Michigan Soccer Training
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Know the game
The game your kid plays at 7 is not the game they'll play at 14 — the rules grow with them. Here's what changes when, the laws that surprise every sideline, and how players (and parents) can join the officiating side.
New for 2026–27 · Age groups changed
For the first time since 2016–17, age groups are built on the school calendar again. US Youth Soccer, US Club Soccer and AYSO all moved team formation from birth year (Jan 1 – Dec 31) to school year (Aug 1 – Jul 31), starting with the 2026–27 registration year. ECNL and ECNL-RL, Girls Academy, National 1 and MSPSP all follow it.
Born Jan 1 – Jul 31
Nothing unusual. Your player moves up one age group this season, the same as any other year.
Born Aug 1 – Dec 31
Your player stays in the same age group for 2026–27 instead of moving up — a one-time effect of the switch. This is the group that gets confused, and the reason for the change: they now play with their grade.
The exception: MLS NEXT is split
MLS NEXT did not move as one league. The Allstate Homegrown Division stayed on birth year (Jan 1 – Dec 31), to stay aligned with FIFA and the youth national teams. The Academy Division moved to school year with everyone else. That means a Michigan club running teams in both divisions is operating two different age calendars in the same building — and a player can be U15 in one and U16 in the other.
If your club plays MLS NEXT, ask which division a specific team is in before you assume a birth year. Homegrown vs Academy Division →
2026–27 age groups
| Group | Born between |
|---|---|
| U6 | Aug 1, 2020 – Jul 31, 2021 |
| U7 | Aug 1, 2019 – Jul 31, 2020 |
| U8 | Aug 1, 2018 – Jul 31, 2019 |
| U9 | Aug 1, 2017 – Jul 31, 2018 |
| U10 | Aug 1, 2016 – Jul 31, 2017 |
| U11 | Aug 1, 2015 – Jul 31, 2016 |
| U12 | Aug 1, 2014 – Jul 31, 2015 |
| U13 | Aug 1, 2013 – Jul 31, 2014 |
| U14 | Aug 1, 2012 – Jul 31, 2013 |
| U15 | Aug 1, 2011 – Jul 31, 2012 |
| U16 | Aug 1, 2010 – Jul 31, 2011 |
| U17 | Aug 1, 2009 – Jul 31, 2010 |
| U18 | Aug 1, 2008 – Jul 31, 2009 |
| U19 | Aug 1, 2007 – Jul 31, 2008 |
High school soccer is unaffected — MHSAA has always run on grade and eligibility, not birth year. Rec leagues set their own windows, so confirm with your club. Sources: US Youth Soccer and US Club Soccer age-group decisions, the MLS NEXT age group update, Girls Academy's seasonal-year announcement, and MSYSA's 2026–27 registration notice.
U6–U8
4v4
Size 3 · No goalkeepers
No offside, no headers, tiny goals, everyone touches the ball constantly. Chaos by design — it's how kids learn.
Full 4v4 rules →
U9–U10
7v7
Size 4 · Goalkeepers begin
The build-out line arrives: when the keeper has the ball, opponents retreat behind it, and no punting — teams learn to play out from the back.
Full 7v7 rules →
U11–U12
9v9
Size 4 · Full rules phase in
Offside fully enforced, bigger field, real positions emerge. Still no deliberate heading at U11 and below.
Full 9v9 rules →
U13+
11v11
Size 5 · The full game
Full field, full Laws of the Game. Game lengths grow with age up to two 45-minute halves at U19.
Full 11v11 rules →
The most argued rule on every sideline. A player is offside if, when the ball is played, they're nearer the goal line than both the ball and the second-to-last defender. Move the striker and watch the flag.
The moment that matters is when the pass is struck — not when it's received.
No heading until U12
U.S. Soccer bans deliberate heading in games and practice for U11 and younger, with limited practice amounts at U12–U13. A header by a U10 player = indirect free kick for the other team. It's concussion protection, and it's non-negotiable.
The build-out line isn't a suggestion
At 7v7, when the goalkeeper gains possession, the other team must drop behind the build-out line until the ball is in play — and keepers may not punt. Coaches who scream 'PRESSURE!' at a U9 goal kick are coaching against the rule's whole purpose.
Substitution rules change by competition
Youth rec allows nearly unlimited subs, MSPSP-style leagues allow re-entry, high school has its own sub windows, and national platforms like MLS NEXT restrict re-entry to mirror the pro game. Never assume — check the competition's rules.
The ref shortage is your problem too
Michigan, like everywhere, loses young referees at an alarming rate — mostly because of adult sideline behavior. Fewer refs means rescheduled games and worse coverage. The fix starts ten feet from you on Saturday.
The full Laws of the Game live at theIFAB.com; youth modifications come from U.S. Soccer's Player Development Initiatives. Individual leagues adapt details — always check your competition's handbook.
Best first job in Michigan for a soccer-loving teenager: outdoor work, real responsibility, game-fee pay, and nobody understands the game better than someone who's officiated it.
Get licensed
Take the U.S. Soccer Grassroots Referee course — online modules plus an in-person field session, typically open from around age 13. Register through the U.S. Soccer Learning Center and Michigan's state referee program.
Work games
Start on U9–U12 games as an assistant referee near home. Youth game fees typically run $25–$75+ per game depending on age and level — a weekend of games adds up fast.
Level up
Recertify annually, move up age groups and competition levels, and add the separate MHSAA registration to officiate high school matches. The regional and national pathways are real for those who love it.
Sideline pledge: that 14-year-old with the whistle is somebody's kid, working their first job, getting most calls right. Cheer your player, respect the ref, and Michigan keeps its referees.