MLS NEXT vs ECNL vs Girls Academy vs High School: 2026-27 Guide

In 2026-27, the main U.S. youth soccer leagues are MLS NEXT (split into a top Homegrown Division and a second-tier Academy Division), ECNL with the ECNL Regional League below it, Girls Academy, the USL Academy League, and a newly merged NPL and US Youth Soccer National League tier. For boys, MLS NEXT Homegrown is the pro-academy track and expects players to skip high school soccer. For girls, ECNL and Girls Academy are the two big national platforms, and both allow high school play.

Key takeaways

• MLS NEXT has 318 clubs and more than 53,000 players across its two divisions for 2026-27, according to SoccerWire.
• The MLS NEXT Homegrown Division expects players to skip high school soccer, while the Academy Division says its players can play for their high school.
• For 2026-27, the MLS NEXT Academy Division switches to school-year age groups (August 1 to July 31) while the Homegrown Division keeps birth-year groups.
• US Youth Soccer's National League and US Club Soccer's NPL are integrating into one competition structure starting in the 2026-27 season.
• Around Chicago, Chicago Fire FC, Chicago FC United and Sockers FC were the Illinois members of the MLS NEXT Homegrown Division in 2025-26.

Why youth soccer leagues are so confusing

U.S. youth soccer has no single ladder. Several organizations run national leagues side by side, each with its own tiers, and the names change often. Two clubs can both say "we're MLS NEXT" or "we're ECNL" and mean different levels. And 2026-27 brings real changes, which we flag below.

The table below covers every league in this guide, and the sections after it explain each one.

League	Who it's for	Top tier or second tier?	High school soccer?
MLS NEXT Homegrown Division	Boys	Top tier, includes MLS club academies	Expected to skip it; narrow waiver
MLS NEXT Academy Division	Boys	Second tier of MLS NEXT	Allowed
ECNL	Girls and boys	Top tier of ECNL	League doesn't prohibit it; clubs set policy
ECNL Regional League	Girls and boys	Below ECNL	Check with the club
Girls Academy	Girls	National platform	League requires clubs to allow it
USL Academy League	Boys and girls at USL-linked clubs	Development league for USL clubs	Check with the club
NPL / US Youth Soccer National League	Girls and boys	Merging for 2026-27	Check with the club
High school (IHSA in Illinois)	Students	School sport	It is high school soccer

MLS NEXT: Homegrown Division and Academy Division

MLS NEXT is the boys' league run by Major League Soccer, and since 2025-26 it has two divisions with different rules. The top tier was renamed the Allstate Homegrown Division and a new Academy Division launched beneath it. For 2026-27, MLS NEXT reports 318 clubs and more than 53,000 players in 40 states plus D.C., with 7 new Homegrown clubs and 47 new Academy Division clubs joining.

Homegrown Division

This is the level that includes MLS club academies. Players are expected to forego high school soccer. A waiver exists for narrow reasons, such as financial aid or school admission tied to soccer, and even then a player can't play Homegrown games and high school soccer at the same time.

Academy Division

MLS NEXT says the Academy Division has roughly 230 clubs and 25,000 players, that its players are permitted to play high school soccer, and that its season is built around high school calendars.

New for 2026-27: school-year age groups

The Academy Division is moving to school-year age groups (August 1 to July 31), while the Homegrown Division stays on birth-year groups (January 1 to December 31). If your son has a fall birthday, the two divisions may place him in different age groups.

Chicago-area MLS NEXT clubs

The 2025-26 Homegrown Division member list includes three Illinois clubs: Chicago FC United, Chicago Fire FC and Sockers FC. The 2025-26 Academy Division list includes Chicago FC United, Chicago Fire Youth SC and Sockers FC Chicago, and Central Illinois United joins the Academy Division for 2026-27. Some clubs have teams in both, so ask which division a tryout is for.

ECNL, Girls Academy and the other national leagues

Outside MLS NEXT, four national leagues matter to Chicago-area families: ECNL, Girls Academy, the USL Academy League, and the merging NPL and National League tier.

ECNL and the ECNL Regional League

The ECNL (Elite Clubs National League) runs top-tier leagues for both girls and boys, with a Regional League tier underneath. According to its Wikipedia entry, it started in 2009 as a girls league, added boys in 2017, runs U13 to U19 regional conferences, and helps college coaches attend its events. Eclipse Select, an Illinois club, was one of its founding clubs.

