NorCal NPL Qualification Process

With the 2021-22 NPL and Pre-NPL seasons wrapping up in just a few weeks, NorCal Premier Soccer announced Friday the qualification format for its highest-level league for the 2022-23 season that begins in August.

Ultimately, there are a variety of different ways in which a club can obtain NPL status for the fall including previously playing in the NPL, coming out on top of the NPL Qualification division, being a first-team from an NPL club, performing well enough in NorCal’s State Cup, and a few other ways.

Teams must claim their spot in the NPL by June 6th.

“While much of the NPL and Pre-NPL qualification process is similar to prior years, we’ve updated a few things that we really think are going to enhance the competitiveness of the 2022-23 NPL and Pre-NPL seasons while also ensuring that each team that is deserving has a spot,” said NorCal NPL Commissioner Kelcey Chaidez. “At NorCal, we continue to strive to improve our competitions and are looking forward to an amazing fall season.”

The full methods for NPL and Pre-NPL qualification can be found here:

2022-23 NPL Qualifying

• Auto-acceptance NPL spots must be claimed by clubs by June 6th.
• Teams will retain NPL spots or be relegated based on previously communicated processes in each division
• Semi-finalist state cup (top division):  Both teams in the finals would gain automatic acceptance to the NPL should they not already be in.
• Champion of Spring State premier league:  The champion of each age group’s State Premier Championship division gains auto acceptance.
• NPL Qualification event: Teams may gain entry (or re-entry) into the NPL through the summer qualification event held in June.
• Teams that qualify must still meet the NPL Coaching License standards to participate.

Pre-NPL Qualifying

• Current NPL member clubs will have guaranteed acceptance into the Pre-NPL divisions in the respective gender of their NPL status (Example: Boys NPL clubs will be accepted into boys Pre-NPL divisions).
• All U13 Boys and Girls Pre-NPL Spring Champions league teams from Non-NPL clubs will gain automatic acceptance to the NPL as a U14 wild card team.
• U13 Pre-NPL teams from non- NPL clubs may be considered for admission based on need and competitive level of the team.  These teams are also encouraged to register for the Qualification event.