US Club Soccer is excited to announce the growth and expansion of the NPL West for the 2020-21 season. The league is managed by SoCal Premier, which has been a strong fixture in Southern California since 1976.

The NPL West launched in Spring 2018 as a boys-only league, and will expand to include girls membership beginning in January 2021. Interested girls teams in applying to the NPL West should do so via this form. The league follows a format similar to the ECNL season (olders can play high school soccer during winter months) with 11-U through 19-U age groups. 

Clubs interested in joining the league should contact nplwest@socalpremier.org. Currently, the NPL West consists of these 29 clubs, which will make up divisions at each age group of anywhere from 10-16 teams:

• Anaheim FC
• Arsenal FC**
• Atletico So Cal
• Beach FC*
• CDA Slammers*
• Conejo Valley United SC
• Culver City FC
• Elite SC
• FC Golden State East**
• FC Golden State West*
• LA Breakers*
• LA Monsters FC
• LA Surf*
• Laguna United
• Legends FC*
• Mission Viejo FC
• OC Surf North
• Olympiacos CA
• Paramount FC
• Pateadores**
• PSC Soccer
• Real So Cal**
• San Diego SC*
• San Diego Surf**
• Sand and Surf
• SoCal Elite FC
• Steel United
• Strikers FC**
• UIFC Laguna
• West Coast FC*

**Founding member & ECNL Boys club
* ECNL Boys club

The six founding clubs of the NPL West – Arsenal FC, FC Golden State, Pateadores, Real So Cal, San Diego Surf and Strikers FC – recently helped form the ECNL Boys Regional League – SoCal, and will continue to support the NPL West with the addition of new clubs next season. Both expansions present more US Club Soccer opportunities for members in the region, including a collaborative 2021 postseason between the NPL and ECNL Boys.

“We’ve worked alongside the SoCal Premier League for many years, and they’re a great fit to help the NPL West reach new heights,” said Leo Garcia, NPL General Manager and US Club Soccer VP of Competitions. “This is such an impressive group of clubs – both on and off the field – and we know many will contend for NPL championships.”

“The SoCal Premier League is excited to oversee the growth and expansion of the NPL West,” said Blake George, NPL West director. “The member clubs will have the opportunity to compete on a developmentally appropriate, 9-month season, and provide a platform to play at a competitive level with a national pathway. The NPL West is a club- and team-based league that allows clubs to enter teams that they feel are at the appropriate level to compete.” 

“I am thrilled to finally see this vision come to life,” added Matt Morse, President of SoCal Premier. “It has been close to 10 years in development and now is finally the right time to introduce this format and paradigm shift for youth club soccer in Southern California. With this alignment, SoCal Premier will now be offering competition for players from 10 years old to over 60 years old – a true pathway to enjoy the game at a very high level with full access to local, state, regional and national competition at all ages.”

US Club Soccer’s mission is to foster the growth and development of soccer clubs throughout the country to create the best possible development environment for players of all ages in every club. The primary vehicle for accomplishing that ambition is Players First: a branded, holistic club soccer experience for parents and players which emphasizes the development of each individual to his or her full potential, and helps parents make better choices about where their children should play.

That Players First philosophy is supported by best-in-class partners and resources, including LaLiga, and is anchored by five pillars: Club Development, Coaching Development, Player Development, Parent Engagement & Education and Player Health & Safety. In particular, Player Health & Safety is the emphasis, as US Club Soccer prides itself on fostering the safest environment for players in youth sports. US Club Soccer has stringent requirements for all staff registration/eligibility and also provides a variety of safety-related resources and recommendations to members.