US Club Soccer Expanded id2 Scouting Programme

The youth development initiative now covers three age groups to better identify talent for national teams.

Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in Soccer

US Club Soccer Expanded id2 Scouting Programme

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US Club Soccer has expanded its id2 programme to include players across the U-13, U-14, and U-15 age groups. This scouting initiative utilizes a network of over 90 scouts to identify and recommend talent through the official US Soccer P3 database.

Why it matters

By broadening the age range and integrating directly with national team databases, the programme aims to widen the net for finding elite talent regardless of existing club affiliations.

The id2 programme utilizes a network of 90 scouts to evaluate players, having previously seen 12,000 athletes during the U-14 cycle. Current camp capacities include 200 players for Training Camps and 70 for Selection Camps.

The players

US Club Soccer

This is a non-profit organization that serves as an official member of the US Soccer Federation.

US Soccer

This is the governing body of soccer in the United States that oversees national teams and development initiatives.

The details

Scouts conduct evaluations across various events, including Player Development Programs, N1, and ECNL tournaments, to ensure an inclusive scouting process open to all players. Selected prospects participate in camps or an International Tour consisting of 18 girls and 18 boys.

Timeline

  1. The id2 programme has operated since 2004.

  2. US Club Soccer announced the programme expansion on October 13, 2026.

Season Trajectory

The expansion follows the standard established by the 2004 launch of the id2 programme, representing the largest structural update since that inception. This move significantly alters the pipeline for youth national team selection by standardizing scouting across three distinct age brackets.

Eligible players can now be scouted regardless of their current club affiliation or US Soccer status. Because participation in the id2 programme carries no cost for families, this expansion provides an accessible pathway for high-level recognition without financial barriers.

The takeaway

The updated scouting structure ensures that elite youth talent is identified earlier and more consistently across the country. Players should focus on performing at ECNL and N1 events to maximize their visibility to the expanded network of 90 scouts.

Further reading

For more information on talent identification, see Soccer.

Source note: This article includes information reported by Inside World Football.

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Should youth sports scouting be streamlined into a single organization to reduce complexity for families?