CARMEL UNITED SOCCER CLUB
US SOCCER'S TEAM FORMATION CHANGE FROM BIRTH YEAR TO SCHOOL/SEASONAL YEAR
March 1, 2026
Dear Carmel United Families:
As we are about to get the [soccer] ball rolling for the Fall 2026/Spring 2027 season, we want to make you aware of an important upcoming change.
What is Happening?
US Soccer, the official governing body for all things soccer in the United States, in partnership with the three major youth soccer organizations…US Youth Soccer, US Club Soccer, and AYSO have collectively implemented a change to the formation of youth soccer teams. Our governing state association and local leagues have all followed suit.
Beginning with the Fall 2026/Spring 2027 season, these organizations are moving from a “birth year” team formation model (Jan 1 – Dec 31) to a “school/seasonal year” model (Aug 1 – Jul 31).
This was a national-level decision intended to align teams more closely with school-grade peers and increase participation across the country. While this model does not align with our local school district grade calendar (Dec 1 – Nov 30) and presents more challenges for our community than the birth year model, all youth soccer clubs—including Carmel United—are required to comply with this change.
The purpose of this message is to explain what this change means and how it affects us.
New “School/Seasonal Year” Team Formation – Effective August 1, 2026
For the last ten years, youth teams have been formed based on calendar birth years (January 1 – December 31). Under that system, players born in the same year were grouped in an age group (i.e., all players born in 2016 were U10 this year). This was a very simple model to understand and implement.
Beginning Fall 2026, teams will instead be formed based on a “school” or “seasonal” year model:
- Under this model, the year begins on August 1st and runs through July 31st of the following year.
- Example: Players born August 1, 2016, through July 31, 2017, will be U10 next year.
This change results in significant shifts in team composition across all age groups. Appendix A includes a grid to help illustrate the change.
For those who have been around long enough, you may recognize that this “new” model is also the “old” model that was in place before switching to “birth year” in 2016. Perhaps in another ten years we’ll be switching back again.
Inhouse Program
For our Inhouse program, implementation is relatively straightforward. Age groups will be realigned to match the new model beginning in Fall 2026.
As a result, players born August–December will remain in the same age group for an additional year (i.e., players born August–December 2020…currently U6…will fall into U6 again next year.
This is expected and intentional under the new system.
Travel Program
For Travel teams, this change is more complex since most existing teams are now comprised of players that span two age groups under the new model.
After careful consideration, the Club has decided to keep existing Travel teams together as much as possible, while still complying with the new age group rules. However, as always:
- Team placement is not guaranteed
- All current and new Travel players must still try out
- Final rosters will be determined by Tryout results
Travel Team Guidelines Beginning Fall 2026
This is the plan as we move forward:
- Existing Travel teams will move into the age group appropriate for their current oldest players. In most, if not all, cases, they will be moving up one year as they normally would.
- Younger players on those teams (those born August–December) will be treated as age-appropriate for that team and will not be subject to “play up” restrictions.
- Those younger players can also choose to try out for their age-appropriate team, if they prefer.
- If a team has only a very small number of older players, the club may decide the team should remain age-appropriate and reassign those few older players.
- New players will try out for their age-appropriate team under the new model.
- If no team exists, they may try out one year up and still be considered age-appropriate.
- If no team exists, they may try out one year up and still be considered age-appropriate.
- Players wishing to play up by choice must abide by our existing “play up” policy.
- New teams will be formed using the new model; age groups may be combined if necessary and separated later when numbers allow.
Example Scenario
Our current U10 team consists of players born in the calendar year 2016 (January–December). Under the new guidelines:
- Those players born January–July 2016 are U11 for the 2026–27 season, which means the team will be a U11 team next year.
- Those players born August–December 2016 are U10 for next year.
Existing players currently on this team born August–December 2016 may:
- Try out for the team again and be considered age-appropriate (U11)
- Try out for the U10 team*
- Try out for both teams*
New players will try out strictly according to their age group under the new model:
- New players born January–July 2016 would try out for the U11 team
- New players born August–December 2016 would try out for the U10 team
* Note:
- If a player wishes to try out for his/her younger, age-appropriate team, they will need to email us after they register for Tryouts at info@carmelsoccer.com to let us know their intentions. They will automatically default to their existing team’s tryout.
- If a player wishes to try out for his/her current team AND the younger age-appropriate team:
- They will need to email us after they register for Tryouts at info@carmelsoccer.com to let us know their intentions and which team would be their preference. Players will only be placed on one team.
- Because roster decisions and notifications for all teams will be made shortly after Tryouts, if a player makes their existing team, they will automatically be placed on that team again unless we were provided with specific instructions beforehand. Once team selection is decided and invitations have been sent, no changes to placement will be made.
- Players would need to attend both age groups’ tryouts to be considered. If they only attend the tryout for one age group, they will only be considered for that age group. Tryout results from one age group cannot be used for another.
- They will need to email us after they register for Tryouts at info@carmelsoccer.com to let us know their intentions and which team would be their preference. Players will only be placed on one team.
What to Expect
As you can see, this transition has many variables. At this time:
- Except for graduating teams, we expect all existing teams to return.
- We hope to form new young teams as well.
- This transition should be seamless for most players.
- A few players could potentially move teams, but most will not be significantly impacted.
Final decisions cannot be made for any team until Tryouts are complete, when we have full and accurate information.
Please understand that Carmel United did not decide to change team formation models, nor do we support the decision, but we are nonetheless required to comply with it. Our goal is to do so thoughtfully, transparently, and in the best interest of our teams and players.
If you have questions, please contact your child’s coach or email us at info@carmelsoccer.com. We appreciate your patience as we work through this transition together.
Thank you for your time and continued support.
Best regards,
Joe Matera
President
Carmel United Soccer Club
APPENDIX A: “School Year” Age Group Chart for the Fall 2027/Spring 2027 Season
Select the month and year of player’s birth to determine the player’s age group under the new structure for the Fall 2026/Spring 2027 season.