Boys ECNL announces playoff format

by ECNL
April 27, 2021
RICHMOND, VA (April 27, 2021) – ECNL Boys announced today the details for its first postseason competition, further expanding the club and player pathway within the ECNL through the introduction of the ECNL Boys National Playoffs and ECNL Boys National Finals. 

“With the unprecedented growth ECNL Boys has seen, it was vital to create a postseason that enables the top teams to be challenged at the highest level and gives our athletes an unparalleled atmosphere in which they can be seen as they compete to be crowned national champions,” said ECNL Boys Commissioner Jason Kutney. “We’ve developed what we believe to be the optimal structure and selected venues to reflect the significance of these events.” 

The ECNL Boys’ new Postseason will be broken into two distinct phases for advancement, timed after the end of the NCAA Dead Period for Division I coaches to maximize the scouting opportunities for players. The National Postseason structure includes: 

  • The ECNL Boys National Playoffs, which will take place in Greensboro, N.C., at Bryan Park, from July 3 - 9, and
  • The ECNL Boys National Finals, which will be held at World Wide Technology Soccer Park in St. Louis, MO, from July 22 - 26  

“Bryan Park and World Wide Technology Soccer Park are exceptional facilities and both will provide the very best ECNL Boys teams a convenient location for a large number of college scouts to attend,” Kutney said. 

More than 250 teams will qualify for the ECNL Boys National Playoffs across the six different age groups. Selection into the ECNL Playoffs is earned based upon performances in all ECNL Competitions throughout the 2020-21 season, including regular-season matches and ECNL Boys National Events. For more information about ECNL Boys Postseason qualifications, click here. 

Bryan Park in Greensboro, NC will host the first-leg of postseason competitions for the U14, U15, U16, and U17 age groups. The event will also crown the National Champions at the U13 and U18/19 age groups.

Bryan Park has hosted several regional and national events over recent years, including US Club Soccer and NPL regional championships, US Youth Soccer regional championships, and US Development Academy national showcases. With more than 60 men’s college soccer programs within a three-hour driving radius of the complex and a location close to multiple major airports, this first-stage event location is certain to deliver quality recruitment opportunities coming out of the anticipated conclusion of the NCAA Dead Period for Division I coaches. 

“The City of Greensboro is proud to be selected as the home of the ECNL Boys National Playoffs this summer,” said Henri Fourrier, President/CEO of the Greensboro Convention & Visitors Bureau. “The entire Greensboro community will welcome the 300-plus teams with our own brand of southern hospitality. We hope the League and its fans enjoy the full Greensboro experience offered by our great city.”

“ECNL has an incredible platform to showcase the highest level of youth soccer in the United States, and we look forward to collaborating with The ECNL to provide a memorable experience for all attendees,” added Scott Wollaston, NC Fusion Executive Director. “We want to specifically thank the Greensboro CVB and the City of Greensboro for their support to attract ECNL to our community."

St. Louis will then welcome the league’s top-performing teams from the U14-U17 age groups to compete in the final round of their competitions at World Wide Technology Park, where the ECNL Boys will name the champions for each age group. 

The ECNL Boys National Finals will be played at the World Wide Technology Soccer Park, which has served as a landmark in the St. Louis community since 1983. It is home to five turf fields and a stadium with a capacity of more than 5,000, which will host all National Championship matches. World Wide Technology Soccer Park has a history of welcoming top competition including US National Team World Cup qualifiers, Men’s and Women’s professional soccer matches and is the home field and training facility for St. Louis Scott Gallagher. 

“St. Louis Scott Gallagher is honored to count the first ECNL Boys National Finals among the landmark events at the World Wide Technology Soccer Park,” said Brad Davis, St. Louis Scott Gallagher President. “We couldn’t be happier to have been selected for the ECNL’s biggest event of the year, with some of the top clubs from around the nation. St. Louis and ‘Soccer Park’ have a rich history and tradition of hosting high-profile games and we will strive to provide the best possible environment and experience for the players and their families as we partner with the ECNL for this event.” 

A date and time for the ECNL Boys National Playoffs draw will be announced at a later date. 
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