San Antonio FC Academy joins ECNL Boys Texas Conference

RICHMOND, Va. – The ECNL Boys announced the addition of San Antonio FC Academy (SAFC) to the Texas Conference for the 2023-24 season.

Since its founding in 2016, SAFC Academy has been one of the top clubs in Texas and a leader nationally. The club has participated in and won several age groups in the Copa Rayados International, as well as participating in the Dallas Cup, Man City Cup, and U12 England International Cup. The club’s USL Academy U19 team has also qualified for the playoffs the last two years.

Along with the numerous competitions they have seen great success in, SAFC Academy has had significant numbers of players move on to college soccer every year, and several stars into professional soccer, most notably, Angel Bernal (FC Tulsa USL), Ethan Bryan (Sporting Kansas City), Jose Gallegos (SonderjyskE Denmark), and Leo Torres (Austin FC II). In total, 25 different SAFC Academy players have participated in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and International friendly matches, and six SAFC Academy players have debuted in USL Championship official matches.

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Along with the addition of SAFC Academy, the ECNL Boys is also announced the full alignment of Solar SC, RISE SC, and HTX Soccer (formerly Houston Dynamo Youth), with each club positioning the ECNL at the top of its competition program for the 2023-24 season.

“Welcoming San Antonio FC Academy into the ECNL marks another major step forward in the development of our league,” said ECNL Boys Commissioner, Jason Kutney. “The club has invested significantly in youth development since its inception and has become a leader in player advancement as a result. Their addition to the Texas Conference, combined with the full alignment of Solar, RISE, and HTX will drive the ECNL to new heights, sparking even greater visibility for the players in the league.”

Already one of the top conferences in the ECNL and one of the most competitive and talented leagues in youth soccer, the ECNL Boys Texas Conference will be even more formidable in 2023-2024.