RICHMOND, Va. (October 7, 2025) - The Pre-ECNL is excited to announce Provo, Utah as the host city for the inaugural Pre-ECNL Champions Cup, the final event in the 2025-26 Pre-ECNL event schedule. The Pre-ECNL Champions Cup will take place from May 15-17, 2026 at Epic Sports Park, and will be a season-ending celebration of soccer featuring top teams from across America.
"We are thrilled to cap off an incredible 2025-26 Pre-ECNL season with the Pre-ECNL Champions Cup in May," said Pre-ECNL Commissioner Bobby Reiss. "The league has long wanted to host an event in Utah, and we're ecstatic to be able to do that with this marquee Pre-ECNL event at Epic Sports Park. The quality of the venue, the level of the teams participating, and the incredible location will make this a fantastic season-ending celebration!"
The Pre-ECNL Champions Cup will invite winners from the Pre-ECNL Cups held throughout the season, (Pre-ECNL Midwest Cup, Pre-ECNL Carolina Cup, Pre-ECNL East Coast Cup and Pre-ECNL Northern Cal Cup), along with selected other top teams in the U10-U12 age groups. The event will include both group stage and knock-out matches.
The Pre-ECNL Cups are new events in the 2025-26 competition calendar, created to inspire U10-U12 young players in challenging regional tournament play, to compliment the growing number of Pre-ECNL leagues around America, and to improve the local competition environment for players, coaches, families and referees.
After rapid growth in the past two seasons, the 2025-26 season includes more than 300 clubs and 800 teams in various Pre-ECNL Boys and Pre-ECNL Girls leagues around the country. These teams each compete in developmentally appropriate league play that matches players and teams of similar development stage against each other and provides a preview of ECNL and ECNL Regional League play of the future.
In addition to the invitations given to winners of the Pre-ECNL Cups throughout the season, the league is accepting applications for limited additional spots in the 2026 Pre-ECNL Champions Cup in May. Clubs interested in submitting an application may do so here.
###
About the ECNL:
The ECNL is the nation's leading youth soccer development platform for America's top soccer players. The ECNL mission to provide the best youth sports experience in the world drives constant innovations in competitions and experiences for players, parents, families, coaches, referees, and partners. The ECNL has questioned convention and challenged the status quo of youth sport since 2009, pushing boundaries and striving for unmatched excellence. Together with its clubs and club leaders, the ECNL creates unforgettable memories and supports the development of youth players into college stars, professionals, world champions, and leaders.
www.TheECNL.com
ECNL FB: @TheECNL | ECNL IG: @TheECNL | ECNL X: @TheECNL
