New York is one of the best in America when it comes to youth soccer clubs. With NYC being heavily populated and cultured it puts them at top 5 with the most high level youth clubs.
There are several teams near NYC, but there are also high level programs in Rochester, Syracuse and some of the smaller cities.
In addition, there are two MLS pro teams in NY, which always helps with opportunity, motivation and education.
Originally Published: 2023 | Updated: 2026
Top youth soccer clubs in New York
Some of the best youth soccer clubs in New York include World Class FC, SUSA, Red Bulls and New York City FC.
These clubs compete in national leagues like ECNL, MLS Next and Girls Academy while developing players for college and professional soccer.
MLS Next has 9 clubs in the state of New York… It’s tied with Texas with the most. Cali has the most with over 30, while Florida comes in 2nd with 15. New Jersey has 8. Besides these states, others only have between 1-5
In this article
- Research on soccer clubs in New York
- Leagues by age and gender
- Girls best soccer clubs in New York
- Boys best soccer clubs in New York
- Other top clubs in New York
Key takeaways
- New York has always had several nationally recognized youth soccer clubs. Some are on the border of NJ, so certain clubs have locations in both states.
- Top clubs compete in leagues like MLS Next, ECNL and Girls Academy.
- NYC, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany and Buffalo all have thousands of youth soccer players enrolled.
- Many New York clubs produce college and professional players.
- Players can still reach high levels outside the top leagues because not all the best talent plays in these high travel leagues.
Quick comparison of top New York soccer clubs
| Club | City | Top League | Age Groups |
|---|---|---|---|
| World Class FC | Orangeburg, NY | ECNL | U8–U19 |
| New York Red Bulls | Brooklyn, NY | MLS Next | U12–U17 |
| SUSA | Long Island, NY | ECNL | U4–U18 |
| New York City Football Club | New York, NY | MLS Next & GA | U12–U17 |
| SDA | Syracuse, NY | ECNL | U4–U19 |
Research on soccer clubs in New York
Based on the research I did on the following websites… MLS Next, ECNL, Girls Academy, Soccer Wire, Top Drawer and Soccer America where you’ll get a recent and accurate standings.
Besides seeing which clubs are ranked in America and the East Coast, it’s important to see which teams produce national and college players.
Other than researching from league sites, I also went to the club sites.
World Class FC
Established in 2009
Girls ECNL teams are recognized as one of the top 25 programs in the nation. Almost every age group was in the ECNL Playoffs top 16. Consistently they are ranked top 3 in the New England ECNL conference for all ages.
Boys also do well, but not as strong as the girls.
There are 70+ competitive teams competing across NY and NJ.
World Class FC has developed National Team players, professional players, and has sent hundreds of players on to the collegiate ranks.
Leagues: ECNL, ECNL-RL
College commits: 20+ each year, some recruited to schools like UNC and UConn.
Main location: Orangeburg, NY
New York City Football Club
Being a MLS academy gives you an advantage having top tier facilities.
NYCFC does well nationally for boys and girls.
Youth programs include City Roots for younger kids (ages 3-7) which are held in New Rochelle, Bronx, Long Island, Westchester and Queens.
Girls U13-U19 compete in Girls Academy [GA]. The tier under GA is USYS and EDP.
Boys U13-U17 compete in MLS Next for the highest tier. Under that is U10-U19 select (EDP).
Locations: New York City, Long Island, Westchester, Wayne, Conn, NJ and many other locations.
Red Bulls New York
Red Bulls Youth have state-of-the-art training facility which is also home to the clubs’ First and Second Teams. It was hard to class them in the NY article because they operate a lot in NJ too. But here they are:)
The facility includes two dedicated fields, locker rooms, fitness center, medical facilities, classrooms space, and administrative offices.
Academy: (boys) has teams from U12 – U17. All teams are fully funded and completely cost free to all participants. Equipment and travel included!
Select: (boys and girls) teams are U9 – U12. Each season features six weeks of training and two tournaments
Locations: Westchester and NYC. There are also training days in NJ.
Syracuse Development Academy
SDA has to be mentioned as a top youth soccer club in New York because they consistently have U13-18 teams winning big tournaments, leagues and producing a number of D1 players.
Girls 2009’s [U16’s] won the Girls Academy National Championship in 2025, defeating powerhouse Michigan Jaguars. The U17’s have a team ranked top 10.
Boys compete in MLS Next.
Location: Syracuse, NY
SUSA
Established 2001
SUSA FC is Long Island’s largest soccer academy with programs ranging from all ages [3-18].
