U.S. Soccer Age Group Changes

Starting with the fall 2026 – spring 2027 season and beyond U.S. Soccer, US Club Soccer, and NJ Youth Soccer have changed the age group model for soccer in the United States.  This is not a decision that was made by the Swedesboro-Woolwich Soccer Association (SWSA), however we must abide by the age group change.

To provide a bit further context the current age group model known as the birth year model, has been in place in U.S. Soccer since 2017.  Prior to that, U.S. Soccer used the school year model for the separation of age groups.  For any of us parents that played growing up, the school year model is the age group format that we would have been familiar with.  So ultimately after a 9 year attempt at changing to a birth year model, U.S. Soccer is simply changing back to the previous age groupings.

For the remainder of the spring 2026 season through July 31, 2026 all the soccer age groups at SWSA have to remain as the birth year model.  You can view the club’s age group matrix here.

We are aware that this change may affect some players within the soccer club, as it will for all soccer clubs across the country.  However, SWSA has made some modifications to help cause as minimal impact to existing teams and age groups as possible.

Age Group Models

• Current Age Group
  • Birth Year Model: January 1st (oldest player) – December 31st (youngest player) of a given year.
• New Age Group
  • School Year Model: August 1st (oldest player) – July 31st (youngest player) of the following year.
    • For example August 1, 2019 – July 31, 2020
    • As we are aware New Jersey does not follow the same school year model as other states, and SWSA has made some modifications to help streamline this closer to a school year model for our club.

SWSA is providing below a fact sheet and additional information about the modifications per program that our club offers.  If you have any further questions, please feel free to reach out to president@swsasoccer.org.

SWSA Age Group Fact Sheet

Micro U4-U8 & Rec U9/U10

• Children born January 1st – July 31st are still in the same age group that they are currently in.
• Children born August 1st – September 30th will be able to play up with their classmates to complete the school year age group based on NJ or choose to play with their new soccer age group.
• Children born October 1st – December 31st will be part of their school year age group.

Additional Micro Information

During a child’s U7 spring season, the club holds tryouts for the upcoming fall seasons travel teams.  Additional information will be sent out in the coming weeks regarding this.  Players then have the option of moving to travel at U8 based on team tryouts, or staying in micro for 1 more year.

If they stay in micro for their U8 season, then during their spring U8 micro season they would tryout for a travel team.

Additional Rec Information

We are currently one of the only remaining clubs in the surrounding area that has a rec program.  Typically most children either after their U7 or U8 micro season move on to play travel soccer.

In order to keep the Rec program continuing at SWSA we would need a new rec coordinator, and would need the positioned asap as we would like parents within the rec program to know if there will be a fall 2026 season.  If the club does not have a rec program coordinator in place by that date, then the spring 2026 season will be the last season for U9/U10 rec at SWSA.

For anyone interested please fill out the form to join the SWSA board.

Travel U8-U11 Club Run Tryouts

• Children born January 1st – July 31st are still in the same age group that they are currently in.
• Children born August 1st – December 31st have the option of staying with their current age group, or moving to their new age group based on the criteria below.
  • Children born August 1st – September 30th will be able to stay with their classmate’s age group regardless of which team they make (can make A team (Black), B team (Red), C team (White).  This applies to both current SWSA travel players and new SWSA travel players.
    • This will allow children to stay with their grade level based on the school districts age groups.
    • For this upcoming year’s tryouts ONLY (Dates TBD) they have the option of trying out for both their current and new age groups if they choose to do so. In order to do that they would need to try out at least once for both age groups at tryouts.
    • If a player decides to move down to their new age group, then they will become part of the new age group going forward.
  • Children born October 1st – December 31st will need to make the “A” team of their current age group if they choose to stay in that age group.
    • In order to do that they would need to try out at least once for both age groups they qualify for at tryouts.
    • Current SWSA travel players will NOT need board approval to try out for their current age group.
    • Any player that is NOT currently on a SWSA travel team will need to follow the new age group format in the club run tryout model which is that they are allowed to try out 1 age group up ONLY with board approval.
    • In both conditions listed above if the child does not make the top half of the “A” team in the current age group, then they would move to their new age group.

Travel U12 and Older Teams

All age groups U12 and older are coach run tryouts and coaches have an option of selecting a player for their teams that fall within the leagues guidance and rules.

In short the coaches will determine if they are sticking with their teams current age range, or transitioning to the new soccer age group.  The coaches will be communicating this with their teams.

Notice for All Age Groups

For any children that are born in 1 year, but started school later, the soccer club is NOT allowed to register that player with their school classmates.  The soccer organizations aren’t allowed to have kids to play below their soccer age group.

For example, if a child born in June 2017 started school later and in the fall 2026 school year is a 3rd grader.  They still wouldn’t be allowed to try out with the 3rd grade age group, which for soccer is considered to be children born August 1, 2017 – July 31, 2018.  They must try out with the 4th grade age group which is considered August 1, 2016 – July 31, 2017.

The Swedesboro-Woolwich Soccer Association board reserves the right to modify any of the above prior to the fall 2026 – spring 2027 tryouts if an adjustment is needed.

We will adhere to the leagues guidelines in the event we are told we must follow a different format.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to reach out to president@swsasoccer.org.