Youth Soccer Birth Year Registration System

The United States Soccer Federation (USSF) uses the birth year registration system to define soccer age groups. This means that a player’s age group is determined by their birth year, rather than their school grade or physical maturity level.

In fact, the U.S. youth soccer calendar year runs from January 1st to December 31st (instead of the school year calendar). This makes it easier for parents and clubs to determine a player’s age group, as well as ensure consistency across all youth soccer leagues.

What Does the U Mean in Youth Soccer?

In Soccer, the U stands for “Under”, and it’s followed by a number representing the age group.

For instance, U9 (U-9, under-9, or 9U) means that all players in the team or league are younger than 9 years old (or will turn 9) during the soccer season.

How to Determine your Childs Soccer Age Group

To find your child’s soccer age group, subtract your child’s birth year from the season’s end year.

This calculation reveals the appropriate age category for that specific season.

For example, if the soccer season ends in 2024 and your child was born in 2013, their age group would be U-12 (U12, Under 12, or 12U) for the 2024-2025 Season.

The formula: Year Season Ends 2024 – Birth Year 2013 = Age Group U12.

Please use the US Soccer birth year matrix below, which already has the next upcoming soccer seasons on a chart for easy access.

Soccer runs in the Spring and Fall Seasons.