NorCal Premier Soccer Announces 25 Clubs Selected for Realigned ECNL Regional League for the 2025-26 Season
SACRAMENTO, CA (February 27, 2025) – NorCal Premier Soccer is excited to announce that 25 Clubs have been selected as founding members of the top division of the recently announced expanded and realigned ECNL Regional League in Northern California. Beginning in the 2025-2026 season, the ECNL Regional League in Northern California will expand and realign to include two divisions. Administered by NorCal Premier Soccer, the ECNL RL – NorCal will be a first-team league primarily serving as a proving ground for clubs seeking promotion into the ECNL on both the boys’ and girls’ sides. The ECNL RL – Golden Gate, will serve as a second-team league for current full ECNL member clubs.
The clubs selected to be members of the updated ECNL RL – NorCal division are top-performing boys and girls programs within NorCal Premier Soccer and have been selected following a rigorous application process. Clubs were evaluated based on the quality of the teams and their performance in NorCal competitions over the past three years, a review of their technical standards–including their technical staff and club curriculum–and their adherence to NorCal administrative standards.
The ECNL RL – NorCal will feature approximately 24 teams per age group. Most teams will come from the ECNL RL – NorCal Members Clubs, who have guaranteed access to the league for all of their U13-U19 first teams. Each age group will also feature several ‘wildcard’ teams who have earned their spot in NorCal’s highest level of competition based on their performance in the current NorCal ECNL RL or NPL divisions. This hybrid approach will allow NorCal to offer a club-based league while still providing a pathway for top teams in NorCal Premier to earn their way into the highest level of competition.
For the Member Clubs, the ECNL RL – NorCal will be the proving ground for clubs to earn their way into the ECNL. Additionally, the ECNL RL – NorCal will have the highest level of competition within NorCal Premier Soccer, offering the best competition for the best teams in NorCal.
Selected Girls Clubs— Association Football Club, Burlingame Soccer Club, California Magic Soccer Club, California Odyssey Soccer Club, Diablo Valley Futbol Club, Eastshore Alliance FC, Folsom Lake Surf, Livermore Fusion FC, North Coast Futbol Club, Revolution FC, San Ramon FC, SF United, Solano Surf, Stanford Strikers FC, Stanislaus United, Valley Surf, Walnut Creek Surf Soccer Club
Selected Boys Clubs– Clovis Crossfire, East Bay United, Eastshore Alliance FC, Elk Grove Soccer, Folsom Lake Surf, Livermore Fusion SC, Los Gatos United Soccer Club, Revolution FC, San Ramon FC, SF United FC, Sheriffs FC, Solano Surf, South Valley Chivas Academy, Stanford Strikers FC, Union Sacramento FC, Walnut Creek Surf Soccer Club
“The expansion of the NorCal Premier ECNL RL to include club-based membership provides a clear pathway for ambitious clubs seeking membership in the full ECNL, while still providing a pathway for top-performing teams to earn their way into the highest division of NorCal competition,” said NorCal Director of Competitions, Dan Chamberlain. “This hybrid between club-based and team-based will be the first of its kind in the country, but we believe that it will provide serious clubs with the stability to focus on player development, while also bringing in top-performing teams who will add to the competitiveness of the league.”
About NorCal Premier Soccer:
Founded in 2004, NorCal Premier Soccer is the leading developmental soccer organization in Northern California. With a membership of over 270 diverse clubs and over 120,000 total competitive and recreational players, NorCal continues to be a driving force behind youth soccer’s development in the region. NorCal is committed to elevating the game of soccer through its comprehensive programs—including year-round competitions, NorCal State Cup, a no-cost Player Development Program, and heavily subsidized coach, referee, and club education programs. NorCal Premier Soccer is a California Nonprofit Benefit Corporation.
