Soccer age groups explained: U6 to U19
In youth soccer, “U” means “under”, so a U10 team is for players aged 10 and under. Each age group has its own game: 4v4 up to U8, 7v7 at U9 and U10, 9v9 at U11 and U12, and 11v11 from U13.
Which group a child joins depends on their date of birth and on the cut-off date their league uses. For the 2026-27 season the biggest US youth organizations moved the cut-off from January 1 to August 1.
Soccer is called football in most of the world. This guide is part of Futbol Island’s free football lessons for kids aged 7 to 12.
Soccer age group chart for the 2026-27 season
Birth dates are for leagues that use the August 1 cut-off: US Youth Soccer, US Club Soccer and AYSO.
| Age group | Means | Born | Game | Ball | Game length | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U6 | 6 and under | Aug 1, 2020 to Jul 31, 2021 | 4v4 | 3 | 4 quarters of 10 min | USSF |
| U7 | 7 and under | Aug 1, 2019 to Jul 31, 2020 | 4v4 | 3 | 4 quarters of 10 min | USSF |
| U8 | 8 and under | Aug 1, 2018 to Jul 31, 2019 | 4v4 | 3 | 4 quarters of 10 min | USSF |
| U9 | 9 and under | Aug 1, 2017 to Jul 31, 2018 | 7v7 | 4 | 2 halves of 25 min | USSF |
| U10 | 10 and under | Aug 1, 2016 to Jul 31, 2017 | 7v7 | 4 | 2 halves of 25 min | USSF |
| U11 | 11 and under | Aug 1, 2015 to Jul 31, 2016 | 9v9 | 4 | 2 halves of 30 min | USSF |
| U12 | 12 and under | Aug 1, 2014 to Jul 31, 2015 | 9v9 | 4 | 2 halves of 30 min | USSF |
| U13 | 13 and under | Aug 1, 2013 to Jul 31, 2014 | 11v11 | 5 | 2 halves of 35 min | USYS |
| U14 | 14 and under | Aug 1, 2012 to Jul 31, 2013 | 11v11 | 5 | 2 halves of 35 min | USYS |
| U15 | 15 and under | Aug 1, 2011 to Jul 31, 2012 | 11v11 | 5 | 2 halves of 40 min | USYS |
| U16 | 16 and under | Aug 1, 2010 to Jul 31, 2011 | 11v11 | 5 | 2 halves of 40 min | USYS |
| U17 | 17 and under | Aug 1, 2009 to Jul 31, 2010 | 11v11 | 5 | 2 halves of 45 min | USYS |
| U18 | 18 and under | Aug 1, 2008 to Jul 31, 2009 | 11v11 | 5 | 2 halves of 45 min | USYS |
| U19 | 19 and under | Aug 1, 2007 to Jul 31, 2008 | 11v11 | 5 | 2 halves of 45 min | USYS |
Birth dates: the August 1 to July 31 cycle that US Youth Soccer, US Club Soccer and AYSO announced for 2026-27. USSF = U.S. Soccer small-sided standards (game, ball, length up to U12). USYS = US Youth Soccer playing rules, December 2025 (ball and length from U13). AYSO writes the same groups as 6U, 8U, 10U and so on. Typical US youth standards for the 2026-27 season; your league may differ. Checked on November 10, 2026.
How to find your child’s age group
- Find the season. The 2026-27 season runs from August 1, 2026 to July 31, 2027.
- Find your child’s date of birth in the “Born” column of the chart.
- A child born on or after August 1 is in the younger group than a child born in July of the same year.
- Ask the club which cut-off it uses. U.S. Soccer lets each member organization choose, so some leagues may still group by calendar year of birth.
- A child may usually play up in an older group if the club and the league agree.
Birth-year and school-year groups
- From 2017 to the 2025-26 season, US youth soccer grouped players by calendar year of birth, January 1 to December 31. U.S. Soccer chose that to match international soccer.
- Under that system a U10 team in a season was for players who turned 10, or younger, in the year the season ended.
- From 2026-27, US Youth Soccer, US Club Soccer and AYSO group players from August 1 to July 31, which is close to a school year, so more classmates play together.
- England’s FA also uses school years, and its formats are different: 3v3 at under-7, 5v5 at under-8 and under-9, 7v7 at under-10 and under-11, 9v9 at under-12 and under-13.
Which game each age group plays
- U6, U7, U8: 4v4 with no goalkeepers, no offside and no heading. Four short quarters.
- U9, U10: 7v7 with goalkeepers, a build-out line and no heading. Two halves of 25 minutes.
- U11, U12: 9v9. Offside from the halfway line. Two halves of 30 minutes.
- U13 and older: 11v11 on a full-size field with a size 5 ball. Halves grow from 35 to 45 minutes.
Questions about age groups
What does U10 mean in soccer?
Under 10: a team for players aged 10 and under. It is the same as AYSO’s 10U. Most players in a U10 team are 9 when the season starts.
What age is U12 in soccer?
Players aged 12 and under. For the 2026-27 season with an August 1 cut-off, that means born from August 1, 2014 to July 31, 2015.
When do kids start playing 11v11?
At U13 in the U.S. Soccer standards. Before that, children play 4v4, then 7v7 at U9 and U10, then 9v9 at U11 and U12.
Did soccer age groups change for 2026?
Yes. US Youth Soccer, US Club Soccer and AYSO moved from calendar-year groups to an August 1 to July 31 cycle, starting with the 2026-27 season.
Can my child play in an older age group?
Usually yes, if the club and the league agree. This is called playing up. Rules such as no heading at age 10 and under still follow the child’s own age in US Youth Soccer.
Free lessons to start with
- Meet Your Team (7v7 lesson)Recognize the goalkeeper and three lines of teammates, then adjust your midfield role as the ball changes sides.
- 3-2-3: Know Your Unit (9v9 lesson)Understand nine players, three outfield units, and cover behind an advancing defender.
- Our Eleven: Shape & Shared Jobs (11v11 lesson)Understand the goalkeeper and each line, then adapt midfield support as a fullback advances.
- 3-1: Meet the Court Roles (Futsal lesson)Meet five players and the 3-1 roles; choose forward depth or support behind as pressure changes.
Keep reading
- Soccer ball size by ageSize 3, 4 or 5 for each age group, with a chart
- Soccer field size by ageField, goal and game length for each age group
- Substitutions and game length by ageHow long games last and how changes work
- Heading rules for kids in the USNo heading at 10 and under
- 7v7 soccer formationsShapes for U9 and U10 teams
- 9v9 soccer formationsShapes for U11 and U12 teams
- 11v11 soccer formationsShapes for the full game
- Soccer rules for kidsEvery rule with a diagram
Futbol Island is a free football (soccer) learning game for kids aged 7 to 12. Every idea on this page is taught on a pitch with moving players, then checked with a quick quiz.