What is the California Regional League?

• The California Regional League is a division of the US Youth Soccer Far West Regional League which consists of the fourteen (14) western state associations.
• The US Youth Soccer Region IV Council recently voted to restructure the league into localized divisions to reduce costs, eliminate excessive travel and foster better competition. The Far West Regional League will be divided into three divisions comprised of 1) the California Division: Cal South and Cal North; 2) the Four Corners Division: New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Utah and Southern Nevada; and 3) the Northern Division : Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Hawaii, Alaska and Northern Nevada.
• The California Division will receive two placements in the US Youth Soccer Far West Regional Championships. The Four Corners Division and Northern Division will each receive one position.

What are the benefits of playing in the California Regional League?

• Top competition in the state. You will be playing the best clubs and teams within each age group in the state of California.
• Less travel and lower costs to the players and parents, local travel with one showcase event in Northern California and one showcase in Southern California.
• Playing for placement in the US Youth Soccer Far West Regional Championships and qualification to the US Youth Soccer National League.
• Exposure to U.S. Soccer National Team staff, top college coaches, Region IV ODP staff, Cal North ODP staff and Cal South Pro+ scouts at the two annual showcase events.
• Team travel subsidies to the US Youth Soccer Far West Regional Championships.

Who can participate in the California Regional League?

• The California Regional League is open to the top club teams throughout Southern and Northern California that have earned their invitation through performance on the field.
• There is a Southern California bracket and a Northern California bracket, with interplay between brackets at two annual showcase events.

How is the California Regional League structured?

• The California Regional League has U12-18 age groups for boys and girls. The U12-U14 age groups will each have 12 team brackets. The U15-U18 age groups will each have 8 team brackets.

How does a club or team earn an invitation?

• All teams qualify at their respective State Association level.

Cal South U12-U14 teams qualify as follows:

• The eight quarterfinalists in Cal South National Cup earn eligibility. For U12, this is the U11 bracket in the Sports Authority State Cup Presidents Division.
• The eight teams defeated in the round of 16 in Cal South National Cup earn an invitation to play in for the final four league slots. For U12, this is the U11 bracket in the Sports Authority State Cup Presidents Division.
• Four teams will be selected by the California Regional League Advisory Group as at-large candidates invited to play in for the final four league slots.
• At the August Showcase, the twelve play-in teams will be placed in four brackets of three teams each by blind draw. The four winners of round-robin bracket play will move into the final four league slots.

Cal South U15-U18 teams qualify as follows:

• The four semi-finalists in Cal South National Cup earn eligibility.
• The four teams defeated in Cal South National Cup quarterfinals earn an invitation to play in for the final four league slots.
• Eight teams will be selected by the California Regional League Advisory Group as at-large candidates invited to play in for the final four league slots.
• At the August Showcase, the twelve play-in teams will be placed in four brackets of three teams each by blind draw. The four winners of round-robin bracket play will move into the final four league slots.

What is the selection process for at large play-in teams?

• Selection will be determined by, but not limited to, Cal South National Cup play record, League play record and established criteria which relates to their accomplishments on the field of play. Applications for at-large submissions will be opened based on the timeline listed below.

Are there specific annual requirements the clubs and teams must meet in order to participate in the California Regional League on an annual basis?

• Yes. Each club and team must adhere to the standards of participation as outlined by their respective State Association. For the Cal South clubs and teams, the following requirements must be met.

- They are a member in good standing.
- Annual participation in a Cal South Sanctioned Competitive League.
- Annual participation in the Cal South National Cup tournament. (*For future U12 teams, this would be the Sports Authority State Cup Presidents Division).

When does the California Regional League start?

• The season kicks off with an opening showcase in August 2013 in Southern California. The showcase will feature games between Cal South and Cal North teams,as well as the play-in for Cal South teams looking to secure final league spots.

How many games will be played and what will be the cost?

• California Regional League teams will play a maximum of 18 games in league and showcase competition between August 2013 and May 2014.
• The cost is $2,500 per team. This includes the showcase events and all referee fees. All inclusive, so you can focus on performance.
• For teams playing in to try and qualify for the league, there is a $250 deposit which will cover all costs for participation in the play-in August Showcase.

Can Cal South and Cal North teams opt to participate in other Far West Regional League divisions outside of the California Regional League?

• No. Cal South and Cal North teams play in the California Regional League.

At any point do you play against the other divisions of the Far West Regional League?

• There will be one to two optional showcase events which will feature the other divisions of the US Youth Soccer Far West Regional League divisions: the Four Corners and Northern Divisions.

When will invitations and the application process begin?

• May 24: Official invitations sent out to automatically qualified teams.
• May 24: Open period for at-large entry applications begins.
• June 7: Period for automatic qualifier entry applications closes. $1,000 deposit required.
• June 14: Period for at-large entry applications closes. $250 deposit required.
• June 21: Announcement of participating teams for the play-in round and the 2013-2014 season.

What is the philosophy of the California Regional League?

• The philosophy of the California Regional League is simple – performance matters. This is a competitive forum for the top clubs and teams in the state of California. Performance matters both in terms of being eligible to participate and from a developmental perspective. We believe that a select number of high-level games over a period of time in a quality environment fuels player development. It is also our belief that the existing regional and national programs have become far too expensive for the clubs, teams and families, and the level of competition is inconsistent. We believe the top competition and opportunities for exposure exist right here in the state of California. Welcome to the California Regional League.