U.S. Soccer launches R90+ to develop the next generation of american referees. September 15, 2026 As soccer continues to grow across the United States, U.S. Soccer is investing in another important part of the game: the referees. The Federation today announced the launch of U.S. Soccer R90+, a new referee development program designed to identify and support high-potential referees as they work toward the national level and beyond. The 24-month program will give selected referees access to individualized coaching and mentoring, technical education based on the U.S. Refereeing Way, match analysis, physical preparation, performance monitoring and opportunities to officiate at national events. "Referees are essential to the growth and success of soccer in this country," said JT Batson, U.S. Soccer CEO and Secretary General. "As we continue to invest in developing the game at every level, we also have toinvest in the people who make those games possible. U.S. Soccer R90+ is an important part of that commitment and will help us develop the next generation of referees who can serve the game in communities across the country and ultimately represent the United States at its highest levels." The program will launch in U.S. Soccer's South Region, with approximately 60 referees expected to participate in the initial cohort before expanding into additional regions. Participants will include regional referees as well as select high-performing referees demonstrating readiness to progress toward the regional level. Referees will be identified through nominations, performance information, scouting, match reports and video analysis. "We have talented referees everywhere in this country," said Kari Seitz, U.S. Soccer Senior Vice President, Head of Refereeing. "Our responsibility is to make sure geography does not determine who gets the opportunity to develop. U.S. Soccer R90+ allows us to identify promising referees earlier, know them better and surround them with the coaching, education, experiences and personal support that can help them reach their potential." With more people playing and watching soccer across the country, a strong referee community is essential at every level of the game. U.S. Soccer is working to create greater consistency in how referees are educated, coached, evaluated and supported while strengthening connections between local, regional, national and professional environments. Ultimately, U.S. Soccer R90+ is about giving referees the tools, resources and support to continue growing - wherever their pathway takes them. "Some referees will reach the professional or international game; others will become outstanding referees and leaders within their communities," Seitz said. "Both matter. Our goal is to create an environment where talented people can see a pathway, understand what is required and have the opportunity to keep reaching higher." The first cohort will begin its development program later this year, with additional regions planned as the program expands nationally.

US Soccer moves to reform youth football with USYS takeover. 1st September 2026 September 1 - US Soccer has moved a step closer to a historic takeover of the US Youth Soccer Association, a move many see as a significant step toward reforming the fractured American youth landscape. State Associations voted at their Annual General Meeting on August 29 to approve the change, which will see US Soccer become the sole voting member of USYS from September 1, beginning a two-year integration process toward full operational absorption by 2028. It's part of the federation's long running effort to build a more coherent, less fragmented youth system. For anyone who cares about grassroots football, this matters enormously. The American youth soccer landscape has long been a patchwork, hard to navigate, expensive, and disjointed. Bringing USYS's decades of local reach together with US Soccer's national scale and resources is exactly the kind of structural reform the game has needed. US Soccer CEO JT Batson called it "a defining moment for the future of soccer in America." He was quick to honour those who built the foundation. "For decades, USYS and its State Associations have helped make the game happen in communities across the country," he said, pledging to bring federation resources "closer to those communities so that we can help more kids play." USYS board chair Tina Rincon said members had taken "a historic step to make the game more affordable and accessible to kids and their families." President Cindy Parlow Cone stressed the local knowledge State Associations bring. The promise is more access, easier navigation and clearer pathways. Get this right, and American soccer takes a genuine step forward.

Pride on the Pitch: A World Cup conversation with Briana Scurry. On June 29, 2026, the Atlanta Fulton County Recreation Authority (AFCRA) teamed up with Athlete Ally and U.S. Soccer to host Pride on the Pitch, a fireside chat celebrating the intersection of the FIFA World Cup in Atlanta and Pride Month. Hundreds of Atlanta residents and visitors gathered at State Farm Arena as National Soccer Hall of Famer and two-time Olympic gold medalist Briana Scurry sat down with Athlete Ally Founder and Executive Director Hudson Taylor. Stream the conversation: In 1996, as Atlanta hosted the Summer Olympics, Briana Scurry helped lead the U.S. Women's National Team to the first Olympic gold medal ever awarded in women's soccer - in front of a record-setting crowd at Sanford Stadium, in a moment that changed the sport forever. Thirty years later, the world returned, and so did she. "The Atlanta Games gave me one of the proudest moments of my career. To come back during a World Cup summer - and during Pride Month - to talk about what we're building for the next generation of LGBTQ+ athletes feels like a full-circle moment I'll never take for granted," said Scurry. Scurry is one of the most decorated goalkeepers in the history of the game. Her career spans two Olympic gold medals, the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup championship, and a 2017 induction into the National Soccer Hall of Fame, where she became the first Black woman and the first openly gay player ever enshrined. "Briana didn't just change what was possible on the field - she changed what was possible for athletes who refuse to hide who they are. At a moment when LGBTQ+ athletes are under real attacks, Athlete Ally is proud to stand with the people of Atlanta in highlighting Bri's story, and the story of so many like her around the world," said Taylor. During the evening, the Steering Committee of the Atlanta LGBTQ+ Community Center Initiative presented AFCRA Executive Director Kerry Stewart with the inaugural Lynn Barfield Ally of the Year Award, citing his unwavering dedication to the initiative's success - consistently going above and beyond to advance the mission and ensure the team has the resources it needs to make an LGBTQ+ community center in Atlanta a reality. "Atlanta has always called itself the city too busy to hate, and this summer, with the World Cup and Pride Month converging, we get to prove it. As we work to build Atlanta's next-generation LGBTQ+ community center, a night like this is a preview of the belonging we're trying to make permanent," said Stewart. Pride on the Pitch was the first programmatic preview from the Atlanta LGBTQ+ Community Center Initiative - a bold effort to create a permanent home for connection, care, and community. Led by AFCRA, the initiative brings together public, private, and community partners to build a space worthy of Atlanta. Event partners included Showcase Atlanta and All Stripes. The full conversation can be streamed at vimeo.com/1206262986.