When is Soccer Season? Everything You Need to Know
Knowing when the next season starts is important for any player, coach, or fan of the game because it allows players to have the right gear in time or know where to tune-in to keep up with their favorite teams and players.
The beautiful game is the most popular sport in the world and there are hundreds of amateur and professional soccer leagues around the world, but they take place at different times of the year. In this blog, I will explain everything you need to know about when soccer season starts for youth soccer, high school, college, Major League Soccer, and other leagues around the world.
Soccer Seasons Around the World
Due to environmental, logistical, and economic conditions, soccer seasons around the world start and end at different times of the year. Usually soccer seasons can last between 6-10 months and are divided into the pre-season and post-season.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the schedules from leagues around the world.
U.S Youth Soccer
In the United states, youth soccer is usually a winter and spring sport and is typically played between the months of September and November. However, depending on the level of the league and the age group, some U.S youth soccer teams also play for other month’s of the year.
High School Soccer
High school soccer is also a winter sport and is played between the months of November through February. Depending on the league and how well teams place, some teams will make it to the postseason play-off, which may go into March in some cases.
College Soccer
In college, soccer is a Fall sport that is played between August and December. Part of the summer counts as pre-season and only the best teams will make it to the post-season playoffs.
Some college soccer teams also have a spring schedule although there are not as many games as during the fall schedule, which is the main season.
Amateur Leagues in the United States
The United States pyramid includes top amateur leagues that can be considered the Fourth Division. These are the dates for those leagues.
United Premier Soccer League (UPSL):
The UPSL plays soccer year round and there are two seasons. The spring season begins in March and ends with the playoffs in late August. The fall season begins in September and ends in February.
National Premier Soccer League
The NPSL league starts around March, April or May, depending on the league and state and will usually run until about July.
NISA Nations Soccer
The NISA Nations Soccer league is affiliated with the 3rd tier of professional soccer, NISA, and it is a top amateur soccer league. The regular season begins in March and ends in June for the postseason.
Southwest Premiere League
The SWPL is a top amateur league in some states that has two seasons. One runs from November to January and there is a spring season as well.
Major League Soccer Season
The Major League Soccer (MLS) regular season typically begins in late February or early March and runs through October. The key dates for the MLS playoffs are from late November until December, when the MLS Leagues Cup also takes place.
The MLS season follows a spring-to-fall schedule to avoid harsh winter weather conditions that could impact gameplay.
European Soccer Leagues’ Schedules
All of the following top European competitions follow the same format of starting in August and ending around May the following season.
- Premier League: You can find more information on their official website.
- Bundesliga: ou can find more information on their official site.
- La Liga: You can find more information here.
- Serie A: You can find more information on their official website.
- Ligue 1: You can find more information on their official website.
South American Countries’ Calendar-Year Format
In South America, soccer seasons generally follow a calendar-year format, beginning in January or February and concluding by December. The most popular leagues in South America include Brazil’s Campeonato Brasileiro Série A (official website) and Argentina’s Liga Profesional de Futbol (official website).
This schedule aligns better with international competitions like Copa Libertadores and the FIFA Club World Cup tournament.
Summary
To summarize soccer season is different everywhere around the world, which is a good thing for fans because that means there is almost always a soccer game to watch on Television. In this blog, I covered everything you need to know about the basics of soccer seasons around the world.
Frequently Asked Question
How to watch soccer games online?
The best way to watch soccer games online is by using any of the best streaming services for soccer.
What team has won the MLS Cup the most in league history?
From all of the MLS teams, the LA Galaxy has won the most MLS cup trophies in league history. The reigning champions of Major League Soccer is the Columbus Crew, who defeated LAFC. This was the second straight season that LAFC made it to the final but they were not able to win that one match.
How can I learn more about the game?
To learn more about soccer the most important thing is to join a team and play the game as much as possible. If possible, analyze high level games as much as you can and your own games as well by recording them with a soccer camera. Also read soccer books, listen to podcasts and interviews watch soccer documentaries, as well as some movies, tv shows, and anime.