On the boys' side, ECNL reported 165 ECNL Boys clubs for 2025-26, supported by almost 350 more clubs in the ECNL Regional League. Clubs can move up: Chicago Inter of New Lenox was promoted into the ECNL Boys Midwest Conference for 2025-26.

Two things to know:

• "ECNL" and "ECNL Regional League" (often shortened to ECNL RL) are different levels. Ask which one your kid's team actually plays in.
• The ECNL doesn't prohibit high school soccer at the league level, but each club sets its own policy.

Girls Academy

Girls Academy is a national league for girls only, with more than 120 member clubs across 12 conferences and divisions in 2025-26, including Midwest (West), Midwest (East) and Mid-America. A third-party guide from MyClubScout reports that league policy requires member clubs to let players play high school soccer, though players may miss the April Spring Showcase depending on state rules.

Around Chicago, Chicago FC United and Sockers FC were among the clubs at the Girls Academy Mid-America 2025 Talent ID event. Member lists change each season, so check the league's current list.

ECNL vs Girls Academy for girls comes down to the specific club and team more than the league name. Both draw college coaches. Look at the coaching, the training schedule, the drive, and where the club's recent players ended up.

USL Academy League

The USL Academy League, launched in 2021, is the development league for clubs across the USL's professional and pre-professional divisions to build local players for their senior teams. In the 2025 season alignment, Chicago City Dutch Lions FC had teams in both the men's and women's Midwest divisions, alongside clubs like Peoria City and RKC Third Coast. It's a smaller option, worth knowing about if you're near a participating club.

NPL and the US Youth Soccer National League merger (new for 2026-27)

US Club Soccer's National Premier Leagues (NPL) and US Youth Soccer's National League are integrating into one competition structure starting in the 2026-27 season, according to a January 2026 announcement. The organizers say the goal is clearer movement between levels while keeping ties to local and state competitions.

The merger is new and details are still coming out. The announcement doesn't spell out what changes for individual families in team placement, schedules or fees. If your kid plays in either league, ask the club how the merger affects their team this season.

Where high school soccer fits

High school soccer runs on its own calendar, and in Illinois the IHSA limits club play during it. Under IHSA By-law 3.101, a student on a school team can't play or practice with a non-school team in the same sport during the school season. Boys play in the fall and girls in the spring, according to the IHSA's sport listing.

So the league choice and the high school choice are tied together. Our guide to high school vs club soccer at ages 15 to 19 goes through that decision step by step. League rules, waivers and eligibility change from season to season, so confirm anything about eligibility with your school's athletic director, the IHSA and the league.

Boys vs girls: the short version

Boys and girls face different maps:

• Boys choose mainly between MLS NEXT (Homegrown or Academy Division), ECNL or ECNL Regional League, USL Academy, and the NPL and National League tier. Boys high school soccer in Illinois is in the fall.
• Girls choose mainly between ECNL or ECNL Regional League, Girls Academy, USL Academy, and the NPL and National League tier. MLS NEXT is a boys league. Girls high school soccer in Illinois is in the spring.

If college soccer is the goal, the league matters because it decides which events college coaches see your kid at. Our college soccer recruiting timeline explains when that starts to matter. For younger players, especially 13- and 14-year-olds still growing, see our guide on puberty and late bloomers before chasing the top badge.

What this means for your family

• Write down your kid's goal first: high school soccer, college soccer, a pro academy, or simply good local soccer.
• When a club says "MLS NEXT" or "ECNL," ask which tier: Homegrown or Academy Division, ECNL or ECNL Regional League.
• Ask each club for its high school policy in writing.
• Check your kid's 2026-27 age group, especially for a boy in the MLS NEXT Academy Division.
• If your kid plays NPL or National League, ask the club what the 2026-27 merger changes for their team.
• Ask how many of the club's recent players went on to college or pro teams, instead of judging by league logo.
• Compare the real yearly cost of each option. Our cost of youth soccer guide lists what to ask.

One last thing

The league logo matters less than the coach your kid sees three nights a week. Pick the level that fits your kid's goals and your family's life. And remember that soccer keeps going after 18, at college, club and semi-pro levels.