Girls' Youth Soccer
How Much Does Girls' Club Soccer Cost? A Parent Budget
Quick answer
It depends on the level more than anything. In the 2026-27 fee sheets we read, recreational soccer ran from $85 to about $200 a season, and club fees ran from $560 for the youngest teams to $3,300 at ECNL level. The fee is rarely the whole bill: uniforms, team fees, tournament entries and travel are billed on top, so add those before you sign.
On this page
- How much does girls' club soccer cost in 2026-27?
- What is inside the club fee, and what is not?
- What does a full first-year bill look like?
- How much do tournaments and travel add?
- What other costs should go in the budget?
- Is there help paying, and what happens if you stop?
- How do you build your own budget?
- Where does this guide fit in the series?
- FAQ
- Sources
When I lived in Los Angeles, I watched girls play in parks and school yards every weekend, and I never saw the bill behind it. This guide is that bill. I am not a coach and I am not selling a program, so every number below comes from a fee sheet a club or organization published, read on October 25, 2026. Where a number is missing, I say so instead of guessing.
One warning first: these are examples from clubs in different states, not a national average. Prices change a lot by region. Use them to know what questions to ask and what a fair range looks like. This site is independent and not affiliated with U.S. Soccer, ECNL, Girls Academy or any club named here. If you are new to the levels, start with our parent's guide to girls' club soccer in the U.S..
How much does girls' club soccer cost in 2026-27?
The table puts published fees side by side, from a city recreation league to ECNL and Girls Academy level. The fee is what the club or league charges for the season or the year, before the extras covered in the next sections.
| Level | Example | Published fee | What the sheet says is not included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recreational | Henderson County, N.C., parks and recreation fall league | $85 | Uniform is included. Girls have their own divisions from 2nd grade up. |
| Recreational | LAFC SoCal Youth (Los Angeles area) | $190 to $200 per season | Uniform. |
| Club, youngest teams | IESpirit Academy, U6 to U10 | $560 | Uniform, about $135. Winter sessions are optional and extra for U8 to U10. |
| Club, entry level | IESpirit Select, U11 to U19 | $865 (U11 to U12), $895 (U13 to U19) | Team fees of about $250 to $600, paid to the team. Uniforms and personal travel. |
| Club, higher level | IESpirit Premier, U13 to U19 | $1,200 | Team fees of about $400 to $700. Uniforms and personal travel. |
| Club, all-in dues | California Odyssey Soccer Club | $1,850 (includes a $550 registration fee) | Kit ($375). Coaches' per diem, hotels and a coach stipend are paid by the team's parents. |
| Club, travel | McLean Youth Soccer (Virginia), U9 to U10 / U11 to U12 | $2,575 / $2,700 | Tournament registration, coach travel, futsal, guest passes, secondary league fees. |
| Club, travel | McLean Youth Soccer, U13 to U19 White / Green | $2,250 / $2,850 | Same exclusions as above. |
| ECNL Regional League | IESpirit, U13 to U19 girls | $1,550 | Includes a college recruitment package. Team fees of about $400 to $700. Uniforms and personal travel. |
| Girls Academy | McLean Youth Soccer, MLS NEXT and Girls Academy level, U13 to U19 | $3,200 | Tournament registration, coach travel, futsal, guest passes, secondary league fees. |
| Girls Academy | Soccer Chance Academy, Girls Academy and MLS NEXT, U13 to U19 | $3,290 a year, monthly plans offered | Tournament entrance fees, travel and accommodations. |
| ECNL | Davis Legacy Soccer Club (Davis, California), U13 to U19 | $3,300 ($300 a month for 11 months) | One-time fees, kit, ECNL travel fees "not listed above," team costs. |
Published 2026-27 fees (the Henderson County league is Fall 2026). Each row is one club's fee sheet, read Oct. 25, 2026, except LAFC SoCal Youth, read Oct. 24. Not a national average.
Two things stand out. First, the jump is not between "cheap" and "expensive" but between recreational and everything else: the rec fees above are $85 to $200, and the lowest club fee above is $560 for a youngest-age academy program. Second, the elite-level fees at three clubs are within $100 of each other ($3,200, $3,290 and $3,300), while the ECNL Regional League fee at another club is $1,550. The level matters, but so does the club.
What is inside the club fee, and what is not?
Two clubs can charge the same number and sell different things. These are the descriptions on the sheets:
- McLean Youth Soccer says its fee covers coach compensation, field usage, club insurance, league membership, primary-league referee fees and a preseason camp. It excludes tournament registration, coach travel, futsal, guest passes and secondary league fees.
- Davis Legacy says tuition covers "portions" of coaching, training clinics, keeper training, facilities, insurance, referees, tournament and league registration and coach travel reimbursements, and adds that it does not cover all club costs. ECNL players also pay travel fees that are not on the sheet.
- Utah Celtic splits its fees into club, platform (league registration, showcases and qualifiers, referees) and state association fees, and says team and travel fees are not in the chart: each team sets its own, and families pay all travel costs.
