MLS NEXT
MLS NEXT now uses two distinct competition levels: the Allstate Homegrown Division and the Academy Division. Confirm which division and exact team a club is offering.
Official sourceLeague Atlas
National and regional platforms
Across the country
National and regional platforms
These are distinct organizations and competition structures. Availability changes by club, gender, age group, and season.
ECNL
A club-based national platform. ECNL and ECNL Regional League belong to the same pathway, but they are separate competition levels and should not be treated as interchangeable.
Official sourceGirls Academy
A national girls development platform organized through member clubs and regional conferences, with league play and national showcase events.
Official sourceNational 1 League
Beginning with the 2026–27 season, National 1 brings together the former NPL and US Youth Soccer National League structures as a team-based national platform.
Official sourceElite Academy League
EA has regional conferences, including the Pacific Northwest. Its core age groups are U13–U19; U11–U12 depend on the conference. EA league play is separate from the MLS NEXT Academy Division conferences it operates.
Official sourceLeague structures and eligibility rules change. Updated October 2, 2026; use each linked official source to confirm current details.