ECNL Regional League announces widespread expansion across the country

RICHMOND, VA – The ECNL Regional League announced the largest number of additions, changes, and promotions in league history, adding more than 190 new clubs into the ECNL RL, creating new leagues in new regions, and adding more events for the 2025-26 season.

The ECNL RL new clubs include top performers from multiple other league platforms, as the strength of the ECNL Regional League competition and the quality of experience continues to attract and reward ambitious clubs, coaches, and players from all platforms. The quality of these new clubs solidifies the nation’s largest and most stable competition pyramid, recognizing and rewarding achievement on the field with tremendous new competitive and developmental opportunities.

“This has been a year of major growth in quality, size and scope in the ECNL RL platform, providing more evidence of the league’s leadership, and the experience and value it provides to the clubs,” said ECNL Regional League Commissioner Chris Leahey. “We have added great new clubs to raise the competition level, expanded the national footprint into more markets to serve more athletes across the country, and made the overall structure and travel within the league even better. In 2025-2026 the ECNL Regional League will offer every club great local and regional competition, more access to ECNL Regional League events, and a robust postseason pathway to a championship. And of course, as this season demonstrated once again, the ECNL RL is the proven pathway for promotion to the ECNL based on performance over time.”

(+READ: Twenty-four clubs earn promotion into ECNL Boys and ECNL Girls for 2025-26)

With this year’s additions, the ECNL Regional League will now be home to 24 boys leagues and 23 girls leagues nation-wide. In addition, the platform will include 11 ECNL Regional League regular season events for college showcasing as well as a post-season playoff event in every region for top teams chasing a berth in the ECNL Regional League Finals.

Beyond the fantastic competition, the number of club promotions this year from the ECNL Regional League further reinforces the ECNL RL proven pathway for players, coaches and clubs into the ECNL. Clubs across the country earned promotion into ECNL Boys and ECNL Girls through their results in the ECNL Regional League and at national events.

Below is a league-by-league look at the changes coming to the ECNL Regional League, boys and girls, for the 2025-26 season (arranged alphabetically).

ECNL Regional League – Chicago Metro (Boys)

Madison 56ers will join the ECNL Regional League Boys – Chicago Metro, which currently includes Bloomingdale Lightning, Chicago City SC, Chicago Inter Soccer, Crystal Lake Force, Libertyville FC 1974 and Northern Indiana Express.

ECNL Regional League – Far West (Boys)

After the promotion of multiple clubs in the ECNL Regional League Boys – Far West into ECNL Boys for the 2025-26 season, Eastside Timbers and Portland City United will be joining Boise Timbers Capital FC, Eugene Metro FC, FC Portland, Idaho Rush, Oregon Premier FC and United PDX in the ECNL Regional League Boys – Far West next season.

ECNL Regional League – Florida (Boys)

Six clubs will join the ECNL Regional League Boys – Florida from the Florida Club Leagues NPL for the 2025-26 season: Davie United SC, FC America, Florida Hawks FC, Space Coast United, Strikers Miami FC, and Tropical SC.

ECNL Regional League – Florida (Girls)

Florida Elite Tallahassee, Florida Hawks FC, and St. Petersburg FC will make the jump from the Florida Club Leagues NPL into the ECNL Regional League Girls – Florida for the 2025-26 season.

ECNL Regional League – Frontier (Boys)

For the 2025-26 season, Kernow Storm, OK Energy FC, Southwest Missouri Rush and West Side Alliance will be joining the ECNL Regional League Boys – Frontier.

ECNL Regional League – Frontier (Girls)

Kansas City Surf, OK Energy and Southwest Missouri Rush will be joining the ECNL Regional League Girls – Frontier for the 2025-26 season.

ECNL Regional League – Golden State (Boys) – NEW 

Beginning in the 2025-26 season, the ECNL Regional League – Golden State will support deeper player pools and pathways for existing ECNL clubs, creating a second team league for these clubs. This will create an improved competition and development environment for these players aligned with the ECNL competition schedule of their clubs.

The teams competing in the ECNL Regional League Boys – Golden State will be 1974 Newark FC, Association FC, California Odyssey, Davis Legacy, Los Gatos United, Marin FC, Mustang SC, Placer United SC, River Island Surf, San Francisco Elite and San Juan SC.

ECNL Regional League – Golden State (Girls) – NEW 

Also on the girls side, the ECNL Regional League Girls – Golden State will be a second-team league for clubs already competing in the ECNL Regional League. The clubs participating in the ECNL Regional League Girls – Golden State will be Bay Area Surf, California Odyssey, Davis Legacy, De Anza Force, Marin FC, Mustang SC, MVLA, Placer United SC, Pleasanton Rage and San Juan SC.

