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Girls ECNL Regional League Champions Will Qualify For 2020 ECNL Playoffs

RICHMOND, VA (May 9, 2019) – The Girls ECNL Regional League platform will be formally launched this August with multiple leagues across the country, following successful pilot programs during the 2018-19 season.

Providing immediate meaning, winners of the 2019-2020 Girls ECNL Regional Leagues will qualify for the new Open Cup Division of the Girls ECNL Playoffs in June, where they will also compete against qualifying teams from the Girls ECNL.

Beginning in 2020, the Girls ECNL Open Cup will be the 4th division of the ECNL Playoffs, and will include three age groups (U15, U16, U17). Qualifying teams will compete in a knockout style bracket for the Open Cup championship. The ECNL Playoffs will continue to include the Champions League, North American Cup, and Showcase Cup divisions.

“Providing a post-season linkage between the ECNL Regional Leagues and the Girls ECNL itself will provide immediate exposure and value for players and teams in the ECNL Regional Leagues, while also allowing clubs to demonstrate their quality on a national stage,” said President Christian Lavers. “We are excited to begin creating a pathway that will provide opportunity to a whole new group of players and teams across the country.”

While extending an ECNL experience to new players and teams, the Girls ECNL Regional Leagues will also provide a platform for objective evaluation of new member clubs for the Girls ECNL in future years.

All Girls ECNL Regional Leagues will be operated and managed by the ECNL to insure professionalism and exceptional experience.

Additional information on the 2019-2020 Girls ECNL Regional League platform and membership will be released in the coming weeks.

The 4th division? So it's exactly the same as what the NE NPL is now.

Not quite. Currently, NE NPL has its own playoffs, and the winner goes to the NPL National Finals. Only 1 team goes. It sounds like in this new format, multiple teams from each RL league goes to the ECNL Playoffs. So they lose the one team going to NPL Nationals, but multiple teams gain access to ECNL Playoffs that is well-attended by college coaches. This is an improvement over NE Girls, because the NE Girls Playoffs is not a well-attended event by college coaches.

This is interesting. If I'm reading it right, this means that clubs interested in joining ECNL will play in the Regional League first to see if they can compete. They only get into ECNL if they can win against these RL teams.

Wow, you're really delusional and just another sucker buying whatever they sell. This is definitely not better. In fact, I'd argue it's worse than NPL. Now, instead of going to their own dedicated playoffs where the coaches are can focus on these teams, they will be relegated to the 4th division where there will be no coaches. All the coaches will be focused on the real ECNL teams. Give these coaches some credit, they're not that stupid. And if you actually read the "press release" these teams are not in any way part of the ECNL playoffs. This is all rebranding and marketing, no substance. It's amazing how gullible people are.

Point is, this is what non-ECNL teams are always clammoring for-the chance to compete against the ECNL teams. Granted it'll be against 4th tier ECNL teams, but it's a start. Oh and expect ECNL to ramp up the marketing aspect of this new league, it's what they do best-but hey, if it makes the kids feel like they're part of something bigger, then who cares?

Have you ever been to the NE NPL playoffs? It is not well-attended. Better to go to the ECNL Playoffs where there is a better chance that a coach you want will be there than the NE NPL playoffs where they won't come, no?

And no, all the coaches will not be focused on the real ECNL teams. They will be focused on the players they are interested in. If they are interested in a player from NE NPL, they are much more likely to see them at the ECNL Showcase than the NE NPL playoffs.

Why is it delusional? It's 1 team going to NPL Finals vs. multiple teams going to ECNL Showcase. Definitely seems like this benefits multiple RL teams much more.

Agreed, This is the first step in the right direction! Disgruntled detractors usually have an agenda...

The agenda is to help people not waste their money. The ecnl playoffs are far far away and attending that event will help some travel agent more then your player. But go right ahead, travel agents need to eat too.

Reminds me of the special soccer "opportunities" players get to travel abroad to play soccer. Your kid is so talented they get to spend thousands to go play with other special players abroad somewhere.

Have fun with it all but don't confuse businesses marketing their stuff with reality.

So if D wants to go to college in California, going to the ECNL playoffs is even better! Instead of the NE NPL playoffs, which are in Massachusetts.

What is your alternative to this then? Play in lower level league and go to tournaments like EDP Summer Showcase or BaltimoreMania where D can be seen by such colleges like Widener College? Not that there's anything wrong with that, but if the goal is a higher-level academic school or higher-level soccer program, these lower level tournaments and league playoffs aren't doing anything for D.

If your kid is on ‘npl’ level team and wants to go to California - pick a different specialization (USC will take crew) and invest in SAT/ACT tutors. That’s a better bet. Only one club will be sending teams consistently- PDA South. They are better than most ECNL teams in the area.

Other options:
- move to California before junior year - stronger chances to be seen and get accepted to college, much larger soccer market
- go to a couple of ID camps and really harass the coach after the camp

Exactly