ECNL announces postseason structure for 2026-27, across all ECNL platforms

RICHMOND, VA – The ECNL announced the postseason structure for the 2026-27 season, with three different playoff pathways in the ECNL Playoffs, the ECNL Regional League Playoffs, and the inaugural ECNL Conference League Playoffs, a new competition in collaboration with National 1 League. Collectively, the 2027 post-season events will be the largest playoff competition in American youth soccer history, rewarding the top teams and players in the country with an unmatched competitive environment.

“The postseason events in June and July of 2027 will provide some of the most exciting moments in youth soccer, as these expanded and integrated playoffs create unprecedented opportunity for competition, exposure, and inspiration for players all over America,” said ECNL President Christian Lavers. “Not only will champions be crowned at each level and life-long memories made, these events provide opportunities for clubs to demonstrate their quality and earn more opportunities for league and event placement in the future.”

At the top level of American youth soccer, the ECNL will once again return to Seattle, Wash., and San Diego, Calif., for the ECNL Boys and ECNL Girls Playoffs, respectively, from June 25-July 2, 2027. Both competitions will feature the best-performing teams from across the country in one location, creating the largest ECNL events of the season with more than 300 teams in each event.

(+Players That Impressed: ECNL Girls North Carolina National Event)

The ECNL U13-U17 age groups will compete in a group stage and knockout to advance to a final four at the ECNL Finals in July. In the U18/19 ECNL Boys age group, teams will be placed into a bracket where Round 1 winners move to the National Championship knock-out, while the remaining teams compete for the North American Cup, both of which will be crowned at the ECNL National Playoffs. The U18/19 ECNL Girls age group will feature quarterfinals, semifinals and finals matches in San Diego. The ECNL Girls National Playoffs will also feature the North American Cup, Showcase Cup A and Showcase Cup B for the U15-U17 age groups, all of which are single-elimination, bracketed competitions.

Playoff	Date	Location
ECNL Boys National Playoffs	June 25 – July 2, 2027	60 Acres Park – Seattle, WA
ECNL Girls National Playoffs	June 25 – July 2, 2027	Surf Cup Sports Park – San Diego, CA

Full qualification details for the ECNL Boys can be found here, and qualification details for the ECNL Girls can be found here.

The ECNL Regional League Playoffs competition will expand in 2026-27 to consist of six regional playoff competitions, increasing opportunities for teams and reducing travel for families. Qualifying teams will enter a single-elimination bracket, with the U13-U17 winners advancing to the ECNL Regional League Finals in July, while the U18/19 regional champions will be crowned on-site at the playoffs.

Locations and dates for the ECNL Regional League Playoffs are as follows:

Playoff	Date	Location
ECNL Regional League Playoffs – West	June 10-15, 2027	SilverLakes Complex – Norco, CA
ECNL Regional League Playoffs – South	June 11-15, 2027	Rolling Hills Complex – Ft. Worth, TX
ECNL Regional League Playoffs – Midwest	June 18-23, 2027	Mercyhealth Sportscore Two – Rockford, IL
ECNL Regional League Playoffs – Southeast	June 18-23, 2027	Bryan Park Soccer Complex – Greensboro, NC
ECNL Regional League Playoffs – East	June 25-30, 2027	PDA Soccer Complex – Somerset, NJ
ECNL Regional League Playoffs – Central	June 25-30, 2027	Creve Coeur Soccer Complex & Lou Fusz Athletic Complex – St. Louis, MO

The ECNL Conference League Playoffs is the newest competition in the 2026-2027 season and will combine qualifying teams from the ECNL Regional League with top-performing teams from National 1 League. Similar to the other playoff structures, the ECNL Conference League Playoffs will feature a group stage and knockout stage at four regional locations for the U13-U17 age groups, running concurrently with ECNL Regional League Playoffs. Teams which advance through the ECNL Conference League Playoffs knockout stage will qualify for the ECNL Conference League Finals in July. The U18/19 age group will consist of eight National 1 League teams per event and will be crowned on-site at the four ECNL Conference League Playoffs locations.

Locations and dates for the ECNL Conference League Playoffs are as follows:

Playoff	Date	Location
ECNL Conference League Playoffs – West	June 11-15, 2027	Davis Legacy Soccer Complex – Davis, CA
ECNL Conference League Playoffs – South	June 11-15, 2027	Dallas Sports Park – Frisco, TX
ECNL Conference League Playoffs – Central	June 18-22, 2027	Creve Coeur Park Soccer Complex – St. Louis, MO
ECNL Conference League Playoffs – East	June 25-29, 2027	Bryan Park Soccer Complex – Greensboro, NC

Full ECNL RL Boys qualification details for the ECNL Regional League Playoffs and ECNL Conference League Playoffs can be found here; ECNL RL Girls qualification details can be found here.

In total, nearly 2,500 teams will qualify for the postseason competition across these three pathways, highlighting the robust competition framework across the ECNL, ECNL Regional League, and National 1 League.

Details about the ECNL National Finals, ECNL Regional League Finals and ECNL Conference League Finals, including dates, locations and format, will be announced soon.