In addition to the youth programs, SUSA FC has a Women’s Professional Soccer League (WPSL) team.
Leagues: ECNL, ECNL-RL (U13-U18) NPL (U9-U18)
College commits: 35+ per year
Main location: Long Island, NY
Blau Weiss Gottschee
BW Gottschee just celebrated 75 years, which is remarkable.
Established in 1951
They are a smaller club, but bring high quality and professionalism. They boys have some really good times currently.
Girls play EDP and currently have between 5-10 teams.
Boys play MLS Next and have been ranked top 10 in America for the U18, U17 & U16. They have about 10-11 total teams.
Location: Queens, NY
Downtown United Soccer Club
Established in 1982.
Downtown United (DUSC) has boys and girls competing at high levels. Including rec, starting at age 5. There are total of 5,000 DUSC participants.
Girls Academy [GA] is the highest level for the Downtown United females.
Boys play MLS Next
Locations: Downtown Manhattan and the greater NYC area
New York Soccer Club
New York Soccer Club are one of the top for both boys and girls ages U12-U18.
Girls play GA
Boys play MLS Next
Location: Westchester, NY
Manhattan SC
Established in 2002
Manhattan Soccer Club offers teams from U7-U19.
College commits: 20-40 per year
Leagues: ECNL, ECNL-RL, NYCSL
Main location: Manhattan, NY
Girls best soccer clubs in New York
When it comes to the top clubs for the females, you’ll see these 4 putting in work for several different age groups.
- World Class FC
- SUSA
- SDA
- WNY Flash
Boys best soccer clubs in New York
The MLS Next clubs from NY who are producing the most players and doing well in standings it’s these 4.
Remember, it’s not about one particular age group. You have to look at all the ages.
- New York Red Bulls
- New York City Football Club
- Blau Weiss Gottschee
- Met Oval
Multiple top clubs in New York
MLS Next (male)
- Blau Weiss Gottschee
- Downtown United Soccer Club
- FA Euro New York
- FC Westchester New York
- Long Island Soccer Club
- Metropolitan Oval
- New York City FC
- New York Soccer Club
- Rochester NY FC Academy
ECNL (male and female)
- East Meadow SC (North Bellmore, NY)
- World Class (Orangeburg)
- SUSA FC (Central Islip)
- Albertson SUSA (Long Island)
- Manhattan SC (NYC)
- WNY Flash (Buffalo)
Girls Academy (female)
- Downtown United SC (New York, NY)
- Long Island SC (Garden City, NY)
- New York SC (Purchase, NY)
- Rochester NYFC Youth (West Henrietta, NY)
- SDA (Syracuse, NY)
Leagues by age and gender
There are MANY leagues in US youth soccer.
Age 10-11 is when things become more competitive.
Age 12-13 is when you want to have already been prepared on the fundamentals/technical.
On the girls side, ECNL is the overall highest level for U-13 – U19 teams because they have more teams. Although, some of the best clubs/teams play GA [Girls Academy].
On the boys side the highest level is MLS Academy, ECNL is 2nd tier.
There are great players and teams who don’t compete in either of these leagues, so don’t think this is the “best” option for you. Players who play in “lower tier leagues” still get college soccer opportunities.
Best soccer clubs by state
- Where is the best youth soccer played in America?
- Best youth soccer clubs in North Texas
- Best youth soccer clubs in Southern California
- Best youth soccer clubs in Ohio
- Michigan
- Best youth soccer clubs in New Jersey
- Best youth soccer clubs in Massachusetts
- Florida
- Virginia
- Best youth soccer clubs in New York
About the Author
This article was written by Jeremie Piette, the founder of Global Futbol Training.
Jeremie is a former professional soccer player who played across four continents and more than 20 countries after being drafted from a Division II program.
For more than 15 years he has trained youth, college and professional players while building Global Futbol Training into one of the most respected independent soccer skills training programs.
Frequently asked questions about soccer clubs in New York
What are the best soccer clubs in New York?
Some of the most well-known youth soccer clubs in New York include World Class, Red Bulls, New York City FC, SUSA FC.
Does New York have MLS youth academies?
Yes. New York is home to MLS Next academies connected with professional clubs New York City FC and Red Bull.
Which leagues are the highest level in youth soccer?
MLS Next (boys), ECNL (boys & girls) and Girls Academy (girls) are considered among the highest competitive leagues in youth soccer.
Can players reach college soccer from smaller clubs?
Yes. Many players earn college scholarships even if they do not play in the highest youth leagues. You can do ID camps and do self promotion to gain interest outside of clubs.
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