The U.S. U-16 and U-15 boys national teams will hold concurrent 24-player training camps Sept. 10-17 at the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center. Ross Brady, who coached the U-15s earlier this year, takes charge of the 2011-born U-16s, while interim coach Mutanda Kwesele leads the 2012-born U-15s. LAFC has a U-16-high three players in camp, while the New York Red Bulls and New York City FC lead the U-15 contingent with three apiece.
youth
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UNDER-20 WOMEN’S WORLD CUP: USA ties Japan after leading twice
The USA, which opened with a 2-1 loss to Italy, kept alive its hopes of reaching the U-20 Women’s World Cup knockout stage with a 2-2 tie against Japan. The USA enters its final Group D against New Zealand on Saturday in third place in Group D.
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SA Archives (2007): U.S. Soccer’s previous move into the youth game
Last week, we reported on U.S. Soccer absorbing the 2.7 million-player USYS. Nineteen years ago, we reported on U.S. Soccer launching the Boys Development Academy Department after its Technical Committee, set up by then-Federation president Sunil Gulati, determined a “Need to eliminate clutter in the environment …” for players ages 13-17 and a “Need more free play, less structure … ” at ages 6-12. To read the 2007 article …
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Can U.S. Soccer tame the Wild West of American youth soccer?
“USYS members took a historic step to make the game more affordable and accessible to kids and their families across the country.”— Tina Rincon, US Youth Soccer’s Chair of the Board, on Saturday’s announcement that the state associations of the country’s largest youth soccer organization approved a move to integrate into U.S. Soccer. When the […]
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U-20 Women’s World Cup: USA aims for first title in 14 years
Coach Vicky Jepson’s team aiming to win the USA’s first U-20 World Cup title since 2012 is the most experienced American squad ever at that age group. Eight members play in the NWSL and three of them are in their third season of the world’s strongest women’s pro league. They’ll be tested in group play by Japan, which reached the last three finals, Italy (Sept. 6 opener) and New Zealand.
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Young U.S. prospects score and assist in MLS. Plus: An Olympic hopeful impresses in Poland
For U.S. youth national team players, it has been a banner week for impactful performances, particularly in MLS, where teenagers delivered an impressive wave of goals and assists. In Europe, opportunities for young Americans have been slower to materialize, but with preseason ending across most of the continent, we should soon get a clearer picture […]
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USYNT: Eight NWSL players on U-20 Women’s World Cup squad
Eight pros and 13 collegians comprise Coach Vicky Jepson’s U.S. team for the 2026 U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland (Sept. 5-27). The USA last won the biennial championship in 2012. Three players are in their third NWSL seasons: Kennedy Fuller, Ainsley McCammon and Emeri Adames.
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What They’re Saying: Vicky Jepson
“We’re very fortunate that we have a manager of the women’s national team that is very much invested in our youth talent pathway. Every camp I do, I have a list of players that Emma Hayes wants to see, and we do high-potential reports on those to present to Emma, Denise Reddy and Lisa Cole. In terms of a game methodology … we’re very aligned. It needs to be age specific, but the principles of play — how we want to press and build and create opportunities is — very much similar to what Emma is doing.”
— Vicky Jepson, coach of the U.S. U-20 women’s national team that’s headed to the U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland. Six players from the 2024 U-20 World Cup team, which finished third under coach Tracey Kevins, have earned USWNT caps.
Jepson also addressed UEFA’s threats to boycott the tournament
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SA Archives: The launch of U.S. Club Soccer (2001)
Twenty-five years ago, columnist Paul Gardner interviewed Derek Armstrong, Bill Sage and Roy Rees about the launch of an American youth soccer governing body that would serve as an alternative to U.S. Youth Soccer. What the founders originally called the National Association of Competitive Soccer Clubs (NACSC) soon became U.S. Club Soccer.
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USA falls to Mexico in Concacaf U-20 Men’s Championship final
Mexico beat the USA, 2-0, before 36,000 fans at Azteca Stadium in Sunday’s 2026 Concacaf U-20 Championship final to qualify for the 2028 Olympics. The victory marked Mexico’s second straight regional U-20 crown in the biennial competition after the USA had won three straight titles in 2017, 2018 and 2022.