Important Age Group Change Beginning 2026
Minnesota Youth Soccer Association has announced a statewide change to how soccer age groups are determined, beginning with the Fall 2026 season.
You can view MYSA’s full explanation here: Minnesota Youth Soccer Fall 2026 Age Group Change
What’s changing?
Starting in 2026, Minnesota Youth Soccer will move from a calendar-year (January–December) age-group model to a school-year age-group model that runs from:
August 1 – July 31
For GRASC families, this transition will occur in two phases:
• U10 and under (Future Stars / in-house): The new model will be used throughout all of 2026
• U12 and above (travel): The new model will begin Fall 2026, in alignment with statewide league play
This change aligns youth soccer with:
• School grade groupings
• Other major youth sports
• National standards adopted by US Youth Soccer and US Club Soccer
What does this mean for families?
• Players will be grouped with teammates closer to their school grade, not just their birth year
• Some players may notice that their age group does not advance in the same way it has in the past
• This is a one-time transition; once implemented, age-group movement will return to a predictable yearly progression
When does this take effect?
• U10 and under (Future Stars / in-house):
The new August 1 – July 31 school-year model will be used for the entire 2026 calendar year (winter, spring, and summer).
• U12 and above (travel):
Spring & Summer 2026: No change — the current calendar-year model is still used
Fall 2026 and beyond: The new August 1 – July 31 school-year model is in effect statewide
Age Group Charts
• U10 and under (2026 – School-Year Model): View Birth-Year Chart
• U12 and above (Fall 2026 transition): View Birth-Year Chart
Why is this change happening?
Minnesota Youth Soccer is making this adjustment to:
• Improve long-term player development
• Reduce age/grade mismatches
• Create more consistent team groupings year to year
This change is being implemented statewide to ensure consistency across leagues, tournaments, and competitions.
What will GRASC do next?
Grand Rapids Area Soccer Club will:
• Clearly communicate age groups for each season, including which model is being used
• Publish updated age-group charts before registration opens
• Support families through the transition with clear explanations and examples
How GRASC will handle the transition
In-house programs (Future Stars, U-10 and under)
GRASC will move to the new school-year age-group model for the entire 2026 calendar year. This provides consistency for younger players and simplifies team placement across winter, spring, and summer programming.
During this transition, we understand that some players may fall between the two systems. In those cases, we will work with families to make the best placement for each player, whether that is within our in-house program or at the travel level, with the goal of providing an age-appropriate, positive soccer experience for every child.
Travel programs (U-12 and above)
Travel teams will continue using the current calendar-year model through Spring and Summer 2026, and will transition to the new school-year model beginning Fall 2026, in alignment with Minnesota Youth Soccer league play.
If you ever have questions about your child’s placement, please don’t hesitate to reach out — we’re happy to help.