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National 1's First Fall Season Is Ending. Here's What Happens Next.
By Gloria Cid-Stitt - Founder, U.S. Soccer ParentOctober 10, 20265 min read
The National 1 League's first fall season is nearly over. National 1 is the new top team-based league that replaced NPL and USYS National League. Some districts are heading into November playoffs, others are opening spring applications, and the first national postseason is now scheduled for summer 2027.
If your family is new to National 1, start with our National 1 League parent guide for the basics: districts, age groups, costs and how the league fits with ECNL. This article covers what comes next.
The short version: there's no single national spring date. Each of the 34 districts is run by its own league operator, and spring looks very different from one district to the next.
Fall is ending
Several districts are wrapping up fall play over the next few weeks.
- In Michigan and northern Indiana, the fall season ends November 15 (Michigan Youth Soccer).
- In the Alabama and Florida Panhandle district, the last regular-season weekend is October 31–November 1 in Auburn. District playoffs follow on November 14–15 at the Emory Folmar YMCA Soccer Complex in Montgomery, with play-in games and semifinals Saturday and finals Sunday (Snap Soccer).
Check your team's district operator for its own end dates. Our guide has a full table of all 34 districts and their operators.
Spring depends on your district
From the spring plans districts have published, they fall into three groups.
1. Districts with a separate spring application
Some districts let new teams apply for spring, which is useful if your child's team didn't play National 1 this fall.
| District | Spring application | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Northeast 1–4 and Mid-Atlantic 1 (EDP Soccer) | Deadline November 1, 2026 | Spring 2027 registration for Northeast 1–3 and Mid-Atlantic 1. Upstate New York (Northeast 4) registers for fall and spring together (EDP Soccer) |
| Michigan / northern Indiana | November 16–22, 2026 | Matchups December 1, scheduling December 1–15, rosters due January 6, season starts January 13 (Michigan Youth Soccer) |
| Idaho / Montana | U15–U19 applications close December 20 | Spring play weekend March 19–21, 2027 (Idaho Youth Soccer) |
| Virginia | Closes January 16, 2027 | Open to teams that didn't play in fall. Applications are reviewed and accepted on a rolling basis (NCSL) |
| Missouri / Kansas / Nebraska / Iowa | Open now | No closing date posted. The operator lists Central Playoffs June 18–22, 2027, in St. Louis (Missouri Youth Soccer) |
| Tennessee | Closed September 14 | High school girls only (Tennessee Soccer) |
2. Districts where one season runs across fall and spring
Here, teams accepted for 2026–27 keep playing. There's no new spring entry point.
- Minnesota: The league describes "one meaningful season" across the soccer year, with 4–6 spring matches from April to June (TCSL).
- Washington (WPL): One season divided over fall and spring, from after Labor Day to late March (WPL).
- North Texas: August 21, 2026, through May 16, 2027 (Texas Club Soccer League).
- Arizona: 6–9 league games from August through March, with no U15–U19 games from December to February during the high school season (Arizona Soccer Association).
- Colorado: Spring weekends differ by age and gender: February 19–21 for U15–U19 boys and April 23–25 for U13–U19 boys and U13–U14 girls (Colorado Soccer Association).
- Northern California: A year-round league with a fall league, a spring league and a postseason. The $1,500 team fee covers both seasons plus State Cup. Spring "Championship" divisions are made up of top fall teams, and a possible relegation process is to be confirmed before spring (NorCal Premier).
3. Districts that haven't posted spring details yet
Many districts haven't posted spring 2027 information yet, including North Carolina, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, Illinois and Wisconsin, Oregon, Southern California, and the Alabama and Gulf districts. If you're in one of them, ask your club now rather than waiting for a public announcement.
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Why spring looks so different
Much of the variation comes down to high school soccer. Our guide explains that National 1 allows high school play, and districts schedule around local school seasons. Those seasons fall at different times of year from state to state.
You can see it in the dates. Tennessee opened a spring entry just for high school girls. Arizona pauses older age groups in winter. Colorado's spring dates differ for boys and girls.
If your child plays high school soccer, ask your club how its National 1 schedule works around the school season in your state.
The road to the summer postseason
National 1's first national postseason is in summer 2027. Qualifying teams join selected ECNL Regional League teams at the ECNL Conference League Playoffs. There are four regional playoff events, in Dallas, Davis (California), Greensboro (North Carolina) and St. Louis, followed by the ECNL Conference League Finals. ECNL said it would announce the Finals location later. Two league operators, EPPL and TCSL, now list Atlanta.
How teams qualify varies by district. In Minnesota, for example, the top two teams in each U13–U19 division advance to the Central Playoffs, June 18–22, 2027, in St. Louis. According to the Minnesota operator, U13–U17 teams that advance from there go on to the Finals in Atlanta in July 2027 (TCSL). Other districts may use different rules.
Two things to keep in mind:
- Qualifying isn't the same as joining ECNL. Reaching the postseason doesn't give a team ECNL or ECNL Regional League membership. Our guide explains how the National 1 postseason works.
- Budget for more than one trip. A team that advances could travel to a regional playoff and then to Finals.
What parents can do now
- Find your district operator. Our National 1 guide lists all 34.
- Ask your club whether your team's season continues into spring or ends with fall, and whether there are any spring application deadlines for other teams in the club.
- Mark the dates if a spring move is possible: November 1 (EDP districts), November 16–22 (Michigan), December 20 (Idaho U15–U19) and January 16 (Virginia).
- Ask about postseason qualification for your team's age group and division, and what summer travel might cost.
We'll update this article as more districts publish their spring plans.
FAQ
Does National 1 have a spring season?
It depends on the district. Some run one season across fall and spring, some hold separate fall and spring competitions, and some open separate spring applications for new teams.
Can my child's team join National 1 in the spring?
In some districts, yes. EDP Soccer, Michigan, Idaho, Virginia and Missouri have published spring application windows. Check with your district operator.
When is the National 1 postseason?
The ECNL Conference League Playoffs are in summer 2027 in Dallas, Davis, Greensboro and St. Louis, followed by Finals.
Written by Gloria Cid-Stitt - Founder, U.S. Soccer Parent