Youth soccer clubs in Tennessee
Tennessee youth soccer splits into three regions that rarely overlap.
Club soccer in Tennessee
Middle Tennessee around Nashville has the most activity, East Tennessee runs through Knoxville and Chattanooga, and Memphis sits so far west that its families look toward Arkansas and Mississippi as much as the rest of the state.
In the Nashville area, the name you'll hear most is Tennessee Soccer Club, which runs ECNL for boys and girls and ECNL Regional League teams across Williamson County, Murfreesboro, Nashville, Sumner County and the Upper Cumberland. The club's fields in Franklin have hosted ECNL Girls national events. Nashville SC has an academy in the MLS NEXT Homegrown Division, and Kings Hammer, a Cincinnati-based club with branches elsewhere, announced a Nashville boys elite program for MLS NEXT's new competition tier in 2025-26.
Knoxville has two strong options. FC Alliance has been in the ECNL since 2017 for girls and also offers boys ECNL, while One Knoxville SC launched its youth club in 2023 by merging Knoxville Crush FC and the Knoxville Reds. One Knox says it's the only local club offering both MLS NEXT and Girls Academy. In Chattanooga, Chattanooga FC runs an MLS NEXT pathway beside its youth club.
Pro soccer is spread out too. Nashville SC is in MLS, Memphis 901 FC plays in the USL Championship, and Chattanooga and Knoxville both have USL League One teams.
The state's US Youth Soccer member is the Tennessee State Soccer Association, which runs the Tennessee State League. That league matters most for second and third teams, since the top players at the big clubs spend most of their season in national platforms. Expect fall to spring seasons, with a lot of weekend travel to Atlanta, Louisville, Birmingham and Charlotte. Tryouts for the next season generally come in late spring. Summer heat and afternoon storms push many training sessions to the evening, and some clubs use indoor turf in winter.
Popular clubs in Tennessee
These are the clubs Tennessee 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.
Tennessee Soccer Club
Tennessee Soccer Club, or TSC, is the largest competitive name in Middle Tennessee, with locations in Williamson County, Murfreesboro, Nashville, Sumner County and the Upper Cumberland. It runs ECNL for boys and girls from U13 to U19 and ECNL Regional League teams, and its site lists recreation in Nashville and the Upper Cumberland. TSC also has adult teams in USL League Two and the USL W League. It's already announced a move into the new National 1 League for 2026-27.
Nashville SC Academy
The Nashville SC academy is the youth system of the city's MLS club, and it appears on MLS NEXT's 2025-26 Homegrown Division list. Its site lists U14, U15, U16 and U19 teams, and one group reached the first round of the MLS NEXT Cup playoffs. Players come through tryouts and are tied to a pro pathway, so it's selective and not a general rec option. The club plays home games at GEODIS Park in Nashville.
Kings Hammer Nashville
Kings Hammer is a multi-city club that grew out of the Cincinnati area, and it added a Nashville boys elite program for 2025-26. The club says the program plays in MLS NEXT's new competition tier and the National Academy League for U13 to U19. Kings Hammer Nashville also shows up on MLS NEXT's 2025-26 member list. The club describes a pathway from recreational play to its elite teams, though tryout details were still pending when announced.
FC Alliance
FC Alliance began in 2008 and is one of East Tennessee's biggest clubs. Its girls joined the ECNL for the 2017-18 season, making it only the second Tennessee club invited, and the boys also play ECNL now. The site also lists an academy, an Elite Soccer League, senior teams, goalkeeper training and FC Alliance Rec. Teams train at the D1 Hardin Valley facility in West Knoxville, which gives the club indoor space during winter.
One Knoxville SC Youth Club
One Knox Youth Club started in 2023 when Knoxville Crush FC and the Knoxville Reds merged under the One Knoxville SC umbrella. Players pick up the program with the Monsters age group for two-year-olds and can move into competitive teams and an academy system. The club says it's the only local one offering both MLS NEXT and Girls Academy, and it keeps second teams in regional leagues and the Tennessee State League. It also has programs in Sevier County and Maryville.
Chattanooga FC Youth
Chattanooga FC is the city's community-owned pro club, and it runs a youth side called CFC Youth along with an Elite Player Development program in MLS NEXT. MLS NEXT's 2025-26 Homegrown Division list includes the club. For families in southeast Tennessee and north Georgia, it's the closest option for boys who want a pro club pathway without driving to Nashville or Atlanta. Its separate women's team plays in the WPSL.
From Tennessee clubs to college soccer
For a lot of Tennessee 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 Tennessee
Every college soccer program in Tennessee, 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 Tennessee
Pick the region first, because a club three hours away isn't practical on a school week. In Nashville, compare Tennessee Soccer Club's ECNL structure with the MLS NEXT options at Nashville SC and Kings Hammer, and ask about the cost and training location for each. Knoxville families should look at FC Alliance for ECNL and One Knox for MLS NEXT or Girls Academy. Chattanooga has Chattanooga FC and its youth club.
Girls usually have fewer platform choices than boys, so look closely at who's coaching the age group your daughter would join. Ask what the second and third teams play in, since the Tennessee State League is where many players land. Younger kids can stay in recreation or a local academy program until about U11 without missing anything, and both TSC and FC Alliance list rec programs.
New to all this? Start with how the youth leagues fit together, then read our tryouts guide before Tennessee clubs start holding evaluations.
Tennessee club soccer FAQ
Which Tennessee clubs play ECNL?
Tennessee Soccer Club in the Nashville area and FC Alliance in Knoxville both list ECNL for boys and girls. FC Alliance's girls were admitted for the 2017-18 season. Both clubs also have lower competitive teams and recreational programs, so younger players can start without a tryout.
Where can Tennessee boys play MLS NEXT?
Nashville SC and Chattanooga FC are on the 2025-26 Homegrown Division list, and Kings Hammer Nashville and One Knoxville SC are on the Academy Division list. Kings Hammer began its Nashville boys program in 2025-26 for U13 to U19. One Knox also offers Girls Academy for girls.
What is the Tennessee State League?
It's the state league run by the Tennessee State Soccer Association, the state's US Youth Soccer member. Many second and third teams from the larger clubs play in it, and One Knox lists the Tennessee State League as part of its pathway. The association's site says the league is back for the new season.