomads
Oakwood Soccer Club
PA Classics
Player Development Academy
Real Colorado
RISE Soccer Club
RSL Arizona
Santa Barbara Soccer Club
SC Del Sol
Seacoast United
SF Elite
Silicon Valley SA
Sockers FC Chicago
Solar Soccer Club
South Florida Football Academy
Southern Soccer Academy
Total Futbol Academy
TSF Academy
Valeo Futbol Club
VARDAR Soccer Club
Ventura County Fusion
West Florida Flames
Weston FC

Should have got 1,030 clubs into that league .... that way the 1,000 non-mls clubs would have far less overhead funding the MLS teams ..... whom they will be lucky to get 1 or 2 games a year against. For the most part, the 2 distinct leagues will be MLS clubs plus a few non-MLS clubs each year and then tier 2 which is the other 60 clubs vying for one of the few non-mls spots. WHAT A JOKE IF THESE SUCKERS (the non-mls clubs that is) FALL FOR IT!!!!

[Unregistered]

To clarify, 4 MA clubs were invited in (NEFC, Revs, Valeo, Bolts)...but NEFC and Bolts have already been invited to play boys ECNL?

ECNL will be there "B" teams

[Unregistered]

I feel badly for the Revs U19 players.

Why is that?

[Unregistered]

I thought NEFC already joined ECNL for boys?

They'll put their B teams in ECNL like the Bolts.

[Unregistered]

Why is that?

Because the MLS teams will not have U19’s (2003/2002) so these players will have to find new teams