ECNL: Preview - Everything You Need to Know About ECNL Phoenix

Staff Writer
Mar 24
2 min read

NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com

PHOENIX, Ariz. — The ECNL Girls are set to descend upon the desert for the final time this season as ECNL Phoenix kicks off this weekend, March 27–29. Hosted at the Reach 11 Sports Complex, the three-day showcase will feature 302 teams from across the country, spanning the U12 through U17 age groups.

The event serves as a premier platform for collegiate scouting and elite competition, guaranteeing every participating team three games against top-tier opponents from outside their primary conferences.

Friday Night Lights: Continental Tire National Selection Game

The weekend’s marquee event arrives early with the Continental Tire ECNL National Selection Game on Friday, March 27. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 PM local time on Field 5.

This "all-star" match features top players identified by ECNL staff through recent scouting and club recommendations. To ensure peak performance, selected athletes are rested from club competition on Friday to prepare for this representative showcase.

Roster Highlights:

East Selection: Includes standouts such as Morgan Ackermann (Eastside FC), Cali Smith (PDA Blue), and Avery Sleeth (Seattle United).
West Selection: Features local talent like Piper Garvin (Arizona Arsenal) and Brennan Wolfe (Phoenix Rising), alongside Lilly Yakel (Portland Thorns) and Ella Zirney (So Cal Blues).

The U14 Spotlight: Scouting the Future

In a significant collaboration with the US Club Soccer id2 Program, Saturday night will feature a U14 Spotlight Game at 6:00 PM. This initiative focuses on identification for youth national teams, utilizing a combination of director recommendations and on-field scouting from the event’s opening day.

The id2 staff will be on-site Friday to evaluate talent in real-time, finalizing a roster of the best U14 athletes at the event for a stadium-style, live-streamed match on Saturday evening.

Event Essentials

Dates: March 27–29, 2026
Location: Reach 11 Sports Complex | Phoenix, Arizona
Age Groups: U12, U13, U14, U15, U16, and U17.
Streaming: Both the National Selection Game (Friday) and the U14 Spotlight Game (Saturday) will be available for live streaming via the ECNL website.
Schedule: Full game times and pitch assignments are available on the ECNL app.

With hundreds of teams and thousands of athletes in attendance, ECNL Phoenix represents one of the final major opportunities of the spring for players to showcase their development on a national stage.

Upcoming Coverage: Stay tuned for post-game recaps and standout performer lists following the conclusion of the National Selection Game and Saturday's Spotlight matchups.