Get ready folks

They could call themselves NWSL if they want. If they don't have the good girls who cares what they are called. You see what's happening in the NWSL too correct? That's not even the premier choice for the premier women's soccer player anymore. If the top 3 clubs from ECNL southwest switch over to GA then and only then will GA or NSWL Next or whatever the hell they want to call themselves matter. How many 2026 and 2025 GA girls went D1 this year vs ECNL? Its still absolutely hilarious to me that anyone thinking GA and ECNL are even close to the same playing field. Just saw a clown post yesterday on IG his Girls Pyramid and he had ECNL and GA on the same level. Its absolutely hilarious to me.

There are many ways it could play out for sure. In fact it wouldn't even need to be the better clubs moving to GA. In NorCal there are probably 3-4 solid clubs in the table. The rest would do fine in GA, but not dominate by any stretch of the imagination. I could see some of those clubs moving. Heck I could even see players moving to GA due to the proliferation of teams getting GA. At the end of the day those 3-4 solid clubs need to play someone. If the table gets any weaker than it already is, they will look for alternatives.

Also, I believe most MLS Next clubs have better coaching overall than their ECNL counter parts. If that level of coaching transfers to the girl's side at clubs that also have GA, I can see the soccer just being better as well.

I'm not saying it's a sure thing, but it's certainly plausible and could happen over the next 2-3 years. Of course, the status quo could remain. I do think the pro/rel they're going to do in NorCal will make the table stronger, but that will take time -- so it's effectively a race.
 
They could call themselves NWSL if they want. If they don't have the good girls who cares what they are called. You see what's happening in the NWSL too correct? That's not even the premier choice for the premier women's soccer player anymore. If the top 3 clubs from ECNL southwest switch over to GA then and only then will GA or NSWL Next or whatever the hell they want to call themselves matter. How many 2026 and 2025 GA girls went D1 this year vs ECNL? Its still absolutely hilarious to me that anyone thinking GA and ECNL are even close to the same playing field. Just saw a clown post yesterday on IG his Girls Pyramid and he had ECNL and GA on the same level. Its absolutely hilarious to me.
Why do you think that Surf or any top Socal girls club would stay in ECNL if there's other options that make more money?

Surf I get because they run Surf Cup Sports making all kinds of money running tournaments for primatlly ECNL clubs. But, for everyone else it's going to be difficult to justify prioritizing girls ECNL when clubs can double the amount of money they make playing in MLSN and GA.

I think many of the diehard ECNL supporters haven't been to a youngers boys and girls tournament in a while. I have and it was shocking how many more MLSN club boys teams there were than ECNL or any other boys aligned league. I hadn't been to a combined boys and girls youngers tournament in probably 4 years so it was very obvious the amount of the market MLSN has taken.
 
How is it cheating when the rules allow it? Are you saying the Blues RL's cheated last year?

No - I have no idea what Blues RL did last year. I'm sure there are people here that might know. I am saying that any club that is breaking the rules as defined by ECNL & ECNL-RL, is cheating. As it's pretty much the definition of the word.

Here are the specific rules, as posted above in this thread. post 1, post 2
 
It's expected that ECNL will follow the new calendar you posted. As far as I know, neither GA or MLS N have yet made any public statements on whether they plan to follow the new schedule for 26/27, or stay with their current birth-year groupings.
 
It's expected that ECNL will follow the new calendar you posted. As far as I know, neither GA or MLS N have yet made any public statements on whether they plan to follow the new schedule for 26/27, or stay with their current birth-year groupings.

Since the youth feeder teams will change to SY, I see no benefit in why MLSN and GA will want to stay in BY.
 
It's expected that ECNL will follow the new calendar you posted. As far as I know, neither GA or MLS N have yet made any public statements on whether they plan to follow the new schedule for 26/27, or stay with their current birth-year groupings.
The calendar above starts SY SPRING season 26, not fall 26/27. Will ECNL follow that timeline, changing teams mid season?
 
The calendar above starts SY SPRING season 26, not fall 26/27. Will ECNL follow that timeline, changing teams mid season?
It would be smart though not sure how it would work mid season other than just say all must do it or just do it at the beginning of the fall season and be done with it. Hope we hear something soon either way unless someone has some inside scoop đź‘Ť.
 
ECNL would have to make the age change move fall 25/26 to avoid mid season complications. Unfortunately they have given no indication that they are ready for the change until 26/27
 
Look again…CalSouth is changing to SY spring 2026, not fall.

  • 2025-26 Registration Period: Birth Year registration and Aug 1st seasons will remain available as they are currently.
  • Spring 2026 Registration Period: We will ask all clubs to begin using the School Year season available in the registration system as the standard starting with the Spring 2026 season.
  • 2026-27 Registration Period: The official new Seasonal Year age group standard (September 1st to August 31st) takes full effect as the only option.
 
Look again…CalSouth is changing to SY spring 2026, not fall.

  • 2025-26 Registration Period: Birth Year registration and Aug 1st seasons will remain available as they are currently.
  • Spring 2026 Registration Period: We will ask all clubs to begin using the School Year season available in the registration system as the standard starting with the Spring 2026 season.
  • 2026-27 Registration Period: The official new Seasonal Year age group standard (September 1st to August 31st) takes full effect as the only option.
But CalSouth has almost no teams, and they don't have any leagues that run from fall into spring. So for them it's easy to do a clean break. For ECNL or other year-round leagues, they most likely won't break teams up mid-season. But I guess crazier things have happened
 
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