2026-27 Age Group Information

For the upcoming 2026-2027 season the governing bodies (US Soccer, US Youth Soccer, AYSO) have made a decision to change from a Birth Year (January 1- December 31) registration to a Seasonal Birthdate Registration (Aug 1- July 31), beginning in the Fall of the 2026/27 Soccer Season.


At Bavarian United, we have assessed how best to handle the upcoming national age-group change with intentionality and respect for our current players, teams, and in-season dynamics. We have been deliberate not to communicate prematurely to allow our players, teams, and staff to focus on our current season. Our focus has been, and remains, on helping our players grow, compete, and enjoy the game right now, while we prepare in the background to ensure clarity and transparency, and to develop a plan to minimize disruption during this transition.

  • What Is Changing?

    Beginning with the 2026–2027 season (Fall 2026 tryouts/registration), most national youth soccer organizations will transition from calendar birth-year registration (January 1 - December 31) to a Seasonal Year format (August 1 - July 31 birthdate cut-off). This means age groups will now be defined using an August 1–July 31 window rather than a calendar year.


    Note - This does not apply to players participating in the MLS NEXT Homegrown Division who will remain birth year but does apply to MLS NEXT Academy Divison

  • Why Was This Decision Made Nationally?

    U.S. Soccer officially mandated the transition to birth-year registration (January 1 – December 31) on August 1, 2017, as part of their Player Development Initiatives to align with international standards.


    This decision was intended to align US Soccer with the FIFA Standard centered on player evaluation and National Team setups - the 1% of registered players playing across the country.


    This decision replaced the previous school-year model (August 1 – July 31). Since then, feedback across the country has centered on one issue: Children live by the school year, not the calendar year.


    Under the birth-year system, many players found themselves separated from classmates or asked to “play up” just to stay socially aligned. 


    This created:

     - “Trapped player” situations

    - Grade misalignment challenges

    - Retention issues in certain age groups


    National leadership reviewed feedback across US Youth Soccer, US Club Soccer, and AYSO and ultimately agreed on an August 1 cutoff to better align with school-year cohorts and mitigate those challenges.

  • BIRTH YEARS

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure.

  • PLAYER ELIGIBILITY

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure.

  • TRAINING SCHEDULE

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure.