The U.S. Soccer Federation has launched a new initiative aimed at modernizing and strengthening the connection between college soccer and the broader American soccer landscape. On Tuesday, June 10, 2025, the Federation formally established the NextGen College Soccer Committee (NCS), comprising influential figures from higher education, professional sports, and the business world. This move underscores U.S. Soccer's commitment to elevating all levels of the sport within the United States.
The NCS committee is tasked with providing recommendations on how the college game can be better integrated into the U.S. Soccer ecosystem, ensuring it remains a sustainable platform for student-athlete education, player development, and community engagement. The committee recognizes that the models and solutions may differ between the men's and women's college games and will consider both. The committee will also provide input on commercial strategies, improvements to student-athlete welfare, and broader collaboration opportunities with the NCAA and other governing bodies.
The formation of the NCS comes at a crucial time for college soccer. While college soccer has historically been an essential development pathway for professional leagues, its importance has diminished in recent years as more top talent opts for team academy systems. Additionally, the unique rules of college soccer, such as unlimited substitutions and clock stoppages, have been criticized for not adequately preparing players for the professional game. The committee's work also coincides with seismic shifts in college sports, particularly concerning funding and payments to student-athletes through Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals.
The NCS committee will focus on two primary outcomes: publishing a white paper by the start of the 2025-26 academic year outlining recommendations to position both men's and women's college soccer to thrive in the rapidly evolving soccer ecosystem and engaging conferences and college programs interested in exploring these innovative solutions and opportunities, targeting implementation beginning during the 2026–27 academic year.
Dan Helfrich, former Chair and CEO of Deloitte Consulting LLP and a member of U.S. Soccer's Leadership Advisory Group, will chair the NCS Committee. The committee includes a diverse group of individuals, including former Major League Soccer president Mark Abbott, United Soccer League Championship president Jeremy Alumbaugh, executives from Warner Bros. Discovery Sport, MLS, NWSL, USL, athletic directors, university presidents, and owners from MLS and NWSL teams.
U.S. Soccer CEO JT Batson emphasized the importance of college soccer to the sport's future in the United States. He stated that the individuals joining the committee bring unique perspectives and expertise that will help build a model where college soccer can thrive in a modern, connected system, all working collaboratively in service to soccer.
The committee's formation has generated varied reactions. Some see it as a positive step toward modernizing the college game and better integrating it with the professional ranks. Others are more skeptical, citing concerns about the potential impact of changes on smaller college programs and the challenges of competing with other spring sports for viewership and resources.
U.S. Soccer and the NextGen College Soccer Committee will draft an initial white paper by the end of the summer, incorporating input from key stakeholders across the soccer ecosystem. In parallel, U.S. Soccer will begin outreach to college programs and conferences to understand their goals and interest in participating in the new opportunities or models.
