Youth soccer clubs in Ohio
Ohio is really three soccer regions stitched together, and a parent's options change a lot depending on which corner of the state they live in.
Club soccer in Ohio
Columbus has the Crew, Cincinnati has FC Cincinnati, and Cleveland and the northeast have a collection of independent clubs. Each of the three areas has its own set of leagues and its own rivalries, and the state is large enough that few families cross between them for weekly training.
Cincinnati is the deepest market. FC Cincinnati's academy plays in MLS NEXT, and Cincinnati United Premier, Kings Hammer and Ohio Elite Soccer Academy all sit near the top of the Ohio Valley. Cincinnati United Premier lists both Girls Academy and MLS NEXT, while Ohio Elite is in ECNL for boys and girls. Kings Hammer has been a big name in the region for years, with a development network that stretches into Kentucky.
In central Ohio, Club Ohio is based in Dublin and Ohio Premier trains in Plain City. Club Ohio has MLS NEXT and Girls Academy teams, while Ohio Premier plays ECNL and the ECNL Regional League and describes itself as serving players for nearly 30 years. Columbus Crew Academy gives boys a pro club pathway from U11 up through U18.
Northeast Ohio is more fragmented. Cleveland Force has ECNL teams in Cleveland, and Internationals SC in Medina plays ECNL for girls and MLS NEXT. Most of the top Cleveland-area teams drive south or west for league matches, since opponents are spread across Ohio and into neighboring states.
The state association is the Ohio Soccer Association, formed in 2021 when the former northern and southern organizations merged. That matters if you read older material that still refers to Ohio North and Ohio South as separate bodies.
Because the state is so spread out, plan around your region first, then compare leagues. A club's name tells you less than its training location, coaching staff, and which age groups it actually fields in the league you want.
Popular clubs in Ohio
These are the clubs Ohio 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.
FC Cincinnati Academy
The youth pathway of the city's MLS team, this academy competes in MLS NEXT and sits on the official 2025-26 member list. It draws players from across southwest Ohio, northern Kentucky and southeast Indiana, and it functions as the pro club's way to find and develop homegrown talent. Most players join from other Cincinnati clubs, so a local club with a good record is the usual first step.
Columbus Crew Academy
The Crew's academy lists U15, U16 and U18 teams, plus a Pre-Formation group for U11 to U14, and a Regional Development School for ages 8 to 11. Its facilities include ScottsMiracle-Gro Field, the OhioHealth Performance Center and Historic Crew Stadium. It is on the official MLS NEXT member list, and central Ohio boys with pro ambitions will find it the most direct club route.
Cincinnati United Premier
Cincinnati United Premier runs boys in MLS NEXT and girls in Girls Academy, which makes it one of the few Ohio clubs with a top-level path for both. The boys also play in the MLS NEXT Academy Division, with matches against Indiana and Michigan clubs on the regular schedule. It is a strong pick for Cincinnati families who want a single club to follow their child from the junior ranks up.
Kings Hammer FC
A large Cincinnati-area club, Kings Hammer organizes its program into Juniors for ages 5 to 8, Academy for 8 to 19 and Elite for 11 to 19. Its site shows MLS NEXT, Girls Academy and National Premier Leagues logos, and the club also fields a USL League Two team. It has been expanding in Columbus, where Polaris SC and Barcelona United have joined its family of clubs.
Club Ohio
Club Ohio trains at its own center in Dublin and has teams in locations across the state. It played in the MLS NEXT Academy Division in 2025-26 and has been promoted to MLS NEXT Homegrown starting in September 2026. It has also joined Girls Academy and lists USYS National League play. A junior program run with HappyFeet is open to the public for the youngest players.
Internationals SC
Internationals is the main elite club in the Medina and Akron-Cleveland area, with ECNL for girls and a place on the MLS NEXT member list. SoccerWire shows it as a travel club, and the official MLS listing places the club in North Royalton. For families in the southwest Cleveland suburbs and the Medina area, it is the clearest route to a national-level league without crossing the state.
Ohio Premier
Ohio Premier has served central Ohio players for nearly 30 years and coaches boys and girls from age 4 to 23. Its business offices and training facility are in Plain City, northwest of Columbus. The club plays in ECNL and the ECNL Regional League, along with the National 1 League and the Ohio Valley Premier League. Its girls have also appeared in Girls Academy and ECNL national events.
Ohio Elite Soccer Academy
Ohio Elite is a Cincinnati club in both ECNL Boys and ECNL Girls, and it is one of a few Ohio programs at that level. Because Cincinnati also has MLS NEXT and Girls Academy clubs, Ohio Elite gives local families a third top-level choice. It is worth asking about team availability by birth year, since national-level platforms rarely have every age group open at once.
Cleveland Force SC
Cleveland Force joined the ECNL Girls Regional League around 2020 and was accepted into ECNL Girls and ECNL Boys for 2021-22. Its girls program has produced three players who were listed for U.S. youth national team call-ups in 2025-26. It is the main ECNL option in northeast Ohio and often travels to play clubs in Columbus, Cincinnati and neighboring states.
Columbus United
Columbus United plays out of Jennings Sports Park in Lewis Center, in Delaware County just north of Columbus. It is on the Girls Academy member list, and its site also lists a National Academy League program and a partnership page. The club runs adult amateur teams next to its youth program and posted 2026-27 tryouts on its site, so families on the north side of the city have a Girls Academy option close to home.
From Ohio clubs to college soccer
For a lot of Ohio 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 Ohio
Every college soccer program in Ohio, 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 Ohio
Pick your region before you pick a league. A family in Medina has a very different set of nearby clubs than one in Dayton or Cincinnati, and weekly travel to practice is the biggest hidden cost in Ohio. Compare which platforms each club actually fields in your child's birth year, since not every club runs every age group in MLS NEXT, ECNL or Girls Academy. Ohio winters mean indoor training from roughly November through March, so ask about dome time and what is included in the fee.
Tryouts commonly take place in spring and early summer, but pre-season evaluations in late summer are not unusual. For younger players, look for a club that offers a junior program and a clear step up, so a move to a new club is not forced at U10 or U11.
Before you sign anything, read up on what club soccer costs and how tryouts and offers usually work. Most Ohio families find the second season easier than the first.
Ohio club soccer FAQ
Which Ohio clubs are in MLS NEXT?
FC Cincinnati and Columbus Crew run academies in MLS NEXT, and Cincinnati United Premier, Kings Hammer and Club Ohio are on the 2025-26 Academy Division list. Internationals SC is also a member. Most are in Cincinnati or Columbus, so families in the northeast should compare drive times.
Where can Ohio girls play ECNL or Girls Academy?
Ohio Premier, Ohio Elite and Internationals SC play ECNL. Cleveland Force joined ECNL in 2021-22. For Girls Academy, look at Cincinnati United Premier, Club Ohio, Kings Hammer and Columbus United in Lewis Center. Several of these also run the ECNL Regional League or lower travel teams.
Is there one state soccer association in Ohio?
Yes. The Ohio Soccer Association formed in 2021 from the merger of the former northern and southern organizations. Older sites may still mention Ohio North and Ohio South as separate bodies, but the single association now covers the state's youth, adult and referee programs.