Youth soccer clubs in Nebraska
Nebraska youth soccer is mostly an Omaha story with a Lincoln chapter attached.
Club soccer in Nebraska
The Omaha metro, stretching from Gretna in the west to La Vista and Papillion in Sarpy County, holds nearly all of the state's national-level clubs, and the sports complexes in La Vista and Gretna do a lot of the heavy lifting for training and tournaments. Lincoln has its own families and a handful of affiliates, but the biggest Omaha clubs now run programs there too.
The governing body is Nebraska State Soccer, which has been around since 1969 and says it serves more than 25,000 players. It runs the Nebraska State Cup, the Presidents Cup and the Junior Cup for the top 11U and 12U teams, and it works alongside the Nebraska Youth Soccer League, which clubs like Sting Nebraska use for in-state league play. Adults have the Nebraska Fierce in WPSL, and Union Omaha plays pro soccer in USL League One.
On the national side, Nebraska punches above its size. Sting Nebraska is one of the clubs on the 2025-26 MLS NEXT list for the Heartland group. Sporting Nebraska joined Girls Academy's Midwest Conference starting in 2023-24. Gretna Elite Academy runs ECNL and ECNL Regional League teams and has said its girls Regional League side will play in the Heartland Conference West Division starting in 2026-27. That's a lot of options for a state with one real metro area.
Winters matter here. Indoor turf at places like the Pinnacle Bank Soccer Complex in Gretna keeps training going from December through March, and most clubs run futsal or indoor leagues. The clubs below are the ones Nebraska parents compare most often, and each one links to its own site so you can check teams, fees and tryout dates for your birth year.
Popular clubs in Nebraska
These are the clubs Nebraska families ask about most. League badges show what we could confirm for the 2025-26 season, so check each club's own site for current teams, tryout dates and fees. For 2026-27, the NPL and the US Youth Soccer National League combined into the National 1 League, which teams enter one at a time, so ask a club which of its teams play in N1.
Sting Nebraska
Sting Nebraska is the Nebraska division of Sting Soccer, which also has divisions in North Texas, Corpus Christi, West Texas and East Texas. It formed in 2020, has locations in Omaha and Lincoln, and fields MLS NEXT boys teams from U13 to U19. Girls play in N1 and Pre-ECNL, and both genders compete in the Nebraska Youth Soccer League. Little Stingers, a Mastery Program and recreational soccer for U5 to U17 cover the younger ages.
Sporting Nebraska FC
Sporting Nebraska traces back to a 2008 merger of Gladiator Soccer Club and Millard Star Soccer Club, and it's an official Sporting Kansas City academy affiliate. It joined Girls Academy's Midwest Conference for 2023-24. The club runs competitive boys and girls programs, TOPSoccer and a U23 women's team, with recreational options in Omaha and a Lincoln micro program. It also lists an academy in Waverly.
Gretna Elite Academy
Gretna Elite Academy lists ECNL Boys and ECNL Boys Regional League teams for U13 to U19, along with ECNL Girls and NPL Girls. It has announced that its girls Regional League teams will play in the Heartland Conference West Division in 2026-27. The club says it owns and operates the Pinnacle Bank Soccer Complex, which has indoor and outdoor turf, and it runs a Lincoln affiliate for families in that area.
Evolution Soccer Club
Evolution is based at the Nebraska MultiSport Complex in La Vista and serves players from about age 3 to 18. Its site lists a competitive pathway, an in-house recreational program, a Challenger recreational program for newer players and a Tiny Toes group for the youngest kids. It also has a men's team. It's a reasonable pick for families who want competitive soccer without the national-league travel.
Metro Omaha Wolves Soccer Club
The Wolves practice at the La Vista Sports Complex and serve Douglas and Sarpy Counties, with a mailing address in Papillion. Their site lists Soccer Start for ages 4 to 7, U7 to U19 teams run through Impact FA, U11 to U19 tryouts and adult soccer. The club bills itself as a low-cost select option and hosts the Freedom Cup, Autumn Showdown and SocctoberFest tournaments.
From Nebraska clubs to college soccer
For a lot of Nebraska families, club soccer is also the road to playing in college. These pages cover the next step, from ID camps close to home to emailing college coaches.
College ID camps in Nebraska
Every college soccer program in Nebraska, with a link to its official camp page.
See the camps ›Recruiting guideHow college recruiting works
Timelines, divisions, scholarships, coach emails and showcases, explained for players and parents.
Read the guide ›RecruitlyEmail college coaches from your own inbox
Find programs by division and conference, reach every coach, and see who opens your email and watches your film.
Meet Recruitly ›Choosing a club in Nebraska
Start with where you live in the Omaha metro, because the drive between west Omaha, Gretna, La Vista and Papillion is short but the evening commute isn't. A club with fields five minutes away will usually beat a bigger name across town. Lincoln families have fewer choices, so ask whether a club's Lincoln program has its own coaches or just borrows Omaha staff.
Then decide how much travel you want. Sting Nebraska boys in MLS NEXT, Sporting Nebraska girls in Girls Academy and Gretna Elite Academy teams in ECNL all play regional schedules that mean long road trips or flights. Clubs with strong in-state programs, like Metro Omaha Wolves and Evolution, keep more games close to home through the Nebraska Youth Soccer League.
Finally, plan for winter. Nebraska seasons are short outdoors, so ask about indoor space, futsal and winter training before you pay. Tryout timing varies by club, so check each site early in the year rather than waiting for the spring.
New to all this? Start with how the youth leagues fit together, then read our tryouts guide before Nebraska clubs start holding evaluations.
Nebraska club soccer FAQ
Which Nebraska club plays in MLS NEXT?
Sting Nebraska appears on the 2025-26 MLS NEXT member list for the Heartland group, and its own site lists MLS NEXT boys teams from U13 to U19. The club has locations in Omaha and Lincoln and also fields competitive girls teams in N1 and Pre-ECNL.
Where can Nebraska girls play ECNL or Girls Academy?
Sporting Nebraska FC joined Girls Academy's Midwest Conference for 2023-24. Gretna Elite Academy lists ECNL Girls and has said its girls Regional League teams will play in the Heartland Conference West Division starting in 2026-27.
What does Nebraska State Soccer run?
Nebraska State Soccer, founded in 1969, is the state body for US Youth Soccer. It runs the Nebraska State Cup, the Presidents Cup and the Junior Cup for top 11U and 12U teams, and it also runs referee training and coaching education. Its mailing address is in Boys Town.