ECNL Regional League – Great Lakes Alliance (Boys)

Four new clubs will be joining the ECNL Regional League Boys – Great Lakes Alliance for the 2025-26 season: Cuyahoga Valley SA, Elite FC and Upper 90 FC.

ECNL Regional League – Great Lakes Alliance (Girls) 

The ECNL Regional League Girls – Great Lakes Alliance will welcome six new clubs for the 2025-26 season: Elite FC, Manta United, Northern Steel Select, Ohio Premier White, Steel City FC and WNY Flash Rochester.

ECNL Regional League – Greater Michigan Alliance (Boys) – NEW 

The ECNL Regional League Boys – Greater Michigan Alliance, will provide more opportunities for top players and teams in Michigan, including Detroit City FC West, Legends FC Michigan, FC Michigan, Liverpool FC Ann Arbor, Michigan Burn, Michigan Rangers FC, Nationals SC, Plymouth Reign, Portage SC and TKO Premier SC in its inaugural year. Liverpool FC Michigan and Nationals SC – Capital Area will also join the league from the ECNL Regional League Boys – Greater Lakes Alliance.

ECNL Regional League – Greater Michigan Alliance (Girls) – NEW 

The ECNL Regional League Girls – Greater Michigan Alliance will include Detroit City FC West, Legends FC Michigan, Liverpool FC Michigan, Liverpool FC Ann Arbor, Michigan Burn, Michigan Rangers FC, Nationals SC – Capital Area, Nationals SC, Plymouth Reign, Portage SC and TKO Premier SC.

ECNL Regional League – Gulf Coast (Boys) – NEW 

The Regional League Boys – Gulf Coast will bring in clubs from Louisiana for the first time and expand the league’s reach in Mississippi and Alabama. Gulf Coast United, Hattiesburg SC, LA Fire, LA Krewe Rush, Mandeville SC and Union 10 FC will be new clubs this fall. Coastal Rush will also head to the ECNL Regional League Boys – Gulf Coast, moving from the ECNL Regional League Boys – Florida.

ECNL Regional League – Gulf Coast (Girls) – NEW 

The ECNL Regional League Girls – Gulf Coast will include Alabama FC – Huntsville, Gulf Coast United, Hattiesburg SC, LA Fire, LA Krewe Rush, Mandeville SC and Union 10 FC. Coastal Rush will also be moving from the ECNL Regional League Girls – Florida to the ECNL Regional League Girls – Gulf Coast.

ECNL Regional League – Heartland (Boys)

ECNL Regional League Boys – Heartland will welcome FC Wichita, KC Athletics, St. Louis Stars and Union KC to join the 13 teams already battling for supremacy in the middle of the country.

ECNL Regional League – Heartland (Girls)

ECNL Regional League Girls – Heartland will see an addition to the league for next season as Madison 56ers (WI) enters the fold, bringing the league to 20 total clubs.

ECNL Regional League – Mid-America (Boys)

The ECNL Regional League Boys – Mid-America will bring in Alabama FC – Huntsville, Tennessee SC  – Murfreesboro, and Tennessee United for the 2025-26 season, and Mississippi Rush and Tupelo FC will also join the league, moving from the ECNL Regional League Boys – Frontier.

ECNL Regional League – Mid-America (Girls)

Tennessee SC  – Murfreesboro and Chattanooga SC Red Wolves will join the ECNL Regional League Girls – Mid-America for the 2025-26 season.

ECNL Regional League – Midwest (Boys)

Joining the ECNL Regional League Boys – Midwest for the 2025-26 season will be Minnesota Thunder Academy and St. Croix.

ECNL Regional League – Mountain (Boys)

The ECNL Regional League Boys – Mountain will see significant additions for the 2025-26 season, as Arizona Arsenal, CCV, El Paso Locomotive, FC Arizona, La Roca, NM Rapids, NUU Avalanche, PlayMaker Futbol Academy, Utah Avalanche and Utah Surf will form the ECNL Regional League Boys – Mountain West Division. Colorado Rapids North and Real Colorado Central will also join the ECNL Regional League Boys – Mountain in the East Division.

ECNL Regional League – Mountain (Girls)

For the upcoming season, City SC Utah and Colorado Rapids Central will compete in the ECNL Regional League Girls – Mountain.

ECNL Regional League – New England (Boys)

AC Connecticut, East Coast FC and Scorpions Soccer will move to the ECNL Regional League Boys – New England in accordance with their moves within ECNL Boys for next season.

