Skip to content 
Competitive Leagues
Chargers Soccer Club's Competitive Leagues
The Chargers Soccer Club offers something that most clubs cannot offer. As a regional club with community-based programs in 3 different counties, we have community-based teams playing in the leagues listed below. Still, we also offer opportunities across all 3 Charger Communities to pull together great talent no matter which Charger community is yours. So, if you are looking to play:
- at the highest level no matter where that team is based, Chargers SC has that for you;
- on a community team in a high-level league based near where you live, Chargers SC has that for you;
- on a community-based team as well as in a league and/or tournament team from other Chargers communities, Chargers SC has that for you;
- at a club that gives you the regular opportunity to be identified for these other opportunities, Chargers SC has that for you.
With community-based teams and cross-community teams, whether it be league play in the following leagues or a tournament, Chargers SC can offer that to its players. Because of proven success, the Chargers SC and its players continue to be offered opportunities in the best available National, Regional & Local programs and leagues.
For all these leagues the players have both community-based and cross-community-based team opportunities. It is the best of both worlds. Tryouts for this league are typically held in May.
The following are the leagues our teams participate in:
United Premier Soccer League (UPSL)
Founded in 2011, has over 325 teams nationally and is the fastest growing amateur Professional Development League in the United States.
The UPSL was designed to provide players, coaches, and fans with a highly competitive year-round playing league platform with both fall and spring seasons as well as a promotion and relegation system for its member clubs. UPSL teams are eligible to participate in the U.S. Open Cup Qualifying Rounds through the league’s affiliation with the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) and the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA). The UPSL’s vision is “Connecting American Soccer” through a nationwide professionally-managed network and teams, players, coaches, fans, and business partners.
The Chargers Soccer Club joined the UPSL in spring 2022 and will compete in Florida’s Premier West Division.
MLS Next (Major League Soccer's Development Academy)
The Chargers Soccer Club is proud to have been one of the first member clubs chosen by U.S. Soccer to participate in the inaugural year of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy for boys in 2007 and proudly had Chargers Development Academy (DA) teams playing each year right up through U.S. Soccer’s final year with the program (the 2019-20 season).
Starting with the 2020-2021 season, Major League Soccer’s (MLS) joined forces with 94 clubs (plus 19 other expansion clubs) in North America to develop MLS’s Elite Player Development Platform, now known as MLS Next.
The Chargers SC plays in the Southeast Division. The MLS Next is comprised of 5 age groups, U13, U14, U15, U16/17 and U18/19. The MLS Next Academy is a ten-month season that maintains the highest standards for competitions, coaching qualifications, Club organizational structure and player development. Player identification occurs in the winter/spring of each year to form the next season’s teams, Ongoing player identification occurs throughout the season with Chargers communities teams and players that can be called in for training and games to compete at the highest youth level in the U.S.
Florida Academy League
The DA U11/12 age group will play its second season in the Florida Academy League (FAL). This FAL is U11/12 league that adheres to the same highest standards and prepares the players for the MLS Next program.
NEXT II - National Academy Division
The National Academy League’s Inaugural Fall 2023/Spring 2024 season will see fifty-three clubs competing in five Conferences : New England, Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast and Florida.
Each Conference will feature BU13, BU14, BU15, BU16, BU17 & BU19 programming. Directors of Coaching within each Conference will have the autonomy to make additional sporting decisions. For example, add additional ages or craft conference specific events or formats that enhance their player’s growth opportunities.
Participating clubs will also have the opportunity to attend the NAL competition as part of the IMG Cup College Showcase in December. and compete for a National Academy League National Championship in June 2024.
Sunshine Conference Girls Academy Division
In 2021 US Youth Soccer was excited to announce the formation of the USYS Sunshine Conference Girls Academy Division — the latest Club vs. Club Division within the USYS National League Conferences. The Sunshine Conference Girls Academy Division will feature competition for teams in the 13U through 19U age groups and have many of the same standards as the conference’s existing Boys Academy Division. The Sunshine Conference Academy Girls division kicked-off it’s inaugural season in the Fall of 2021.
National Premier Leagues
The National Premier Leagues (NPL) serves youth soccer by forming and collaborating with leagues, adopting the Players First philosophy and supporting US Club Soccer’s mission to foster the development of clubs.
Florida Club League
A US Club Soccer league, for ages U13 – U19 for Boys and Girls. A state-wide travel league consisting of the top-performing clubs in the state of Florida to provide top competition.
West Florida Premier League (WFPL)
A US Club Soccer league, for ages U13 – U19 for Boys and Girls. WFPL is a Club and Team based league focused on offering multiple levels of play for the U8 through U19 age groups within the Western region of Florida.
Florida State Premier League (FSPL)
Florida teams making it to the Round of 16 of State Cup receive an invitation to join the Florida State Premier League. Many Charger teams have received that invitation offering another opportunity for our teams to play in a league providing high-level competition. Tryouts for this league are typically held in May.
Club Director's League (CDL)
As one of its charter members, the Club Director’s League continues to offer great opportunities for all our Youth Academy, Junior and Senior teams: Boys U7-19 and Girls U8-19.. Tryouts for this league is typically held in May.
Sunshine Conference (USYS)
The US Youth Soccer Leagues program features a network of 13 conferences (formerly known as US Youth Soccer Regional Leagues) across the country. The competitions provide teams with the highest possible level of competition at the national and multi-state levels. The Sunshine Conference is one of 13 conferences that fall under the scope of the Leagues Program and operate at a multi-state level — providing high-level competition on a consistent basis at a targeted local level (Florida).
United Soccer Association (USA)
USA Soccer is one of the longest-standing leagues in the Tampa Bay and surrounding areas providing a rich, organized player experience for players, coaches & parents alike.
It is the league and program opportunities like these that better develop our players and set us apart from other local clubs. Tryouts are typically held in May. For more information visit your Chargers community campus page:
