HomeSoccer.com · Austin Guide · Revised for 2026-27
The Guide to Austin Youth Soccer Levels & Leagues
Austin youth soccer still runs on two parallel national tracks — US Club Soccer (ECNL · ECNL RL · National 1 · STXCL · CTX Premier) and US Youth Soccer / STYSA (WDDOA · CAYSA). Four structural changes landed for 2026-27: the new National 1 League, the end of SCL, a new WDDOA Platinum flight, and the new Central Texas Premier League.
Revised September 2026 · Covers the 2026-27 season · All leagues now use school-year age groups (Aug 1 – Jul 31) except MLS NEXT Homegrown (birth-year)
Newadded for 2026-27
Changedstructure or governance changed
Discontinuedno longer operating
US Club Soccer Track
ECNL · ECNL RL · National 1 · STXCL WC · CTX Premier League
US Youth Soccer Track
WDDOA · CAYSA · STYSA
ECNL · MLS NEXT Homegrown · Girls Academy
National, club-based · U13–U19 · National travel · Max college exposure · 4–5 sessions/wk
Lonestar (boys + girls — girls promoted 26-27) · FC Westlake (boys + girls via Sting Austin) · Austin FC Academy & Capital City (MLS NEXT Homegrown, boys)
1
SCL (State Classic League) Discontinued
STYSA ended the State Classic League after 2025-26. Its U11–U19 teams moved into the new WDDOA Platinum flight (tier 3, right).
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ECNL RL STXCL · MLS NEXT Academy · GA Aspire Changed
Regional, club-based · U13–U19 · Top RL teams now qualify for the new ECNL Conference League Playoffs (summer 2027) alongside N1 qualifiers
Lonestar · FC Westlake (two girls RL programs: North & Central/South) · T&C Premier · PFC · Georgetown Force · One World · MLS NEXT Academy: Capital City, SGA · GA Aspire: Capital City
2
— No direct equivalent —
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National 1 League (N1) · South District 3 · run by STXCL New
Replaces NPL and the USYS National League · Team-based, merit entry · U13–U19 · Promotion path into ECNL RL · Season ends in the ECNL Conference League Playoffs
Lonestar ATX · FC Westlake · PFC · T&C · Georgetown · LTFC · Capital City · SGA · Barça Academy Austin · Hill Country United · Liberty Hill · Elgin
3
WDDOA Platinum New
New top WDDOA flight · Absorbs former SCL teams · U11–U19 · Promotion/relegation + cross-district events · Pathway into N1 targeted for 2027-28
Pre-qualified STYSA / WDDOA teams (team list on wddoa.org)
◀ WDDOA Platinum → N1 pathway planned for 2027-28 (not yet in 2026-27)
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STXCL Western Conference League (STXCL WC) Changed
Regional select · Austin ↔ San Antonio travel · U8–U19 · Feeder into ECNL RL / N1 · WDDOA withdrew from its STXCL-WC role in May 2026 — the two tracks are now fully separate
Lonestar · FC Westlake · T&C Premier · PFC · plus other STXCL member clubs (Georgetown Force, LTFC, One World, Austin Texans)
4
WDDOA Prime
Second flight (was the top D1 flight) · U11–U19 · Bottom 2 relegate, top 2 promote to Platinum
Formerly listed: Lonestar, FC Westlake, T&C, Georgetown, One World — the big Austin clubs no longer list WDDOA in their select pathways
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CTX Premier League I (CTX PL I) New
New local, non-travel select league · U11+ · Games in the Austin area · Founded by Lonestar, Pflugerville FC, FC Westlake, Lake Travis FC and T&C Premier
Lonestar · PFC · FC Westlake · LTFC · T&C Premier · Georgetown Force · Barça Austin · Austin Soccer Club · Leander
5
WDDOA Challenger
Third flight · U11–U19 · 2 up / 2 down with Prime and Alpha
PFC, LTFC and other WDDOA member clubs
