The Girls Academy Playoffs for the under‑14 age group will open its doors on June 18, marking the culmination of a season that has seen clubs across the country battle for supremacy on the youth soccer stage.
The road to Richmond
Thirty‑six teams have earned their places in the postseason, each hoping to navigate a knockout path that leads to the national finals scheduled for July 7‑9 in Richmond, Virginia.
A historic scouting milestone
This edition represents the first club season in which U.S. Soccer has taken an active role in scouting participants, a development that promises to integrate grassroots talent more directly into the national pipeline.
For many of the players, the playoffs offer the first realistic chance to be summoned to U.S. Youth National Team identification camps, a pathway that was previously limited to elite academy circuits.
What’s at stake
Beyond medals and trophies, the tournament carries implications for college recruitment, scholarship prospects, and the broader growth of women’s soccer in the United States.