FLORIDA ELITE SOCCER ACADEMY

About USL Academy

The purpose of the USL Academy Standards is to create optimal player development environments and provide local youth prospects the best chance of reaching the professional level, all league-approved USL Academy programs will be required to meet a set of minimum standards across a series of categories listed out in this document. By developing these standards, USLHQ aims to pursue the following key goals:

Build Pathways: Establish as many youth to pro player development pathways as possible, linking elite youth organizations with USL Senior Teams in Championship, Super League, League One, League Two & W League. 

Produce Players: Increase the number & quality of locally produced talents for USL Senior Teams, while striving to develop world-class players able to compete at the highest level.

Drive Return on Investment: Provide USL ownership groups an efficient player development model for their Senior Teams, while increasing the likelihood of a return on that investment.

Improve Quality: Improve the standard of long-term player development programs across the United States, positively impacting every aspect of those environments & pathways.

USL ACADEMY CUP

The USL Academy Cup is an annual tournament that brings elite teams from across the country to compete in unique matchups not otherwise available in regular season play.

The USL Academy Cup emphasizes the importance of both on the field and off the field development with multiple panels throughout the weekend, scouts watching in-person and virtually, and additional activations in the Player Village. USL also promotes development for coaches, staff members, and referees by hosting a myriad of workshops and panels that emphasize player development, technical practices, educational seminars, and referee programming.

The inaugural national USL Academy Cup took place in May 2021, with 76 teams representing clubs from all levels of American soccer across the United States. The tournament has since grown to include over 140 teams across 58 unique clubs.