The top level of league play under the NorCal Premier Soccer youth umbrella begins this weekend as the ECNL Regional League kicks off all across the state this Saturday and Sunday.

Featuring all the age groups of 11v11 play, U13-U19, 24 girls teams and 20 boys teams make up each division in a league that will see the very best clubs get the opportunity to be promoted to the full ECNL.

“NorCal Premier Soccer believes in providing a merit-based system for deserving clubs and teams to challenge themselves at the highest level,” said NorCal ECNL RL and NPL Coordinator Kelcey Chaidez. “Our ECNL RL will provide that infrastructure while also offering a pathway to the ECNL. We expect a fun and competitive season in which player development stands paramount.”

Unlike previous years, NorCal’s ECNL RL features entries from both full clubs and individual teams–the majority of the clubs were selected as founding members based on merit through their play over the past few seasons overall.

Meanwhile, several teams qualified as wildcards thanks to strong results last year in either the NPL or ECNL RL.

This weekend, each of the founding members will play in their inaugural matches, with all the age groups from one club facing off against their counterparts from another club or a day full of games against the wildcard teams.

“The introduction of club-wide competition paves the way for more exciting game day environments as well as the development of cross-town rivalries,” Chaidez said. “We feel like we’ve been able to maintain our goal of providing merit-based competition at the highest level by selecting these clubs as well as the best wildcard teams in the state.”

Unlike other ECNL RL divisions, the ECNL RL – NorCal Division will be purely made up of first teams. Those who are successful enough on a club-wide level may earn promotion to the ECNL, which is now the only pathways to earn a spot in that league.

For more information about the ECNL RL, click here.