Club Champions League


The CCL is based on the philosophy that the player is a member of the club as well as a member of the team and that successful clubs develop players and teams from within.

The Club Champions League (CCL) is the first club-to-club, and largest, club-based youth soccer league in the United States.  With four distinct competitive divisions, and four conferences (CCL, CCL Florida, CCL Georgia, and CCL New England) the league has over 15,500 participants, and over 100,000 registered youth soccer players within CCL member clubs in 9 states and the District of Columbia.  The CCL is larger than many state associations.

The organization was founded on a simple concept that includes three main features:

  1. Superior Competition
  2. A Model for Player Development and
  3. A Governing Board made up of Professional Soccer Directors from each club (click here).

The CCL offers a holistic club-based development model with a primary focus on the development of the very best youth soccer players while offering a level of play for all players ages eight to over twenty-three.  As the first youth soccer league to implement the club-to-club, club-based model, [1997] the CCL is the leader in the youth soccer landscape.  The club-to-club matchday offers a unified league schedule where all teams from one club, host or travel to another club, boys and girls, and play all matches at one location.  The matchday schedules are strategically managed to offer Technical Directors/Directors of Coaching (TD’s and DOC’s) and Full-Time Club Coaching Staff the opportunity to oversee, evaluate, assess, collaborate, and participate with many, if not all, of their club’s teams and players on a matchday.  Most importantly, TD’s/DOC’s are able to de-conflict double coaches (coaches who coach more than one team), so that every player is intimately connected to their Head Coach for each match.  The club-to-club matchday presents a club-based, community-feel as well as offering great flexibility for families with multiple players and the opportunity to carpool.  The CCL and its member clubs have over 20 years of experience in the club-to-club matchday!


COMPETITION/DIVISIONS:  

CCL NEXT GEN: (U9 and U10)

  • The doorstep to the league is NextGen.  NextGen is for the next generation of players and offers developmental play for ages U9-U10, boys and girls. Scores and standings are not kept for this age group, as emphasis is truely on development. Next Gen also emphasizes keeping travel closer to home for club-to-club competition at this age.

CCL Premiership and Championship: (U11-U19)

  • CCL’s Premiership, the pinnacle of CCL’s youth development programming, offers the highest level of competition for both boys and girls, ages U11-U19s, at the state, regional and national levels.  
  • CCL’s Championship is for ages U11-19s, boys and girls, and is a competitive platform offering both individuals and clubs the opportunity to develop under the same standards as the Premiership.  Not only does the Championship offer a fantastic competitive environment but it allows players to compete at a level appropriate to them and possibly prepare them for Premiership play in the future.  Unique to the Championship, clubs that do not participate in the Premiership can work with like-mind Directors and clubs to help grow their club within the club-based model.

CCL PRO23

  • PRO23, the peak of the CCL’s developmental pyramid, offers competitive play for Men and Women (separate divisions) from June-July.  PRO23 offers clubs a player retention opportunity providing current college players the opportunity to come home and play for the club that helped develop and prepare them for collegiate soccer.  Top youth players and former collegiate/professional players round out PRO23 rosters to offer a one-of-a-kind off-season development experience.  Older players mentor younger players and all continue their pursuit of soccer excellence. 

The CCL is recognized for being the “Best Regional League in the United States” and “The Destination for the College Bound Player”.  Annually, the CCL sees over 300 student-athletes continue their education and playing careers at the NCAA Division 1, Division 2, and Division 3 levels.  The CCL is also recognized for being a top league that develops quality players who are prepared for the rigors of college soccer but also for being ardent supporters of High School soccer and the social importance associated with staying connected with their friends and community.

CHAMPIONS:  The Premiership and Championship offer Age Group winners at the end of each seasonal year. Standings are determined by weekly competition for U12-U18/U19s and U12-U17/U18s, Premiership and Championship respectively: three points for wins, one point for ties, and no points for losses.  Unique to each division, and keeping to the importance of club and community, each Premiership team U13-U18s and Championship team U13-U18s secure “Championship Points” for their club based on age group placement.  “Championship Points” are then calculated to determine an Overall Club Champion, Overall Boys Champion, and Overall Girls Champion for each division, separately.  The Overall Club Champion trophy stays with the Champion at their Club Office until the next seasonal year Overall Champion is determined. NextGen, Premiership U11s, and Championship U11s is purely developm ental with no standings kept or “Championship Points” accumulated.  

EVENTS:  CCL COLLEGE SHOWCASES.  A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE. For over 20 years, the CCL has provided its Premiership U16-U19s, boys and girls teams, with two top-level soccer events attended by NCAA Division 1, 2 and 3 college coaches from across the country:  CCL December College Showcase and CCL February College Showcase (February). Unique to the CCL, each event is included in league fees at a deeply discounted member club rate compared to other national events.  As the league has evolved, the CCL offers Premiership and Championship teams other low cost events as well.  Premiership, along with the College Showcases, is offered the Generation adidas Invitational.  Championship, is offered a College Showcase and the adidas Fall Festival. NextGen, is offered up to (4) ScrimmageFests powered by Kwik Goal and is included in these age groups' low-cost league fees.  

CCL UNITED TEAMS:  The Preeminent All-Star Teams in the Region!  In September 2015, CCL UNITED Boys and Girls (formerly known as CCL Select) were invited to compete for the coveted Gothia Cup Tipselit Trophy (link) played in Sweden, July 2016.  The CCL UNITED Boys became the first US-based youth boys soccer team to be invited to play for the Tipselit Trophy.  The league has created a professional youth soccer immersion experience where players are scouted, attend tryouts, are selected to a Training Centers, and then ultimately selected to a final roster.  Teams typically train once per month leading up to a special team camp prior to participating in top events.  CCL UNITED teams travel to FCN (link) for the team camp in Denmark and play two friendly matches versus professional youth academy teams prior to attending events.  CCL UNITED team delegations include:  17 or 18 Players, Head Coach, Associate Head Coach, Certified Athletic Trainer, and additional CCL full-time staff.  As the CCL United program evolves, so will the events that these teams attend.  CCL United is currently available for U17s and U15s, boys and girls.