ECNL Regional League – NorCal Premier (Boys) – NEW FORMAT 

The ECNL Regional League Boys – NorCal will include clubs who qualify out of NorCal Premier Soccer with the majority club-based and a small number of wildcard individual teams in each age in order to reward clubs with uniquely talented individual age groups. For the 2025-26 season, the clubs participating in the ECNL Regional League Boys – NorCal Premier will be Clovis Crossfire, East Bay United, Eastshore Alliance, Folsom Lake Surf, Livermore Fusion SC, Revolution FC, San Ramon FC, SF United FC, Sheriffs FC, Solano Surf, South Valley Chivas Academy, South Valley United, Stanford Strikers FC, Union Sacramento FC, and Walnut Creek Surf.

ECNL Regional League – NorCal Premier (Girls) – NEW FORMAT

The ECNL Regional League Girls – NorCal Premier will also feature clubs who qualify out of NorCal Premier Soccer. For the 2025-26 season, the ECNL Regional League Girls – NorCal Premier will be Association FC, Burlingame SC, California Magic SC, Diablo Valley Futbol Club, Eastshore Alliance, Folsom Lake Surf, Livermore Fusion FC, Los Gatos United, North Coast Futbol Club, Revolution FC, San Ramon FC, SF United, Solano Surf, Stanford Strikers, Stanislaus United, Valley Surf, and Walnut Creek Surf SC.

ECNL Regional League – North Atlantic (Boys)

Matching their move within the ECNL, Delaware FC, Philadelphia Ukrainians, PSA Monmouth and SJEB will all be moving to the ECNL Regional League Boys – North Atlantic for the 2025-26 season.

ECNL Regional League – Northeast (Boys)

The ECNL Regional League Boys – Northeast will realign divisions and add multiple new clubs to a league with a proven pathway into ECNL Boys. The new-look league will feature a North Division of Albertson SC, Blackwatch Premier, Brentwood SC, Brooklyn United, CFC North, Eastern FC, Quickstrike FC, Select North, Select South and Western Mass Pioneers, and a South Division of Eagles FC, FC Copa Academy, FC Europa, Lancaster FC, PSA North, STA Mt. Olive, West-Mont United and YMS.

ECNL Regional League – Northeast (Girls)

The ECNL Regional League Girls – Northeast will see a substantial realignment for the 2025-26 season. AC Connecticut, DEFC, Eastern FC, FC Europa, HEX PA Dominion, West Mout United and WNY Flash Binghamton will all enter the ECNL Regional League Girls – Northeast next season, and PDA South Blue and PDA South WhiteI will be moving from the ECNL Regional League Girls – North Atlantic into the ECNL Regional League Girls – Northeast.

ECNL Regional League – Northwest (Boys)

Central Washington Sounders, Northwest United and Wenatchee FC all will enter the fold for the 2025-26 season.

ECNL Regional League – Northwest (Girls) 

Central Washington Sounders, Eastside Timbers and Northwest United will be competing in the ECNL Regional League Girls – Northwest next season, aligning with clubs with similar competition schedules.

ECNL Regional League – Ohio Valley (Girls)

Tennessee SC will be joining the ECNL Regional League Girls – Ohio Valley from the ECNL Regional League Girls – Mid-America next season, and the league will also welcome Lexington Sporting Club (KY).

ECNL Regional League – SoCal (Boys) 

SoCal Blues is joining the ECNL Regional League Boys – SoCal for the 2025-26 season, while four clubs will be adding additional teams to the league; Beach FC (CA), Las Vegas Heat Surf, Rebels, and SDSC.

ECNL Regional League – SoCal (Girls)

Entering the ECNL Regional League Girls – SoCal for the upcoming season will be Legends SD SoCal and LV Heat SoCal.

ECNL Regional League – Southeast (Girls)

Joining the ECNL Regional League Girls – Southeast for the upcoming season will be Charlotte SA Gold and South Carolina Surf.

ECNL Regional League – Twin Cities (Boys) – NEW 

In partnership with the Twin Cities Soccer Leagues, the 31 Twin Cities-based clubs currently within the Minnesota NPL structure will have a clear and performance-based path to earn a spot in the ECNL Regional League Boys – Twin Cities. Representatives of the ECNL Regional League Boys – Twin Cities for the 2025-26 season will be based on performance during the 2024-25 soccer year.

ECNL Regional League – Twin Cities (Girls) – NEW 

In partnership with the Twin Cities Soccer Leagues, the 31 Twin Cities-based clubs currently within the Minnesota NPL structure will have a clear and performance-based path to earn a spot in the ECNL Regional League Girls – Twin Cities. Representatives of the ECNL Regional League Girls – Twin Cities for the 2025-26 season will be based on performance during the 2024-25 soccer year.