Here are the current youth soccer age groups by birth year.
About Youth Soccer Age Groups
In soccer, age groups are typically organized based on players’ birth year, rather than school year or any other factor. This is commonly referred to as “birth-year registration,” and it is used to ensure that players are placed in age groups that are appropriate for their physical and emotional development.
In the United States, youth soccer organizations switched to birth-year registration in 2016. Previously, age groups were based on school year, which created inconsistencies between players in different parts of the country as well as for teams competing in international tournaments.
The switch to birth-year registration allowed for a more standardized system, which made it easier to organize competitions and ensured that players were competing against others of a similar age and development level.
The reason for using birth years to determine age groups is to simplify the process and to ensure consistency across different leagues and organizations. It also allows for easier tracking of player progress and eligibility for certain competitions and events.
The fact that soccer uses Under X age groups can also be a little confusing for people who are used to X & Under age groups in other sports. Especially later in the season, many players will reach the stated age. For example, Under 10 will usually include 9 and 10 year olds.
To avoid confusion, many leagues have dropped naming divisions by Under X and instead name them by birth year. For example, the divisions might be called 2010 and 2011.
Finally, in some leagues, an age group may cover multiple years. For example, many recreational youth soccer leagues use U8, U10, U12, U14, and U16 divisions with players staying in an age group for two years. This is mostly to even out the number of players and make it easier to form teams.
Season 2023-2024 Youth Soccer Age Groups
- 2019: U5
- 2018: U6
- 2017: U7
- 2016: U8
- 2015: U9
- 2014: U10
- 2013: U11
- 2012: U12
- 2011: U13
- 2010: U14
- 2009: U15
- 2008: U16
- 2007: U17
- 2006: U18
- 2005: U19
Season 2024-2025 Youth Soccer Age Groups
- 2020: U5
- 2019: U6
- 2018: U7
- 2017: U8
- 2016: U9
- 2015: U10
- 2014: U11
- 2013: U12
- 2012: U13
- 2011: U14
- 2010: U15
- 2009: U16
- 2008: U17
- 2007: U18
- 2006: U19
Season 2025-2026 Youth Soccer Age Groups
- 2021: U5
- 2020: U6
- 2019: U7
- 2018: U8
- 2017: U9
- 2016: U10
- 2015: U11
- 2014: U12
- 2013: U13
- 2012: U14
- 2011: U15
- 2010: U16
- 2009: U17
- 2008: U18
- 2007: U19
Season 2026-2027 Youth Soccer Age Groups
- 2022: U5
- 2021: U6
- 2020: U7
- 2019: U8
- 2018: U9
- 2017: U10
- 2016: U11
- 2015: U12
- 2014: U13
- 2013: U14
- 2012: U15
- 2011: U16
- 2010: U17
- 2009: U18
- 2008: U19
