The Shadow
ATLANTA — U.S. Soccer and US Youth Soccer (USYS) today announced a historic step toward integrating USYS with U.S. Soccer, creating greater alignment across the soccer landscape and a stronger connection between U.S. Soccer and soccer in communities across the country.
The decision was made with the support of USYS State Associations, which voted to approve the change during their Annual General Meeting on August 29. Together, U.S. Soccer, USYS, and State Associations will shape the future of soccer in America by working to bring more resources, investment, and support closer to where people play and experience the game every day.
“This is a defining moment for the future of soccer in America,” stated JT Batson, CEO and Secretary General, U.S. Soccer. “For decades, USYS and its State Associations have helped make the game happen in communities across the country, and they will continue to be integral in how we bring the resources of U.S. Soccer closer to those communities so that we can help more kids play and support the coaches, referees, clubs and leagues who make the game possible.”
Beginning September 1, U.S. Soccer and USYS will start a two-year integration process that brings together USYS’s decades of experience, relationships and reach across youth soccer with U.S. Soccer’s resources and national scale. As part of the agreement, U.S. Soccer will become the sole voting member of USYS while the organizations work toward full operational integration.
“US Youth Soccer has spent more than 50 years creating opportunities for millions of players to find their place in the game,” said Tom Condone, CEO, US Youth Soccer. “This next chapter gives us an opportunity to build on that legacy. By bringing US Youth Soccer and U.S. Soccer closer together, we can better connect the people and organizations serving the game and create stronger opportunities for players, families, clubs and communities across the country.”
The move marks a major milestone in U.S. Soccer’s broader effort to bring the soccer community together around a shared vision for the future of the game that makes soccer easier to access and navigate, creates more personalized opportunities to participate and develop, and better supports the people and organizations making soccer happen in communities across America.
“USYS and the State Associations bring the game to life every day at the local level,” stated Cindy Parlow Cone, President, U.S. Soccer. “They know their communities, and by working closer together we can create better experiences and more opportunities for players, families, coaches and referees across the country. We’re looking forward to this next chapter and shaping the future of youth soccer together.”
What This Means for the Game
No matter where a player or family lives or where they are in their soccer journey, this integration will create easier ways to find, play and stay in the game.
Over time, greater alignment between U.S. Soccer, USYS, State Associations and the broader soccer community will:
- Create more access to play through investments in growing the game in communities across the country.
- Make soccer easier to navigate so families can find the experience that is right for them.
- Bring more resources to local soccer and the organizations serving players every day.
- Better support coaches, referees, clubs and leagues with the tools and resources they need to deliver great soccer experiences.
- Create clearer opportunities for players to develop and reach their potential in the game.
- Better connect the organizations across American soccer so more time and resources can be focused on serving and growing the game.
State Associations will be central to bringing this work to life. Their local knowledge, relationships and experience will help U.S. Soccer better understand what communities need and where greater resources and investment can have the most impact.
“USYS members took a historic step today to make the game more affordable and accessible to kids and their families across the country, said Tina Rincon, Chair of the Board, US Youth Soccer. “I am excited that State Associations will have an even larger role in growing the game and changing the soccer landscape to serve youth in the U.S. more effectively alongside U.S. Soccer.”
The integration is an important part of U.S. Soccer’s broader Pathways Strategy, which brings together members and stakeholders from across the soccer community to create a more connected future for the game and will build on the extraordinary foundation that exists today invest more in the game locally, and create a soccer system capable of reaching and serving more people than ever before.
About U.S. Soccer
Founded in 1913, U.S. Soccer is the national governing body for soccer in the United States and a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. In service to soccer, U.S. Soccer works to grow the game at every level, from local communities to the world stage. The Federation oversees 27 National Teams, supports players, coaches, referees, and member organizations nationwide, and is committed to expanding access to the sport, strengthening pathways, and creating better environments for every participant. Through initiatives such as Soccer Forward, the U.S. Way, and the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center, U.S. Soccer is building the foundation for long-term success on and off the field. The Federation’s ambition is to help make soccer a leading sport in the United States and to build teams capable of consistently competing for and winning major international championships, including FIFA World Cups. For more information, visit ussoccer.com/ourvision.
