Sorry if this has been posted , but saw some legit people on X confirm they have also heard about this
NEW: College soccer is on the verge of a monumental shift in the landscape, per numerous sources I’ve talked to in the past 24 hours.
Here’s what I know:
There is a plan that at most basic level will make the college soccer season a full-time season. It will most likely mirror the pro calendar. Gone will be the three month season. It will essentially double (if not more) in length.
This is where things get interesting: This shift is likely to happen in 2025-26 or 2026-27. Most seem to think it will start up in 2026-27 to align with the likely shift of MLS/MLSNP (and probably USL too) to the European calendar at that point.
This has been something that has been worked on for some time now, but my belief is that the plan might’ve gotten a boost from MLS’s acceleration of their shift in their calendar.
How would it work?
From those I’ve spoken too, there’s a high likelihood that US Soccer Federation will be involved as a governing body and/or power broker. Numerous sources have expressed their active role in making this work.
Currently, I believe there are two major conferences that have signaled they are on board: ACC and Big 10. In fairness, I’ve heard mixed things on whether every single program in those conferences is on board at this point.
Yet, the premise of how it’s going to work is simple and moving forward: The top 40-50 programs in college soccer are lining up their ducks in a row to go to the NCAA (if they haven’t already) and ask them to cooperate in this new venture.
NCAA is losing the amateurism battle right now in many sports. They don’t have much leverage. I believe the pitch is “work in cooperation with US Soccer in this venture or we will completely breakaway from the NCAA and join the US Soccer umbrella.”
From discussions I’ve had, it sounds like this new landscape would be classified as “semi-professional” in how it would work. There’s the possibility that players might be able to have some role in the professional club landscape.
Most likely, that could happen in the form of participating during the college offseason. That’s still to be worked out I believe, and any compensation during the season is another topic that I believe is in play and needs to be sorted out.
Yet, it does appear that a monumental shift is coming for college soccer. It seems to be a matter of when, not if, at this point.
NEW: College soccer is on the verge of a monumental shift in the landscape, per numerous sources I’ve talked to in the past 24 hours.
Here’s what I know:
There is a plan that at most basic level will make the college soccer season a full-time season. It will most likely mirror the pro calendar. Gone will be the three month season. It will essentially double (if not more) in length.
This is where things get interesting: This shift is likely to happen in 2025-26 or 2026-27. Most seem to think it will start up in 2026-27 to align with the likely shift of MLS/MLSNP (and probably USL too) to the European calendar at that point.
This has been something that has been worked on for some time now, but my belief is that the plan might’ve gotten a boost from MLS’s acceleration of their shift in their calendar.
How would it work?
From those I’ve spoken too, there’s a high likelihood that US Soccer Federation will be involved as a governing body and/or power broker. Numerous sources have expressed their active role in making this work.
Currently, I believe there are two major conferences that have signaled they are on board: ACC and Big 10. In fairness, I’ve heard mixed things on whether every single program in those conferences is on board at this point.
Yet, the premise of how it’s going to work is simple and moving forward: The top 40-50 programs in college soccer are lining up their ducks in a row to go to the NCAA (if they haven’t already) and ask them to cooperate in this new venture.
NCAA is losing the amateurism battle right now in many sports. They don’t have much leverage. I believe the pitch is “work in cooperation with US Soccer in this venture or we will completely breakaway from the NCAA and join the US Soccer umbrella.”
From discussions I’ve had, it sounds like this new landscape would be classified as “semi-professional” in how it would work. There’s the possibility that players might be able to have some role in the professional club landscape.
Most likely, that could happen in the form of participating during the college offseason. That’s still to be worked out I believe, and any compensation during the season is another topic that I believe is in play and needs to be sorted out.
Yet, it does appear that a monumental shift is coming for college soccer. It seems to be a matter of when, not if, at this point.