One Alliance. Endless Opportunities.
About GLA NPL & GLA Premier
The Great Lakes Alliance, a US Club National Premier League, is currently in its seventh season covering Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Western New York, West Virginia as well as Western and Central Pennsylvania.
For the 2025-2026 season, Great Lakes Alliance will be a 10U to 19U regional soccer league for both boys and girls. 10Us through 14Us will begin play in the fall. 15Us to 19Us will begin after the high school season. The GLA has 2 divisions, GLA NPL and GLA Premier for 10U to 19U.
The GLA NPL and GLA Premier will encompass teams from Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Upstate New York as well as Central and Western Pennsylvania. The conferences will be divided geographically to try to minimize travel as much as possible.
Game Lengths
- 7v7 10U 30 minute halves
- 9v9 11U-12U 30 minute halves
- 11v11 13U-14U 40 minute halves
- 11v11 15U-16U 40 minute halves
- 11v11 17U-19U 45 minute halves
If you are interested in officiating this league please contact us.
If you are a referee for this league please view our Letter to Referees here.
REFEREE FEES FOR 2025/2026 SEASON
- 10U 1 Referee total $60
- 11U-12U $70/$45/$45 total $160
- 13U-14U $80/$50/$50 total $180
- 15U-16U $90/$55/$55 total $200
- 17U-19U $100/$65/$65 total $230
Scheduling Meetings:
- Scheduling and General Meetings
- U14 & Younger
- August 3, 2025: 2:00 PM at Holiday in Rockside Rd, Independence OH
- U15 & Older
- October 12, 2025: 2:00 PM at TBD Canton, Ohio
- U14 & Younger
Fall Crossovers (10U–14U)
All teams are required to attend.
Weekend 1:
📍 Canton and Hudson, Ohio
📅 September 6–7, 2025Weekend 2:
📍 Erie, Pennsylvania OR Dayton, Ohio
📅 September 20–21, 2025
Spring Crossovers (10U–14U)
All teams are required to attend.
10U–12U
📍 Canton, Ohio
📅 March 14–15, 2026
(2 games per day)
13U–14U
📍 Canton, Ohio
📅 February 21–22, 2026
📅 March 21–22, 2026
(1 game per day)
GLA_NPL College Showcases (15U–19U)
All GLA_NPL and GLA Premier teams are required to attend.
Girls Showcase
📍 ForeverLawn, Canton, Ohio
📅 February 28 – March 1, 2026
(1 game per day)Boys Showcase
📍 ForeverLawn, Canton, Ohio
📅 March 7–8, 2026
(1 game per day)
Postseason Dates
GLA Playoffs
- 📍 Hall of Fame Village Sports Complex – Canton, Ohio
📅 May 30–31, 2026
Midwest Regionals
- 📍 Libertyville, Illinois (near Chicago) – typically at Waukegan Sports Park / Libertyville Township Soccer Complex
📅 Late June 2026
NPL Finals
- 📍 Commerce City, Colorado
📅 Late June or July 2026 (Exact dates TBD by US Club Soccer)
Important Information for Club Leadership
Bracket Freeze Dates
- Any Bracket changes after July 15th for U10 to U14 prior to scheduling will be a $500 fee. • Any Bracket changes after October 1st for U15 to U19 prior to scheduling will be a $500 fee.
Scheduling Deadline
- U10 to U14 – All games must be scheduled and reported to the GLA no later than Sept. 15, 2025 • U15 to U19 – All games must be scheduled and reported to the GLA no later than Dec. 1, 2025
Schedule Freeze Dates
– Fall Schedule: Frozen on September 15
Games Scheduled to be played before Dec. 31, 2025 must be agreed and entered before this date.
– Spring Schedule: Frozen on February 15
Games Scheduled to be played after January 1, 2026 must be agreed and entered before this date. – All games must be scheduled to be played before May 20, 2026
Game Change Policy
- After schedules are frozen, both teams must agree on any game changes.
- All changes must be submitted at least 14 days prior to the scheduled match.
- Game Change Fee: $50 per game
Postponements, Cancellations & No-Shows
Notice Period Before Match Fee Additional Costs
Under 14 Days $250 Field + Ref Fees
Within 72 Hours $500 Field + Ref Fees
Within 48 Hours $750 Field + Ref Fees
Within 24 Hours / No-Show $1000 + Forfeit Field + Ref Fees
Weather Postponements
- In case of weather or field closure, the home team must reschedule.
- The league must be notified on the day of postponement.
- Both teams must agree on a new date, time, and location.
- If not rescheduled within 10 days, each team will be charged $125. If one of the teams is non-responsive to rescheduling the match, that team will be responsible for the $250.
Payment Reminder
All fees must be paid in full before the schedule is updated.
Registration is required of all players participating in US Club Soccer-operated or -sanctioned programming. Players who are not currently registered with US Club Soccer are not allowed to participate in US Club Soccer programming.
Learn more here.
Postseason
Postseason opportunities in the Great Lakes Alliance (GLA) offer a clear pathway to high-level regional and national competition for both GLA NPL and GLA Premier teams. At the conclusion of the league season, GLA NPL and Premier top-performing teams in each division earn the chance to compete in the GLA Playoffs, held May 30–31, 2026, at the Hall of Fame Village Sports Complex in Canton, Ohio. In the playoff format, the top two teams from each conference face off in semifinals (1st seed vs. 2nd seed from the opposite conference), with winners advancing to the championship game. These playoffs not only determine league champions but also serve as qualifiers for major national events.
GLA NPL Division champions in the 13U through 19U age groups advance to the prestigious NPL Finals, set for late June or July 2026 in Commerce City, Colorado. This national-level event brings together top NPL teams from across the country for a highly competitive championship tournament.
GLA Premier Division champions in the same age groups qualify for the US Club Soccer Midwest Regionals, which will take place in Libertyville, Illinois, in late June. Both pathways offer elite competition and valuable exposure, with the NPL Finals representing the pinnacle of the league’s national platform and the Midwest Regionals serving as a major regional title event within the National Cup structure.