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CTX Premier League II (CTX PL II) New
Second CTX PL tier · Brackets within each tier · Entry point to the big clubs' select programs
Same founding and member clubs as CTX PL I
6
WDDOA Alpha Changed
Entry flight · U11–U19 · Wider geographic bracketing through U16 from Fall 2026 (new South Zone cuts Austin ↔ Victoria travel)
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Super League of Austin (SLA)
Non-travel · ~60 mi · Entry select · Its former anchor clubs (Lonestar, FC Westlake, LTFC, Georgetown) now list CTX Premier League instead
7
CAYSA Division II
First CAYSA select tier · Local games · Volunteer-coach programs (e.g., T&C Competitive, U11–U18)
PFC · T&C · Georgetown · One World · Azul · Wells Branch
Tier 8 — Where it all begins (and the new U9–U12 on-ramp)
Pre-ECNL sits alongside tiers 1–3 for U9–U12 players; it is not a step below select
Pre-ECNL South Texas New
STXCL-run · U9–U12 · 7v7 / 9v9, 11v11 introduced at U12 · Feeds ECNL and ECNL RL at U13
Lonestar (new program, Apr 2026) · FC Westlake · T&C Premier (U10–U12) · PFC
Junior Academy
U6–U10 · Bridge to select
Lonestar · FC Westlake · PFC · LTFC · Capital City
CAYSA Academy · Division III
Rec-competitive · U11+ · School-year age groups from Fall 2026
Recreational
Open to all · No tryouts
Every club above plus NASA, Wells Branch, Austin SSC Kids
US Club pathway (boys & girls): Rec / Jr. Academy → Pre-ECNL or CTX PL II → CTX PL I → STXCL WC → National 1 → ECNL RL → ECNL (boys also MLS NEXT · girls also GA)
US Youth Soccer pathway (boys & girls): Rec / CAYSA Academy → CAYSA D2 → WDDOA Alpha → Challenger → Prime → Platinum → (N1 pathway planned 2027-28)
What changed for 2026-27
1
National 1 League launches
NPL and the USYS National League merged into one team-based national platform (U13–U19). STXCL operates South District 3. Season ends in the new ECNL Conference League Playoffs with ECNL RL teams; top N1 performers can be promoted into ECNL RL.
2
SCL discontinued → WDDOA Platinum
STYSA folded the State Classic League into a new Platinum flight. WDDOA's ladder is now Platinum → Prime → Challenger → Alpha, with promotion/relegation and a planned pathway into N1 for 2027-28.
3
Central Texas Premier League launches
Lonestar, PFC, FC Westlake, Lake Travis FC and T&C Premier built a local, non-travel select league (Tiers I & II). For these clubs it replaces SLA — and WDDOA — as the select entry point below STXCL WC.
4
WDDOA and STXCL-WC part ways
WDDOA ended its involvement in the STXCL Western Conference (May 2026). The US Club and US Youth tracks are now run independently; "most clubs participate in both" is no longer true for the big Austin clubs' select tiers.
5
Girls ECNL doubles in Austin
FC Westlake acquired Sting Austin (Mar 2026) and launched ECNL Girls plus two ECNL RL girls programs. Lonestar girls were promoted from ECNL RL to ECNL. Sting Austin is no longer a separate club.
6
School-year ages · Pre-ECNL · LTFC
Aug 1 – Jul 31 age groups now apply across US Club, USYS, CAYSA, WDDOA and STXCL. STXCL launched Pre-ECNL South Texas (U9–U12). LT Elite rebranded as Lake Travis Football Club (LTFC).
A HomeSoccer.com resource for Austin-area soccer families · Sources: thestxcl.com · national1league.org · theecnl.com · wddoa.org · stxsoccer.org · caysa.org · lonestar-sc.com · fcwestlake.com · pfcsoccer.org · tandcsports.org · ctxpremierleague.com · ltfc.org · capcitysc.com · N1 South District 3 club list (GotSport, Sept 2026)
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