- Soccer Chance Academy lists goalkeeper training, a team camera and league registration as included, and says tuition does not cover tournament entrance fees, travel or accommodations.
The practical lesson is to ask every club for the same thing in writing: a list of what the fee includes and a list of what is billed separately.
What does a full first-year bill look like?
I added up the published numbers for four teams. This is our tally from each club's fee sheet, not a quote. It counts only what the sheet puts a number on, so the real bill is higher once personal travel and the unlisted items are added.
| Team | What we added | Total on paper | Not counted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davis Legacy, ECNL U13 | $3,300 tuition + $200 registration + $25 safety fee + $110 video fee + $462 kit | $4,097 | ECNL travel fees (not listed), team costs, personal travel. A $150 volunteer fee is refundable if requirements are met. |
| California Odyssey | $1,850 dues + $375 kit | $2,225 | Coaches' per diem, hotels and stipend billed to team parents; optional gear at $18 to $56 an item. |
| IESpirit, ECNL Regional League girls | $1,550 club fee + $400 to $700 team fees | $1,950 to $2,250 | Uniform and personal travel. |
| IESpirit, Select U13 | $895 club fee + $250 to $600 team fees | $1,145 to $1,495 | Uniform and personal travel. |
Our tally of published first-year costs for one player. Sources: each club's 2026-27 fee sheet, read Oct. 25, 2026. Hotels, flights and gas are not included in any row.
Kits are worth a closer look. Davis Legacy lists a $462 kit, which it spreads over 11 monthly payments of $42. California Odyssey lists a mandatory $375 kit for 2026-27. Utah Celtic says 2026 is not a new uniform year, so only new players need a full kit, and uniforms are otherwise replaced every other year. So ask how often the kit changes before you count it as a yearly cost.
How much do tournaments and travel add?
Tournament entry is a per-team fee that the team's families share. IESpirit, for example, lists tournament fees inside the team fees it collects on top of the club fee, and McLean excludes tournament registration from its fee altogether. Two examples with published 2026 entry fees:
| Tournament | Dates | U11 to U12 | U13 to U14 | Lodging rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sporting Jax Girls Invitational (Jacksonville area, Fla.) | Aug. 29 to 30 | $850 | $950 | "Stay to play": partner hotels required for teams traveling farther than 90 miles. Three games, "depending on bracket AND weather." |
| NCFC Capital City Classic (Raleigh, N.C., boys and girls) | Oct. 10 to 11 | $695 | $775 | "Stay to Play" through the club's travel partner is required. At least three games. |
Two 2026 tournaments with published team entry fees. Sources: Sporting Jax and NCFC Youth tournament pages, read Oct. 25, 2026. Fees are per team, not per player.
The entry fee is only part of a tournament weekend. Neither page lists hotel rates, so that number comes from the booking site. Sporting Jax also lists optional tournament insurance without a price. Because "stay to play" tournaments require specific hotels, a family that travels cannot shop for the cheapest room.
Clubs also set limits that shape the total. Davis Legacy caps its teams at no more than five tournaments in a season, with ECNL showcases counting toward the cap, and limits out-of-state tournaments by age. A cap is a useful thing to ask about, because it tells you the most tournaments the team can be asked to enter.
For a sense of scale, Aspen Institute's Project Play reports that families spent an average of $260 per sport, per child, per year on travel. That average includes children who are not on travel teams, so it describes the typical family, not a travel-team family.
What other costs should go in the budget?
Project Play's facts page lists other yearly averages for one child across all sports: private lessons at $183, registration fees at $168, equipment at $154 and camps at $111. The page does not give a year for those numbers, and it has no figure for girls only, so treat them as a rough checklist of what else families pay for, not as a price for soccer. In practice, the list for a club player is:
- Gear: cleats, shin guards, a ball and a bag. I did not see any of these listed as included on the sheets above.
- Extra training: some clubs offer futsal or winter sessions. McLean's travel fees exclude futsal, and IESpirit includes six winter sessions for its Select teams.
- Camps and private lessons: optional, and the easiest line to cut.
- Your own travel: every sheet above excludes the family's personal travel to games.
Is there help paying, and what happens if you stop?
Several clubs offer help, with limits. McLean lists a Financial Assistance Program in every package and links to a travel-aid page. Soccer Chance Academy says need-based aid is available for U6 to U18 teams, but that it does not cover travel or tournaments. Utah Celtic links to a financial aid page and says payment plans are available through the club and team administrators. IESpirit and Soccer Chance both offer installment plans.
Read the refund rules before you sign, because they are strict. Utah Celtic says all fees are non-refundable and that accepting a roster spot is a full-season commitment. Its "No Pay, No Play" policy bars a player with an unpaid account from participating. Davis Legacy says fees are not waived if a player leaves before the end of the season, and that monthly payments are for the family's convenience, not tied to whether the team is on break. If you might need to stop midyear, ask what that costs.
