Age Group Changes
The Big Shift: Returning to Seasonal Year Age Groups
If you’ve been around the pitch lately, you’ve probably heard the buzz: US Youth Soccer is moving back to “Seasonal Year” age groupings (August 1 – July 31). For the last several years, we’ve been using the January–December “Birth Year” model. Starting with the 2026-2027 season, we are headed back to a calendar that aligns with the school year. We know change can be a little stressful, so we want to be upfront about what this means for your player and why we believe it’s a win for the KC Fire FC community.
Why is this happening?
The main goal is to keep kids playing with their friends and classmates. Under the birth year model, teams were often split up because some kids were born in the fall and others in the spring, despite being in the same grade. By shifting the cutoff to August 1st, we:
- Eliminate “Trapped Players”: No more 8th graders being left without a team while their older teammates play high school soccer.
- Boost Team Chemistry: Players will naturally be grouped with their school peers.
- Simplify the Sideline: It just makes sense for the soccer season to match the school year!
When does this start?
- Now through Spring 2026: We stay on the current Birth Year system. Nothing changes for your current season!
- Tryouts (Summer 2026): This is the “Flip.” Tryouts for the 2026-2027 season will be conducted using the new August 1st cutoff.
The 2026-2027 Age Group Guide
Not sure where your player fits? Find their birth date below to see their “U” (Under) level for the upcoming 2026-2027 seasonal year.
| Age Group | Birth Date Range |
| U19 | Aug 1, 2007 – July 31, 2008 |
| U18 | Aug 1, 2008 – July 31, 2009 |
| U17 | Aug 1, 2009 – July 31, 2010 |
| U16 | Aug 1, 2010 – July 31, 2011 |
| U15 | Aug 1, 2011 – July 31, 2012 |
| U14 | Aug 1, 2012 – July 31, 2013 |
| U13 | Aug 1, 2013 – July 31, 2014 |
| U12 | Aug 1, 2014 – July 31, 2015 |
| U11 | Aug 1, 2015 – July 31, 2016 |
| U10 | Aug 1, 2016 – July 31, 2017 |
| U9 | Aug 1, 2017 – July 31, 2018 |
Coach’s Corner: A Quick Note to Parents
We understand that for some teams, this might mean a little bit of “roster shuffling.” At KC Fire FC, our priority is—and always will be—the development of the player. Our coaching staff is already evaluating how to make this transition as smooth as possible. We’re focused on keeping the “Fire Family” together while ensuring every kid is playing at a level that challenges them and keeps them loving the game.
Still have questions? We’ll be hosting a dedicated Q&A at our upcoming Open House to walk through the specifics. Come say hi and let’s get your player ready for another great year!