How to use
- 1Type the player’s year of birth.
- 2Select the season, for example 2026–27.
- 3Read the age group and the age the player turns in the season’s second year.
- 4Check the table of birth years for every group from U6 to U21.
How U-age groups are calculated
In UEFA youth competitions and in US Soccer’s birth-year system, a U-x group is open to players born on or after 1 January of the season’s second year minus x. For the 2026–27 season the second year is 2027, so U17 means born in 2010 or later, U15 born in 2012 or later and U13 born in 2014 or later. Put simply: age group = 2027 − birth year. A player born in 2014 is in U13 and may usually play up in U14, U15 and older groups.
Different cut-off dates
Not every country uses 1 January. In England the FA groups youth football by school year with a 1 September cut-off, so children born from September to December are placed with the following year’s group. Some US high-school and club leagues use their own dates too. Check your league handbook before registering; this calculator follows the 1 January rule.
Always confirm with your club
Leagues set their own rules on playing up, dispensations for late developers and mixed-age teams, and they can change from season to season. Use the table as a quick reference (rule as published by UEFA and US Soccer, checked for 2026) and confirm eligibility with your club secretary or league before a player is registered.
Frequently asked questions
What age group is a 2014-born player in 2026-27?
U13 under the 1 January cut-off (2027 − 2014 = 13). They can usually also play up in older groups.
What does U12 mean?
Under 12: players who will not be older than 12 in the season’s second calendar year, i.e. born in 2015 or later for 2026–27.
Does the birth month matter?
Not with a 1 January cut-off; only the birth year counts. In leagues with a 1 September cut-off, such as England’s, the month does matter.
Can a player play in a younger age group?
Normally not. Playing up is generally allowed, but playing down needs a special dispensation from the league.
Need a website for your club?
Fast, SEO-friendly websites and Google Ads management for sports clubs, academies and gyms — talk to Webin Agency.