Soccer After High School: College Odds and the Semi-Pro Pathway

For most players, competitive soccer after 18 doesn't mean a pro contract. It means college soccer, a summer pre-professional league, a semi-pro club, or an adult amateur league. According to the NCAA, 5.9% of high school boys' soccer players and 7.9% of girls' players go on to play NCAA soccer, so the semi-pro and amateur levels are where a lot of good players keep playing, and where some of them get noticed.

Key takeaways

• NCAA data for 2024-25 show 5.9% of high school boys' soccer players and 7.9% of girls' players compete in NCAA soccer, and only 1.4% of boys and 2.8% of girls play Division I.
• USL League Two calls itself the premier pre-professional league in the U.S., and its summer season runs from early May to mid-July while players keep their college eligibility.
• The 2026 U.S. Open Cup had 80 teams, including 32 amateur clubs, and amateur sides faced USL Championship and USL League One teams in the First Round.
• The NWSL's 2024 collective bargaining agreement ended the college draft, so women now reach the league by signing directly with clubs.
• In Illinois, adult amateur soccer is governed by the Illinois State Soccer Association, which is affiliated with USASA and U.S. Soccer.

What are the real odds of playing after high school?

Most high school players won't play college soccer, and very few will play professionally. The NCAA's probability of competing beyond high school page uses 2024-25 participation data:

	High school players	NCAA players	Any NCAA division	Division I	Division II	Division III
Men's soccer	484,908	28,746	5.9%	1.4%	1.7%	2.8%
Women's soccer	393,048	31,200	7.9%	2.8%	2.2%	3.0%

Put another way, roughly 1 in 17 high school boys and 1 in 13 girls play NCAA soccer at any level.

The NCAA doesn't publish a college-to-pro rate for men's soccer. Its page explains that men's soccer "is not included because of the numerous professional opportunities available (e.g., MLS, USL)." That's honest, and it's also a hint: the road to paid soccer in the U.S. has a lot of side doors, and many of them run through the levels covered below.

For more on college divisions and what aid looks like at each, see our guide to college soccer scholarships, divisions and odds. If your kid is aiming for Division I, the House settlement's new roster limits matter too.

What is semi-pro soccer, anyway?

Semi-pro and pre-pro soccer sits between youth or college soccer and the professional leagues. These clubs train and compete seriously and sit inside the U.S. Soccer system, but most players aren't earning a living from it. The labels get used loosely, so we wrote a separate explainer on how semi-pro soccer works.

The main options a family is likely to run into:

• USL League Two. A summer league for players who want to stay sharp between college seasons. USL describes it as "the premier pre-professional league in the United States," with 143 clubs in 37 states, a regular season from early May to mid-July, and players keeping their college eligibility.
• USL W League. The women's pre-professional summer league run by the USL.
• NPSL. The National Premier Soccer League, a national amateur league with clubs around the country.
• UPSL. The United Premier Soccer League, a national league with a Premier tier and a Division 1 tier. Its Spring champion earned a 2026 Open Cup spot.
• Adult amateur leagues. Local leagues for players of every level, from serious to Sunday-morning.

League sizes change from year to year, so check each league's own site for current team lists.

Can amateur teams really play against pros?

Yes, and the U.S. Open Cup is where it happens. It's the national cup competition, open to amateur and professional clubs. According to U.S. Soccer, the 2026 edition had 80 teams (48 professional and 32 amateur), seven rounds and a $1 million purse.

The 32 amateur clubs got in two ways. Sixteen came through qualifying rounds in fall 2025. The other 16 earned spots through their leagues: nine from USL League Two, five from the NPSL, the UPSL Spring champion, and the USASA National Amateur Cup champion.

Those amateur teams entered in the First Round, where they faced USL Championship (Division II) and USL League One (Division III) clubs. MLS teams joined later, in the Round of 32. So an amateur player on a strong club can end up in an official match against a professional team, on film.

The format for 2026 was trimmed because of the World Cup calendar, and future editions may look different. Check U.S. Soccer's announcements for the current year.

What changed for women's soccer?

The biggest change is that there's no NWSL draft anymore. Under the league's August 2024 collective bargaining agreement, the Associated Press reported, the college draft was eliminated, contracts became guaranteed, and the minimum salary is scheduled to rise from $48,500 in 2025 to $82,500 in 2030.

Without a draft, players sign directly with clubs. That puts more weight on where a player is seen: college, summer pre-pro leagues like the USL W League, and club trials. It's worth asking any summer team who comes to watch.

Where can adults keep playing in Illinois?

Adult amateur soccer in Illinois runs through the Illinois State Soccer Association, which calls itself "the governing body of adult soccer in Illinois" and is affiliated with USASA and U.S. Soccer. Leagues under the ISSA are part of the same national system as the semi-pro clubs, and the ISSA handles things like registration, discipline and state cups.

That matters for two reasons. First, there's a place to play at every level for decades, which is good for your kid's health and social life long after the pro question is settled. Second, it's the same pyramid: the USASA National Amateur Cup champion earned a 2026 Open Cup spot.

What semi-pro soccer looks like up close

Wheaton Wanderers FC is a semi-pro club in UPSL Division 1, so this is the level we know. Our home games are at Camera Park in Glendale Heights, and they're free to attend.

We don't run youth teams, and this guide isn't a pitch for tryouts. But if your kid is 15, 16 or 17 and wondering what comes after high school, one of the most useful things you can do is take them to a game at this level. They'll see adults who still train hard and compete for something real, at the level most good players actually reach. That's a more accurate picture of soccer after 18 than any highlight reel, and it's a good conversation starter on the drive home.

What this means for your family

• Use real numbers when you talk about the future. About 1 in 17 high school boys and 1 in 13 girls play NCAA soccer, and Division I is a smaller slice still.
• Make the goal "play as long and as high as you can," with college or a career as the main plan.
• If your kid plays college soccer, look at summer options like USL League Two, the USL W League or the NPSL. Pick for coaching quality and who watches, not just convenience.
• Before your kid accepts any money or contract from a summer or semi-pro team, check with the college's compliance office. NCAA eligibility rules are changing, and this isn't legal advice.
• Be careful with paid showcases or "pro combines" that promise contracts. Ask who has actually signed through them.
• Know that the U.S. Open Cup gives amateur clubs official games against pros. A strong amateur club can be real exposure.
• When the pro door closes, keep playing. ISSA-affiliated adult leagues are there for years.
• Go watch a semi-pro game together. It's the fastest way for your kid to see what this level demands.

The bottom line

The pro odds are long, and pretending otherwise doesn't help your kid. But soccer after 18 is much bigger than the pro leagues. Between college, summer pre-pro leagues, semi-pro clubs and adult amateur soccer, a player who loves the game can keep competing for a long time, and the Open Cup means even an amateur club can end up on the same field as a pro team.