By Matthew Doherty December 17, 2025 Before you know it, the ECNL Girls’ club season will be in full swing. The Florida winter showcase begins in less than a month, before league play kicks into high gear in early-March. Anticipation is already building across the New England Conference, so it’s never too early to start forecasting the upcoming season. Can FC Stars Blue continue its reign atop the standings? What will Year 2 bring for South Shore Select? And which teams and players will emerge? Those questions will be answered in due time. But for now, here’s a look at six important dates that will help define the 2026 ECNL girls’ season — from national showcases to pivotal league weekends. Let’s dive in: January 10-12: ECNL Florida Not only does ECNL Florida give New England teams a chance to escape the cold, but the three-day event also serves as the unofficial launch of the 2026 season. Every ECNL team from the U-16 to U-18/19 age groups is in attendance for the first of five national showcases this season. For New England clubs, it’s an opportunity to shake off the winter rust and measure themselves against top competition around the country before league play begins. Florida is also a recruiting hotbed, with hundreds of college coaches attending the event to get a first glimpse of players following the high school season. March 1-8: League play resumes After Florida, teams take a break from games during the winter months. But the 2026 campaign resumes in full force the first weekend of March. FC Stars Blue opens against FC Stars White across various age groups, and Connecticut FC and FSA also kick off play that weekend. Other New England clubs like South Shore Select and Scorpions SC resume action the following weekend. Once the calendar turns to March, the New England Conference’s three-month sprint to the postseason is underway. May 30-June 1: ECNL North Carolina The final national showcase of the season serves as a measuring stick and another prime recruiting opportunity. By this point, teams have formed an identity and players have emerged, so North Carolina shows where teams truly stand as the regular season winds down.

We’re now at 155 commitments for the Class of 2027! New Additions: 2 commitments for @RiverHawkWSOC 1 more for @cornellwsoccer Transfers: We’ve tracked 11 transfers in so far, though we don’t yet have numbers on players transferring out. 🧠 Recruiting Tip: Do Your Homework! Before attending any ID clinics, make sure to: Check the roster: Look at how many juniors they’ll need to replace. Review commitments: See how many spots are already filled for your class. 🚨 Schools in Green: Act Now! If a school is marked in green, you must already be in deep conversations with them. If not, it might be time to move on and focus your efforts elsewhere. 📢 Missing a Commitment? Let Us Know! If we’re missing a commitment, please post it below so we can keep the list as accurate as possible. Thanks for your help! #Classof2027 @ImYouthSoccer