The United States Soccer Federation (USSF) is considering changing the age groups for its youth national teams in 2025. The proposed changes would see the U-17 and U-19 teams become the U-16 and U-18 teams, respectively. The U-20 and U-23 teams would remain the same.
The USSF is considering the changes to align with FIFA’s new age group structure. FIFA, the international governing body for soccer, changed its age group structure in 2007 to create a more consistent and standardized system across all of its member associations. The USSF is also considering the changes to improve the development of its youth players. The new age groups would allow players to compete against players of their own age and would provide a more challenging and competitive environment.