ECNL Boys to launch Northern Cal Conference for 2020-2021 season

Richmond, VA – The ECNL Boys will launch a new Northern Cal Conference for the 2020-2021 season with 10 participating clubs.

In a unique partnership with long-time US Club Soccer league NorCal Premier Soccer, the ECNL Boys Northern Cal Division will also feature an annual promotion / relegation playoff, where the 10th place club in the ECNL will playoff annually against the 1st place club in NorCal’s NPL Division to determine the final member of the conference for the subsequent year.

“NorCal Premier Soccer has been a leader in growing and improving the game in this country for more than a decade, and has built a vibrant league across Northern California,” said ECNL President Christian Lavers. “By collaborating with NorCal Premier Soccer and providing this promotion / relegation playoff, we provide a clear pyramid in Norther California, a clear pathway for clubs to the top level of boys soccer, and we support the ongoing growth of NorCal’s leagues and platforms. We are incredibly excited to launch this conference, and to do so with the unique structure and with the great support of NorCal Premier Soccer and its leadership.” The first six clubs to participate in the inaugural year of the ECNL Boys Northern Cal Conference will be Davis Legacy, Marin FC, MVLA, Mustang, San Juan Soccer Club, and Santa Rosa United. Four additional participating clubs will be named in the coming weeks.

“The ECNL has been a national leader in girl’s soccer for some time,” said NorCal Premier Soccer President Benjamin Ziemer. “NorCal Premier Soccer’s goal has been to provide a club soccer pyramid, allowing the process of promotion and relegation from ages 14 and up, in order to place our clubs’ teams within the appropriate level of our competitions. With this partnership, we will see the introduction of merit-based club promotion and relegation into the Northern California ECNL Boys Conference, awarding clubs, players, teams and coaches an opportunity to advance into this national competition. We applaud the ECNL leadership for embracing this model in the Northern California Conference. We are very excited to partner with them and take this important step forward for the good of the game.”

Additional new member clubs of the ECNL Boys in other areas of the country will be announced in the coming weeks as the platform continues to grow in strength, scope, and impact.