LEBANON, Oh. – The pre-ECNL hosted the inaugural Pre-ECNL Midwest Cup over the weekend in Lebanon, Ohio, where 72 girls teams and 64 boys teams competed in 18 flights across three age groups to be crowned the inaugural Pre-ECNL Midwest Cup Champions.

The Pre-ECNL Cups are designed to inspire U10-U12 players in challenging regional tournament play and to supplement the growing number of Pre-ECNL leagues around America intended to improve the local competition environment for players, coaches, families and referees. The Pre-ECNL Midwest Cup was the first of four Pre-ECNL Cups throughout the 2025-26 season, culminating with the first-ever Pre-ECNL Champions Cup in late Spring. The Pre-ECNL Champions Cup will invite winners of the other Pre-ECNL Cups throughout the year, and other top teams, for a season-ending celebration of soccer. 

This weekend’s event took place over two days, with teams playing two group stage games on Saturday, one group stage game on Sunday, and group winners advancing to Sunday afternoon’s championship matches.

U11-U12 teams played 9v9 games with 30 minute halves, while U10 teams played 7v7 games with 25 minute halves.

Following two exciting days of action all across Warren County Sports Park, 18 teams were left standing to lift the inaugural Pre-ECNL Midwest Cup Champions trophies.

View this weekend's champions as well as the upcoming Pre-ECNL Cups below.

U12B Midwest Cup Champions Phantom: Potomac Soccer

U12B Midwest Cup Champions Mercurial: Crystal Lake Force

U12B Midwest Cup Champions Tiempo: St. Croix

U11B Midwest Cup Champions Phantom: Indiana Elite FC

U11B Midwest Cup Champions Mercurial: Roadrunners SC

U11B Midwest Cup Champions Tiempo: Ohio Premier

U10B Midwest Cup Champions Phantom: Roadrunners SC

U10B Midwest Cup Champions Mercurial: Nationals SC Oakland Black

U12G Midwest Cup Champions Phantom: Pittsburgh Riverhounds

U12G Midwest Cup Champions Mercurial: Michigan Hawks

U12G Midwest Cup Champions Tiempo: GTFC Impact Premier

U12G Midwest Cup Champions Premier: Liverpool FC IA Central

U11G Midwest Cup Champions Phantom: Michigan Hawks

U11G Midwest Cup Champions Mercurial: Nationals SC Oakland Blue

U11G Midwest Cup Champions Tiempo: Michigan Hawks Magic

U11G Midwest Cup Champions Premier: Chicago Inter Soccer II

U10G Midwest Cup Champions Phantom: Nationals SC Oakland Black

U10G Midwest Cup Champions Mercurial: Pittsburgh Riverhounds

• Upcoming Pre-ECNL Cups (Boys and Girls)
  • Pre-ECNL Carolina Cup (U11-U14) - Oct 11-13 Girls, Oct 17-19 Boys in Wilmington, NC*
  • Pre-ECNL East Coast Cup (U10-U12) - Nov. 1-2, 2025 in Richmond, Va. 
  • Pre-ECNL Northern Cal Cup (U11-U12) - March 13-15, 2026 in Davis, Calif.
  • Pre-ECNL Champions Cup (U10-U12) - May 15-17, 2026 in Provo, Utah

* This event will also include U13-U14 tournament play

Also in September, the ECNL hosted events in both Atlanta (ECNL Boys) and St. Louis (ECNL Boys & ECNL Girls). Both events provided younger teams an opportunity to showcase themselves against other ECNL teams from around the country, over three days of competition.

In addition, the ECNL continued the launch of the U14 ECNL Spotlight Games, a collaboration between the ECNL and the US Club Soccer id2 Program to provide scouting-based identification opportunities for top ECNL and ECNL Regional League male and female players for youth national teams and beyond.

In each of the games, 36 players were selected to compete, based on recommendations from club directors, as well as on-field scouting from US Club Soccer and id2. Combining scouting results with club recommendations, US Club Soccer and id2 then assembled the rosters for each U14 Spotlight game, creating an all-star game filled with the very best athletes in that age group. 

In Atlanta, Cameron Houston (GSA) was named the Nutmeg Sports Media Player of the Match, while in St. Louis, Max Hawkins (Real Colorado Academy) and Penelope Silva (SLSG Navy) were named the Nutmeg Sports Media Players of the Match, for the boys and girls games, respectively.

Relive all the action from all three ECNL Spotlight Games: ECNL Atlanta | ECNL St. Louis Boys | ECNL St. Louis Girls