Following consultation with NJ Youth Soccer Member Leagues and in alignment with the announcement from US Youth Soccer earlier this summer (link), NJ Youth Soccer will change the age group formation cycle from a player’s birth year to closely align with the player’s school year. Starting with the 2026-27 season, age groups will follow an August 1 to July 31 cycle. 

Please refer to the Updated Age Group Chart to see how players’ birthdates correspond to their new age groups. 

The primary goal of this change is to support continued youth participation in soccer by allowing players to compete with their classmates. 

2026-2027 Soccer Age Group Chart

August 1, 2026 to July 31, 2027 (Soccer Year)

U8 and older age groups
In the U8 and older age groups, players are allowed by NJYS/SJSL rules to play up but in an effort to have a competitive club in all age groups playing up will be the exception rather than the rule.   If your son or daughter is unusually large or unusually skilled for his or her age, he or she may be able to "play up". Such decisions are made with the approval of MUSA Travel Directors.  We feel that our club is large enough that we offer teams with a variety of skill levels from the most skilled to the new comer at all age groups and there is no need for players to play up.  In some situations, players may be asked to play up so as to provide opportunities for more children to play soccer.  In all cases, MUSA does its best to place players with similarly skilled players.

Unlike the other age groups, there is a minimum age for U8. U8 teams do not permit players who are younger than U8 to play on them.