Anonymous
Post 05/12/2026 15:09     Subject: National 1 League? - what is it?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Level below ECNL RL (see link).

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSa4f_4kVmC/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=c6b88b7f-335c-4188-86ac-756c19f9e512

It's team based not club based, so top teams in each age group will make a playoff next summer combined with mid-level RL teams that don't make the RL playoffs.

No promotion to RL based on performance since that is based on club overall performance (U13-U19). But then in 2027-2028, top teams would compete against each other in a "National" tier.


But the 'National' tier would still be below RL.

Yes


It depends who you ask - there's definitely a believe amongst some clubs that N1 will sit next to RL especially in some regions like the North East where you have some vast disparity between good RL teams and bad ones. Like when you have multiple teams that win 0 games in RL brackets. Most of the clubs looking at N1 by us are not happy to have to play in playoff structures with low level RL teams but if you don't have strong teams across 6 age groups (which with the MLSN expansion is pretty tough now), you don't really have much of a choice now.


The reality is that if your club can come out and finish top of table in all six age groups in your region, then that club will get an offer to move to RL. Thus RL would consume the top clubs in N1.
My experience is on the girls side, and N1 will be below RL there easily. But good point with two levels of MLS and two Levels of ECNL on boys side, I could see a lot of N1 teams beign better than RL and MLS Academy teams.
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2026 14:18     Subject: National 1 League? - what is it?


Where did you see MLSN clubs would be participating? That's a completely separate eco system.


Correct. National 1 League is under the ECNL pyramid.
1. ECNL
2. ECNL RL
3. National 1 League

MLS Next pyramid:
1a. MLS Academies / 1b. MLS Next HG
2. MLS Next Academy (MLSN2)
3. NAL

The above is a general ranking of each pyramid. I didn't post this to reopen the MLSN vs. ECNL debate, which has been discussed ad nauseam.
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2026 13:42     Subject: National 1 League? - what is it?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Level below ECNL RL (see link).

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSa4f_4kVmC/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=c6b88b7f-335c-4188-86ac-756c19f9e512

It's team based not club based, so top teams in each age group will make a playoff next summer combined with mid-level RL teams thast don't make the RL playoffs.

No promotion to RL based on performance since that is based on club overall performance (U13-U19). But then in 2027-2028, top teams woudl compete against each other in a "National" tier.


But the 'National' tier would still be below RL.

Yes


It depends who you ask - there's definitely a believe amongst some clubs that N1 will sit next to RL especially in some regions like the North East where you have some vast disparity between good RL teams and bad ones. Like when you have multiple teams that win 0 games in RL brackets. Most of the clubs looking at N1 by us are not happy to have to play in playoff structures with low level RL teams but if you don't have strong teams across 6 age groups (which with the MLSN expansion is pretty tough now), you don't really have much of a choice now.
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2026 11:39     Subject: National 1 League? - what is it?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Level below ECNL RL (see link).

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSa4f_4kVmC/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=c6b88b7f-335c-4188-86ac-756c19f9e512

It's team based not club based, so top teams in each age group will make a playoff next summer combined with mid-level RL teams thast don't make the RL playoffs.

No promotion to RL based on performance since that is based on club overall performance (U13-U19). But then in 2027-2028, top teams woudl compete against each other in a "National" tier.


But the 'National' tier would still be below RL.

Yes
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2026 11:23     Subject: National 1 League? - what is it?
Anonymous wrote:Level below ECNL RL (see link).

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSa4f_4kVmC/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=c6b88b7f-335c-4188-86ac-756c19f9e512

It's team based not club based, so top teams in each age group will make a playoff next summer combined with mid-level RL teams thast don't make the RL playoffs.

No promotion to RL based on performance since that is based on club overall performance (U13-U19). But then in 2027-2028, top teams woudl compete against each other in a "National" tier.


But the 'National' tier would still be below RL.
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2026 11:20     Subject: National 1 League? - what is it?
Level below ECNL RL (see link).

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSa4f_4kVmC/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=c6b88b7f-335c-4188-86ac-756c19f9e512

It's team based not club based, so top teams in each age group will make a playoff next summer combined with mid-level RL teams thast don't make the RL playoffs.

