So your child wants to play soccer? Congratulations! It’s a great game to develop sportsmanship, confidence, coordination, teamwork, and more. Read on to learn more.

Recreational or Competitive?

For very young children or children just beginning to play soccer, it’s a good idea to start out with recreational soccer as opposed to competitive soccer. Through rec soccer, you’ll be able to gauge whether your child even likes the sport. There are many recreational soccer leagues throughout Albuquerque. However, we recommend our sister organization, AYSO Core. With teams across the metro, you’re sure to find one near you.

When deciding whether to enroll your child in competitive soccer or not, a very important question to ask yourself is “Does your child want to play, or do you want them to play?” While competitive soccer is still fun, players on club teams are expected to take the game more seriously and commit at a higher level. So it’s important that your child wants to be there.

Ages

Competitive soccer within the Duke City League here in Albuquerque begins at age 8. If your child is under 8, consider a recreational league such as AYSO Core.

You may have seen the age designations for teams such as 9U, 10U, 11U, etc. But what does that mean? Soccer players are assigned to teams based upon their birth year. The youth soccer calendar in the United States runs from January-December. So it does not coordinate with a child’s grade in school.

For the 2023-24 season, a 12U team, for example, all the players are born in 2012. They will all be 11 years old (or under 12) during the year the season begins (2023).

Leagues and Clubs

If you’ve determined your player is ready for competitive play, there are many options within the Albuquerque area. New Mexico Youth Soccer is the umbrella organization for all youth soccer in our state. There are two soccer leagues (Duke City and Northwest Rio Grande) in the Albuquerque Metro as well as some independent clubs/academies that are not part of a league. You can see them all here. AYSO United is one of the biggest competitive clubs in New Mexico and play in the Duke City Soccer League.

When choosing a club, you’ll want to keep a few things in mind: cost, coaching expertise, and club culture. We believe, when taking those factors into account, AYSO United is the best choice. Our club aims to provide excellent value for money and our coaches are some of the most qualified in the state. The AYSO philosophies we adhere to ensure that our club culture is one of respect and sportsmanship.

Rules

If you’re newer to soccer, you’ll want to brush up on the rules (or laws of the game). Don’t worry. You’ll be able to explain the off-side rule in no time.

Bernalillo Soccer Complex

Most, if not all, of our games take place at the Pueblo of Santa Ana Soccer Complex, located at 1001 Tamaya Blvd., Bernalillo, NM 87004. This complex features 22 fields. Parking within the complex is $5 per car. Check your soccer schedule to find out what field you play on. And find a map of the complex here.