Dates announced for events to be played in Mesa, Ariz.
FRISCO, Texas (June 12, 2025) — The National League is excited to announce the dates and locations for its winter events for the 2025-26 season. These events provide participating teams with chances to qualify for the 2026 USYS National Championships, presented by New York Life, and the inaugural edition of The National League Cup.
Each winter event will take place at the Arizona Athletic Grounds, in Mesa, Ariz.
The winter events are open to only teams playing The National League in the 2025-26 season, and team applications are now being accepted for the events. All teams must apply to participate in a winter event, and the deadline to apply is July 7, 2025.
November Event
Boys – Oct. 31-Nov. 2, 2025
Girls – Nov. 7-9, 2025
Arizona Athletic Grounds
January Event
Boys – Jan. 30-Feb. 1, 2026
Girls – Jan. 30-Feb. 1, 2026
Arizona Athletic Grounds
Each participating team will play at one of the two event options. Competition is available for boys and girls teams that are playing in the 14U, 15U, 16U, 17U and 19U age groups during the 2025-26 youth soccer season.
Teams will be accepted for the winter events based on their history of performance — giving any applying team the chance to earn its way into the highly competitive field. Within each age group, 40 total teams will compete in the winter events, with the teams divided evenly among two events (20 teams per event).
At the events, teams are split into five groups of four, and each team plays its three group opponents over three days. Teams earn 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for a loss.
Teams that finish in first place in their four-team group will advance to the 2026 USYS National Championships as a National League representative. Teams that finish in second place in their four-team group at the winter events will earn a spot into The NL Cup at the end of the 2025-26 season.
About The National League: Established in 2007, The National League represents the top league platform in US Youth Soccer and offers both team-based and club-based league formats across the country. National League teams experience high-level localized competition with national connectivity through events and The National League Cup — an annual postseason competition that determines the league’s best team in each age group.