ECNL Girls: 6 key dates to know for the 2026 season
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.
This showcase is also crucial for uncommitted Class of 2027 players and the Class of 2028, especially since the contact window for the latter opens just a few weeks after. Every team from U-15 to U-17 attends, making it one of the most competitive weekends on the calendar.
June 6-7: Final weekend of the regular season
Immediately after North Carolina, New England teams wrap up league play with the final set of regular season matches. This weekend marks the end of the 16-game league season, with the top two teams from each age group advancing to the Champions Cup.
A game that weekend could determine a postseason spot, providing the ultimate late-season drama.
June 24-27: ECNL Girls Final (U-18/U19)
The U-18/19 teams will hold their national finals in St. Louis, Mo., separate from the other age groups. The top 32 teams compete in a single-elimination format. For high school seniors, this marks the final event of their club careers.
July 11-July 18: ECNL Girls National Playoffs & Finals (U-13-U-17)
The postseason format for the U-13 and U-17 age groups looks different this year. Because of the World Cup, there will be no national finals in Richmond, Va. Instead, the entire postseason will be held at 60 Acres Park in Seattle, Wash.
Group play is gone as well. The 32 qualified teams per age group will compete in a single-elimination tournament, with championship matches scheduled to conclude on July 18.
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ECNL Girls: 6 key dates to know for the 2026 season
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