Your Questions, Answered

  • US Youth Soccer, and US Club Soccer have collectively decided to move to an age group player formation cycle that runs from August 1 to July 31, starting with the 2026-27 season/registration year. Our associations feel that this age group player formation will be the most inclusive and help increase participation. - US Soccer

    Current System: Birth year (January 1 - December 31)

    New System: Seasonal year (August 1 - July 31)

    This is a nationwide change. ALL CLUBS will be transitioning to grade-based teams. ECNL, ECNL-RL, GA, GA-Aspire, DPL, EA, MLS Next Academy, and State Leagues. MLS HomeGrown is the only league that will operate on the Birth Year system

    More Resources:

  • Penn Rising XI (PRXI) was formed through the consolidation of Lehigh Valley United (LVU) and HEX FC. Our goal is to create one unified club for Northeastern Pennsylvania with a clear pathway to the highest levels of the game.

    • Reduce player movement between clubs  

    • Keep top players local to our area

    • Provide a clear, stable development pathway  

    • Build stronger teams at every age group  

    • One unified player pool from Quakertown and Upper Bucks to Northeastern PA

    • Clear pathway from youth to elite levels  

    • Consistent coaching and standards across teams  

    • Balanced approach to competition and development 

  • We will be releasing coaching assignments soon. We will offer a robust staff of coaches from HEX FC and Lehigh Valley United to create a top level slate.

  • U8–U12 (Zone 1)  

    Foundation and development 

    • MLS Go

    • ICSL

    • Acela

    • EDP 

    U13–U19 (Zone 2)  

    • EDP

    • USYS “New Comp” & National Academy League  

    • MLS NEXT Academy  

    • MLS NEXT Homegrown (top level)  

    Key Principle:  

    Players move based on development and readiness


  • U8–U12 (Zone 1)  

    Foundation and development 

    • MLS Go

    • ICSL

    • Acela

    • EDP 

    U13–U19 (Zone 2)  

    • EDP

    • USYS “New Comp” & National Academy League  

    • Elite Tier 2 (Regional Level - Announcement Soon!) 

    • Elite Tier 1 (Top Level - Announcement Soon!) 

    Key Principle:  

    Players move based on development and readiness


    • Faith Christian Academy

    • Quakertown HS

    • Moravian Academy

    • Charles Chrinn Community Center

    • Lehigh University

    • Muhlenberg College

    • + More

    • Strength and injury prevention  

    • Nutrition and wellness education  

    • Video analysis (Hudl)  

    • College guidance and recruiting support 

  • Our philosophy is centered on developing confident, effective decision-makers who compete with purpose in a player-centered, high-performance environment.

  • MLS NEXT Homegrown is the highest level of youth player development in North America.

    It provides:

    • A 10-month, professional-style season  

    • Competition against top academies across the country  

    • National and international event opportunities  

    • A direct pathway to college and professional soccer

    • Note: Players selected for this highest level are not allowed to also play high school soccer 

    Players train in a high-performance environment designed to prepare them for the next level.

  • MLS NEXT Academy is a high-level competitive platform that serves as a direct pathway into MLS NEXT Homegrown teams.

    It provides:

    • Strong regional and national competition  

    • A structured development environment  

    • Clear progression opportunities within the club

    Note: Players selected for this highest level are allowed to also play high school soccer

  • Penn Rising XI is building a complete pathway: 

    Local Development → Elite Competition → College and Professional Opportunities