The US Youth Soccer Leagues program features the National League and a network of 13 conferences (formerly known as US Youth Soccer Regional Leagues) across the country. The competitions provide teams with the highest possible level of competition at the national and multi-state levels. Wisconsin has teams competing in both the Midwest Conference and National League.
The national tier is known as the US Youth Soccer National League. Established in the 2007-08 season, the National League provides annual competition for the best US Youth Soccer teams in the country to play each other in meaningful games with increased exposure to college coaches and scouts. Every season features teams that each earn a place in the league and compete for division titles, as well as berths to the annual US Youth Soccer National Championships.
The re-imagined Leagues Program commenced in the Fall of 2018 and features a network of US Youth Soccer Conferences (formerly known as regional leagues) that are geographically focused, under one leadership and management structure, and linked into the highly successful National League and National Championship Series.
National League
The US Youth Soccer National League competition is for the nation’s top teams in the 14U, 15U, 16U, 17U, 18U and 19U boys and girls age groups. The 14U through 18U divisions consist of up to 32 teams per gender age group, while the 19U age group features up to 16 teams for each gender. The National League offers additional exposure to collegiate, professional and U.S. National Team coaches and offers the highest level of competition in the country as each team must earn their place in the league.
The top teams from each division advance to the US Youth Soccer National Championships, the oldest and most prestigious youth soccer national championship in the country. The four National League representatives will join the four Regional Champions in the 14U through 19U age groups to play for the National Championship. The top teams in each 14U through 18U division also secure a spot to return to National League play the following season.
The National League’s alumni have gone on to prove themselves at the collegiate and professional levels, with former players competing in NCAA Division I, II and III, Major League Soccer, National Women’s Soccer League, the UEFA Champions League and the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The National League, which held its inaugural season in 2007-08, is the national tier and highest level of competition in the US Youth Soccer Leagues Program. Following a restructuring of the Leagues Program in 2018, the program also features 13 Conferences (formerly Regional Leagues) that offer multi-state competition across the various geographical areas of the country.
There are three means to earning automatic qualification into the National League:
- 48 Regional Championship winners/representatives
- 72 returning National League division top finishers
- 232 Conference qualifiers
- Any unfilled slots become open and are filled through an application process.
Midwest Conference
The US Youth Soccer Midwest Conference is one of 13 Conferences under the US Youth Soccer Leagues Program in the Multi-State Tier. The Midwest Conference consists of teams primarily from Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota. The top teams in the Conference will earn advancement to the US Youth Soccer Regional Championships, part of the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series, as well as a chance to earn a coveted spot in the National Tier of the Leagues Program, the US Youth Soccer National League. Click here for more information and standings.