No promotion to RL based on performance since that is based on club overall performance (U13-U19). But then in 2027-2028, top teams woudl compete against each other in a "National" tier.
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2026 11:13     Subject: National 1 League? - what is it?
Anonymous wrote:This will be a mess. There are clubs that have been stuck in no man’s land since EDP1 (USYS NL) fell apart because they didn’t have an MLS Next or ECNL badge. My son’s old club among them. They were definitely stronger than any RL team they played. Now teams like this will be forced to play below RL. The competition in that new league will be extremely lopsided if these independent clubs even stay in business. I think this will kill off his club. It’s a shame because it is a mid-sized club (3 teams an age group) with excellent coaching, a supportive atmosphere and lots of talented players who never wanted to move. But they won’t stick around for this.


What league are they playing in now?
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2026 11:08     Subject: National 1 League? - what is it?
This will be a mess. There are clubs that have been stuck in no man’s land since EDP1 (USYS NL) fell apart because they didn’t have an MLS Next or ECNL badge. My son’s old club among them. They were definitely stronger than any RL team they played. Now teams like this will be forced to play below RL. The competition in that new league will be extremely lopsided if these independent clubs even stay in business. I think this will kill off his club. It’s a shame because it is a mid-sized club (3 teams an age group) with excellent coaching, a supportive atmosphere and lots of talented players who never wanted to move. But they won’t stick around for this.
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2026 10:33     Subject: National 1 League? - what is it?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It's also going to be available to both ECNL and MSLN clubs - a common tier above the state level but below RL/AD.


Where did you see MLSN clubs would be participating? That's a completely separate eco system.


The larger clubs already had NPL below AD, for example Independence in Charlotte. You can see N1 listed on their pathway - https://www.independencesoccer.club/boys-programs.
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2026 10:26     Subject: National 1 League? - what is it?
Anonymous wrote:That document uses the word pathway a lot. What is it a pathway to? If an N1 team beats RL teams in a tournament, don’t they have a pretty good case for being moved up into RL? But ECNL will say no because they aren’t in the right club? And the teams that they beat get to stay in? That seems like a bad look too. What is the incentive to be in N1? It’s ultimately a pathway to nowhere if you are at the top of it.


For the clubs, the incentive is that its called something that sounds more prestigious than "NCSL" and you can obfuscate to your families that its just as good as RL because you have a shot at playing RL teams in one tournament.
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2026 10:25     Subject: National 1 League? - what is it?
Anonymous wrote:That document uses the word pathway a lot. What is it a pathway to? If an N1 team beats RL teams in a tournament, don’t they have a pretty good case for being moved up into RL? But ECNL will say no because they aren’t in the right club? And the teams that they beat get to stay in? That seems like a bad look too. What is the incentive to be in N1? It’s ultimately a pathway to nowhere if you are at the top of it.


Maybe they will have different levels like the NCSL has divisions. NCSL Division 1 will promote up to National division 2, or whatever.

The thing that is clear is that they aren't demoting individual RL teams down to National 1 or moving any National 1 teams up to ECRL. I guess if a club is strong across the board in National 1, they might get their whole club moved up to RL, but they could apply to do that anyway.
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2026 10:23     Subject: National 1 League? - what is it?
That document uses the word pathway a lot. What is it a pathway to? If an N1 team beats RL teams in a tournament, don’t they have a pretty good case for being moved up into RL? But ECNL will say no because they aren’t in the right club? And the teams that they beat get to stay in? That seems like a bad look too. What is the incentive to be in N1? It’s ultimately a pathway to nowhere if you are at the top of it.
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2026 09:34     Subject: National 1 League? - what is it?
The only combination will be in a tournament in July. ECRL and ECNL will continue to operate separately. The "promotion" the marketing talks about will just be "promotion" among levels in National 1.

https://usclubsoccer.app.box.com/s/ox6gul1mjrpccj4dfdiy2g6kbeks7xr9
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2026 09:29     Subject: National 1 League? - what is it?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:In Mid Atlantic, USYS NL is the top level of EDP starting at U13. Before this year, EDP started at Division 3 and Divisions 1 and 2 were administered separately as NL. This year they revamped it so ECP goes up to Regional League and the higher teams are still in NL.

There is relegation/promotion between EDP and NL.



9:06 here, I don't really understand the EDP league as our team has never played in it before, I just know our manager said we were in the top level and man some of the teams are really weak. I'm not sure if they were promoted there or can just sign themselves up for whatever level they choose.


If you are in EDP (Flight 1 or RAL), that is below National League. Under the current system, the top teams in those divisions can be promoted to National League, but it's operated as a separate league.
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2026 09:25     Subject: National 1 League? - what is it?
My understanding is that the RL fees are paid as one set amount, not per-team, to the ECNL as every club has the same number of teams.