Youth soccer clubs in Virginia
Virginia's youth soccer scene is lopsided in one direction.
Club soccer in Virginia
Northern Virginia, the suburbs west and south of Washington, holds most of the state's top-level clubs, and a family there can reach several MLS NEXT, Girls Academy or ECNL options inside a 30 minute drive. Richmond is the second hub, and Hampton Roads around Virginia Beach is a distant third.
The biggest name in the north is Loudoun Soccer, based in Leesburg and founded in 1978. It reports more than 15,000 registrations a year, runs a recreational program, travel teams and a Technical Academy, and sends its top teams into the Girls Academy and MLS NEXT Academy Division. It's also a partner in the Northern Virginia Alliance, a separate organization that plays in MLS NEXT for boys and Girls Academy for girls and carries pre-professional teams, tied to NoVA FC, up to a U23 level.
Arlington Soccer Association has ECNL Academy teams for boys and girls from U10 to U19, and Virginia Development Academy in Woodbridge also plays ECNL, including a girls' team that reached the national semifinals.
In central Virginia, Richmond United is the big ECNL club, formed from the merger of the old Strikers and Kickers organizations, and it reports about 10,000 members. FC Richmond runs recreational and travel soccer with futsal in the winter. On the coast, Beach FC covers Virginia Beach.
The state association, VYSA, also covers the District of Columbia and runs the State Cup and Presidents Cup. Because the league mix is so varied, it's worth asking early whether a club's top teams play in ECNL, MLS NEXT or Girls Academy, since moving between them can mean changing clubs. Fall and spring seasons are the norm, with indoor futsal in winter, and travel to Maryland, North Carolina and Pennsylvania is common for older age groups. The clubs below are the ones local families name first.
Popular clubs in Virginia
These are the clubs Virginia 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.
Loudoun Soccer
Loudoun Soccer has served Northern Virginia since 1978 and says it handles more than 15,000 registrations a year, which makes it the state's largest soccer program. The elite tier includes a MLS NEXT Academy, Girls Academy and Girls Academy Aspire. Below that are travel teams, a Technical Academy and several recreational levels, including TOPSoccer for players with special needs. It also feeds pre-professional men's and women's teams through the Northern Virginia Alliance. Its office is on Sycolin Road in Leesburg.
Northern Virginia Alliance
The Northern Virginia Alliance joined MLS NEXT and Girls Academy for the 2025-26 season, with boys in the top tier of MLS NEXT and girls in U13 to U19 Girls Academy teams. It also has a Girls Academy Aspire program and U23 pathway teams linked to NoVA FC in the USL W League, USL League Two and the CCL PRO23. The club has an announced partnership with Arsenal and adidas. Its site lists a player commitments page for college placement.
Arlington Soccer Association
Arlington Soccer Association fields 12 ECNL Academy teams for boys and girls from U10 to U19, with 12 Pre-Academy teams feeding them. The club also has travel teams, a USL summer league side and WPSL and UPSL teams for older players. Recreational play includes Kinders and Tots, and it runs goalkeeper, futsal and community programs. It reports more than 250 college commitments and over 15 national team players, which tells you something about how much of its work is aimed at the top end.
Virginia Development Academy
Virginia Development Academy has both boys' and girls' ECNL teams, plus Pre-ECNL programs and pre-professional sides in USL Y, USL W and a U23 group. Its girls' team reached the semifinals of the ECNL National Championships, and a U19 player signed a pro contract with Racing Louisville through 2028. VDA's boys and girls were ranked among the national ECNL top 25 in the 2024-25 season. It also hosts the VDA Showcase for college recruiting.
Richmond United
Richmond United came together through a merger of the Strikers and Kickers youth clubs and now reports about 10,000 members. It has ECNL and Pre-ECNL teams, travel teams, futsal and camps, plus recreational soccer under the RU Orange and RU Red names and Soccer Schools for U4 to U7. Its boys' U17 team qualified for the 2026-27 ECNL Super Cup. The Rise Up Fund provides financial aid so cost doesn't keep players out of the club.
FC Richmond
FC Richmond covers the Richmond area, including Midlothian and Chesterfield, with recreational soccer, travel teams and a winter futsal program. It lists an ADP development program as well and counts VCU and Novant Health among its sponsors. It's a sensible choice for families who want travel soccer without the national league commitment, and it can serve as the first step for players who may later want to try for a higher level club.
Beach FC
Beach FC is the main community club in Virginia Beach, with a recreation program that is separate from its competitive teams. Its site tells players to identify their age group for the 2026 fall season and lists league memberships. A club store sells gear. Because Hampton Roads has far fewer top-level programs than Northern Virginia, Beach FC is where many local families begin, and some of its older teams play in regional competition.
From Virginia clubs to college soccer
For a lot of Virginia 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 Virginia
Every college soccer program in Virginia, 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 Virginia
In Northern Virginia, traffic on I-66, the Dulles Greenway and I-95 decides more than ratings do. Before tryouts, map the real drive from your home at 5:30 p.m. to the club's practice fields. Next, decide on a league. Loudoun Soccer and the Northern Virginia Alliance run MLS NEXT and Girls Academy, while Arlington Soccer, Virginia Development Academy and Richmond United play ECNL. Girls in the DC suburbs have more options than anywhere else in the region, so visit a couple of sessions.
Tryouts are usually in spring, and clubs like Loudoun and NVA close their talent ID registrations early, so check dates in winter. Richmond families should ask whether a club has a rec or travel step down from the top team, because those are the better entry points. Ask about financial aid as well. Richmond United runs a fund called Rise Up for exactly that.
Our guide to choosing a club has the questions worth asking at a tryout, and the costs page explains what a season in Virginia might add up to.
Virginia club soccer FAQ
Which Virginia clubs play MLS NEXT or Girls Academy?
Loudoun Soccer lists a MLS NEXT Academy, Girls Academy and Girls Academy Aspire, and the Northern Virginia Alliance joined MLS NEXT and Girls Academy for 2025-26. Both are based in Leesburg. Check which age groups are active, since the leagues run U13 to U19.
Where can a Virginia player find ECNL?
Arlington Soccer Association has 12 ECNL Academy teams for boys and girls, Virginia Development Academy in Woodbridge plays boys' and girls' ECNL, and Richmond United has ECNL and Pre-ECNL teams. Girls in the Richmond area should confirm the team lineup before tryouts.
Does Virginia's state association cover Washington, DC?
Yes. VYSA describes itself as the governing body for youth soccer in Virginia and DC. It runs the State Cup, Presidents Cup, TOPSoccer and futsal. Many Northern Virginia clubs also draw players from DC, so check which state association a club uses.