National Premier League (NPL)
Overview
us-club’s National Premier League — a competitive boys and girls league tier below ECNL. For 2026-27, the NPL is merging postseason competition structure with USYS National League, creating a unified competition tier.
Structure
Regional and state-level NPL competitions feed into a national showcase.
Player Pathway
Sits below ECNL and mls-next, above state association play. Primary competition tier for clubs that are competitive but not elite platform members.
Current Trajectory
NPL/USYS National League merger for 2026-27 is a significant structural change that will reshape club affiliations at this tier.