ECNL moving to school year part 2

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:ECNL just became an equal player on the boys side with MLSN1. Brilliant chess move on their part

Why aren't they equal today then?

Unless you meant equal with MLSN2

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our club is currently MLSN2 … flying now to ECNL.

So what’s the point of MLS2 now? No pathway to 1 and isn’t a great b team option if the age cutoff doesn’t align with the top team.

They don't have coaches and soccer in MLSN2?

The pathway up for a kid is their skills, performance and potential, not a label.

How will a team from mls2 on SY be able to be relegated up to mls1 in BY? You would have to find a whole new team of players to be able to compete due to half the team being the wrong age group.

[Anonymous]

The winner here is ECNL.

For college purpose what is better: ECNL or a second level MLSN2?

Not only clubs, also players don’t have any incentive to remain at MLSN2.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ECNL just became an equal player on the boys side with MLSN1. Brilliant chess move on their part

Why aren't they equal today then?

Unless you meant equal with MLSN2

They assume this means parents will pull their Q3/4 to ECNL which it won’t. However this will equal the playing field as far as level of competition as now ECNL has older kids playing in the same age group.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our club is currently MLSN2 … flying now to ECNL.

So what’s the point of MLS2 now? No pathway to 1 and isn’t a great b team option if the age cutoff doesn’t align with the top team.

They don't have coaches and soccer in MLSN2?

The pathway up for a kid is their skills, performance and potential, not a label.

How will a team from mls2 on SY be able to be relegated up to mls1 in BY? You would have to find a whole new team of players to be able to compete due to half the team being the wrong age group.

Team Relegated????

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ECNL just became an equal player on the boys side with MLSN1. Brilliant chess move on their part

Why aren't they equal today then?

Unless you meant equal with MLSN2

They assume this means parents will pull their Q3/4 to ECNL which it won’t. However this will equal the playing field as far as level of competition as now ECNL has older kids playing in the same age group.

It won’t impact current fall birthdays already playing mlsnext. The u little age groups will be SY and very hard for fall birthdays to skip u12 to transition to BY MLSN. Those are the ones that will head for ECNL. So it’s coming, but not immediate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ECNL just became an equal player on the boys side with MLSN1. Brilliant chess move on their part

Why aren't they equal today then?

Unless you meant equal with MLSN2

They assume this means parents will pull their Q3/4 to ECNL which it won’t. However this will equal the playing field as far as level of competition as now ECNL has older kids playing in the same age group.

Equal which playing field?

Folks do realize the talents of the individual kids and the coaching will determine superiority in quality play, not a few months age difference

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our club is currently MLSN2 … flying now to ECNL.

So what’s the point of MLS2 now? No pathway to 1 and isn’t a great b team option if the age cutoff doesn’t align with the top team.

They don't have coaches and soccer in MLSN2?

The pathway up for a kid is their skills, performance and potential, not a label.

How will a team from mls2 on SY be able to be relegated up to mls1 in BY? You would have to find a whole new team of players to be able to compete due to half the team being the wrong age group.

Team Relegated????

MLSN sold mlsn2 to clubs because they have the opportunity if they do well to move up. My son’s club is mlsn2 but have 3 teams already being told from MLSN they will be pulled up.

How will they continue that? If you get pulled up you need to drop players if you get relegated down you need to find new players?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our club is currently MLSN2 … flying now to ECNL.

So what’s the point of MLS2 now? No pathway to 1 and isn’t a great b team option if the age cutoff doesn’t align with the top team.

They don't have coaches and soccer in MLSN2?

The pathway up for a kid is their skills, performance and potential, not a label.

How will a team from mls2 on SY be able to be relegated up to mls1 in BY? You would have to find a whole new team of players to be able to compete due to half the team being the wrong age group.

I think the poster meant promoted. And there is no point to mlsn2 now.

[Anonymous]

Where is that crazy person that makes everything about RAE?

They should be loving this decision because it spreads the birthdays across Aug and Dec.

It will be fun to see what excuse they pick up on next.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our club is currently MLSN2 … flying now to ECNL.

So what’s the point of MLS2 now? No pathway to 1 and isn’t a great b team option if the age cutoff doesn’t align with the top team.

They don't have coaches and soccer in MLSN2?

The pathway up for a kid is their skills, performance and potential, not a label.

How will a team from mls2 on SY be able to be relegated up to mls1 in BY? You would have to find a whole new team of players to be able to compete due to half the team being the wrong age group.

I think the poster meant promoted. And there is no point to mlsn2 now.

MLSN2 is there to directly compete with ECNL for the Boys 2nd Tier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is Homegrown MLSN1? This isn't gonna work for clubs with both.

Yeah, the MLSN rethink was clearly a stall tactic to try to stop clubs from having time to jump shipnfor Fall 2026. Surprised they didn't wait a few more weeks for the announcement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where is that crazy person that makes everything about RAE?

They should be loving this decision because it spreads the birthdays across Aug and Dec.

It will be fun to see what excuse they pick up on next.

January not December

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The winner here is ECNL.

For college purpose what is better: ECNL or a second level MLSN2?

Not only clubs, also players don’t have any incentive to remain at MLSN2.

I think you mean second level MLSN2 or second level ECNL. They're both the top of the 2nd level now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Announced officially.

"Beginning in the 2026-27 season, player registration for within MLS NEXT will be as follows: Allstate Homegrown Division will continue to use Birth-Year age groups (January 1 - December 31). Academy Division will change to School-Year age groups (August 1 - July 31).

Player registration via Birth-Year remains the optimal structure for the Allstate Homegrown Division, as it aligns with FIFA standards, the global professional pathway and greatly benefits our youth national teams.

The School Year age group system is the most suitable structure for the Academy Division, as it aligns with the broader youth soccer landscape across the United States and creates opportunities for continued collaboration and growth between MLS NEXT and the wider youth soccer ecosystem."

ECNL gotta throw a party over that. Should reduce the relative age effect for boys having similar leagues with age cutoffs about 6 months apart.

The best boys will still want to play MLSN the only difference is now the mid level Aug-Dec players might think otherwise. But with biobanding who knows.

Stated another way, about half of the best boys will be happy with MLSN and about half of the best boys will be happy with ECNL.