How do you build your own budget?
Ask each club on your list for its fee sheet, then fill in one line per row. The right-hand column shows what the sheets above published, so you can tell whether a quote is in the usual range.
| Line | Where to find it | Range on the sheets we read |
|---|---|---|
| Club fee | The club's fee sheet | $85 (rec) to $3,300 (ECNL) |
| One-time fees | The same sheet, often in the footnotes | $25 safety, $110 video, $200 registration at one club |
| Kit | Fee sheet or club store | $375 to $462, replaced on the club's schedule |
| Team fees | Ask the club or the team manager | About $250 to $700 where published |
| Tournament share | Team entry fee divided by the roster, plus hotel | $695 to $950 per team at the two events above |
| Your travel | Schedule and distance | Not published by any club |
| Gear, extras | Your own list | Not published by any club |
A one-player yearly budget worksheet. Ranges are from the fee sheets in this guide, not averages.
Add the right column's low and high numbers on paper and you have a range, not a promise. Starting in a recreational league is a legitimate way to begin: it costs a fraction of club fees and shows whether she wants more practices. If she does, the rest of the list is waiting.
Where does this guide fit in the series?
This is the budget guide of our Girls' Youth Soccer section, and it builds on the pillar, Girls' Club Soccer in the U.S.: How It Works for Parents. The figures here are a snapshot from October 2026 and will be updated when clubs publish new sheets. You can read about the person writing them on the About page, and how we check sources on How we write. If the 2027 Women's World Cup is what started your daughter's interest, our tournament schedule is the place to begin.
Frequently asked questions
How much does girls' club soccer cost per year?
It depends on the level and the club. In 2026-27 fee sheets, club fees ranged from $560 for the youngest teams at one club to $3,300 for an ECNL team at another. Uniforms, team fees, tournaments and travel are usually extra, so the full yearly cost is higher than the fee.
How much does recreational girls' soccer cost?
Published recreational fees are far lower than club fees. A fall 2026 parks and recreation league in Henderson County, North Carolina, charges $85 with the uniform included, and LAFC SoCal Youth lists $190 to $200 per season plus a uniform.
Is travel included in the club fee?
Usually not. McLean, Utah Celtic, IESpirit and Soccer Chance all say tournament entry, team or coach travel and personal travel are billed separately, and Davis Legacy says ECNL players pay travel fees that are not on its fee sheet.
How much does ECNL or Girls Academy cost?
On the sheets we read, Girls Academy level fees were $3,200 at McLean and $3,290 at Soccer Chance Academy, ECNL was $3,300 at Davis Legacy, and ECNL Regional League was $1,550 at IESpirit. Fees are set by each club, so ask for the club's own sheet.
How much does a club soccer uniform cost?
Published kits ranged from $375 (California Odyssey, mandatory for 2026-27) to $462 (Davis Legacy, paid at $42 a month for 11 months). Utah Celtic says it replaces uniforms every other year, so ask how often your club changes its kit.
Can you get financial aid for club soccer?
Some clubs offer it. McLean lists a Financial Assistance Program in every package, and Soccer Chance Academy offers need-based aid for U6 to U18 teams, though not for travel or tournaments. Ask each club how to apply before the season starts.
Do club soccer fees get refunded if a girl quits?
Often not. Utah Celtic says all fees are non-refundable, and Davis Legacy says fees are not waived if a player leaves before the end of the season. Ask about the refund policy in writing before you pay.
Sources
- Henderson County, N.C., Parks and Recreation: Fall Youth Soccer 2026 ($85, uniform included), read Oct. 25, 2026
- LAFC SoCal Youth: Recreational FAQ (fees), read Oct. 24, 2026
- IESpirit: 2026-2027 club fees (PDF), read Oct. 25, 2026
- McLean Youth Soccer: 2026-2027 travel fees, read Oct. 25, 2026
- California Odyssey Soccer Club: Fees and explanation, 2026-2027, read Oct. 25, 2026
- Davis Legacy Soccer Club: 2026-27 player dues (PDF), read Oct. 25, 2026
- Soccer Chance Academy: 2026/27 tuition, read Oct. 25, 2026
- Utah Celtic FC: 2026-27 fees (policies; dollar amounts are published as images), read Oct. 25, 2026
- Sporting Jax Academy: Girls Invitational 2026 (entry fees, stay to play), read Oct. 25, 2026
- NCFC Youth: Capital City Classic 2026 (entry fees, stay to play), read Oct. 25, 2026
- Aspen Institute Project Play: youth sports facts, cost (travel, lessons, registration, equipment, camps), read Oct. 25, 2026
Founder and editor, WoSo Arena
I live in Salvador, Brazil, one of the eight host cities of the 2027 Women's World Cup, and I spent five years in the United States, where girls' and women's games filled the parks and school fields of Los Angeles. Every article starts from official sources, listed at the end.
