TL;DR: The Phoenix metro holds 14 of the Arizona records in ClubScout's data, and 6 of them have a live profile. Boys have a real choice at the top: three live clubs hold an MLS NEXT place, and all three are in central and north Phoenix. Girls have two live Girls Academy options, and the broad girls' tier below that is DPL. One club, SC Del Sol, publishes its whole fee schedule, MLS NEXT included: $2,450 a season with registration. This guide lists facts, not rankings. The right club depends on which part of the Valley you live in and which team your player is actually offered.
Are you a club director in the Phoenix area? Eight Phoenix-area records in our data are still in review, and fee information is the hardest thing for parents to find. Claim your free ClubScout profile to verify your details, publish your cost ranges, and respond to parent reviews.
How This Guide Works
We are not ranking these clubs. For each one we list what we can confirm and flag where our data runs thin. A few Phoenix clubs have rich records. Others have little beyond their league places, and we say so rather than fill the gap with guesses. Every league named next to a club below is confirmed in our database. Club websites and our own profile text sometimes name other leagues. We leave those out until they are confirmed.
Our guide on how to choose a club covers the framework, and the coach evaluation guide has the questions worth asking at every tryout. New to this? Start with recreational vs. travel soccer, the age-by-age guide, and the youth soccer glossary. For the statewide picture, including Tucson, see Club Soccer in Arizona.
Phoenix Clubs at a Glance
Listed from most to least competitive by the leagues each club holds a place in.
| Club | Leagues | Area | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| SC Del Sol | MLS NEXT, National Academy League, Girls Academy | North Phoenix, Scottsdale, Paradise Valley | 800+ players; publishes its fees |
| Phoenix Premier FC | MLS NEXT, Girls Academy, DPL | Phoenix | U7–U19, boys and girls |
| RSL Arizona | MLS NEXT, National Academy League | Phoenix | Thin record beyond leagues |
| Playmaker Futbol Academy | ECNL RL Boys, Pre-ECNL Boys | Scottsdale | Ages 4–18 in four tiers |
| RSL-AZ West Valley | DPL | Surprise | Rec through DPL; own fields |
| Phoenix Rising FC North Valley | DPL | Phoenix | Thin record beyond leagues |
Live, but not placed:
| Club | Leagues | Area | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utah Royals FC AZ | ECNL Girls, ECNL RL Girls, Pre-ECNL Girls | Not recorded | The only live ECNL Girls profile in Arizona |
For what these league names mean, see MLS NEXT, Girls Academy, ECNL, and DPL. For head-to-head comparisons, see MLS NEXT vs ECNL, ECNL vs Girls Academy, and Girls Academy vs DPL.
The thing to understand before you compare anything. Phoenix is an MLS NEXT market on the boys' side, not an ECNL one. No live Phoenix profile holds an ECNL Boys place. The two Phoenix-area records that do are still in review. On the girls' side, DPL is the broad competitive tier, and Girls Academy and ECNL Girls sit above it. When a club offers your player "our top team," ask which league it plays in. The travel, the cost, and the commitment differ a lot.
The Clubs
SC Del Sol
Location: North Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Paradise Valley area fields Leagues: MLS NEXT, National Academy League, Girls Academy Gender: Coed
The most fully described Phoenix club in our data. It serves more than 800 players across about 50 teams, from age 3 to 18. Per the club, every team at every level has a full-time professional coach, and no parent volunteers coach any team. That is unusual, and it is worth asking how it holds up at the youngest ages.
The ladder is laid out clearly. Mini Kickers runs for ages 3 and 4, and a Junior Academy for ages 4 to 10. Above that sit a competitive program, a Boys Pre-MLS NEXT tier at U11–U12, and two MLS NEXT tiers at U13–U19. The club also runs a College Advisory Program and hosts its Presidents' Day Tournament and the Desert Classic in February. President Chris Diana and Executive Director Mark Lowe lead the club.
The big one for families: SC Del Sol publishes its fees. Registration is $300 at every age. Training fees run from $900 for boys U7–U8 to $2,150 for MLS NEXT. The full schedule is in the cost section below. Girls and boys hold separate tryouts, with a page for each on the club's site.
Phoenix Premier FC
Location: Phoenix, AZ (plus a Casa Grande program) Leagues: MLS NEXT, Girls Academy, DPL Gender: Coed
Teams from U7 through U19 on both sides, with academy, competitive, and development programs. Pre MLS NEXT and Pre GA tiers sit below the top teams, so a player can move up without changing clubs. Executive Director Ramiz Sabljic also directs girls' coaching, and Bobby Smith directs the boys' side. The club follows a long-term player development model and puts development ahead of results.
On the girls' side this club holds both Girls Academy and DPL places. That gives a daughter two competitive tiers under one roof. Tryouts run as ID Sessions for the MLS NEXT and the Girls Academy and DPL programs, with registration on the club's site. The club also runs a program in Casa Grande, about 50 miles south. If you live between the two, ask which site your player's team would train at. No fees are published.
RSL Arizona
Location: Phoenix, AZ Leagues: MLS NEXT, National Academy League Gender: Boys
Two of the strongest boys' leagues on one record. Beyond the league places, our record is thin, with no confirmed training sites, staff, age groups, or fees. Several other Arizona records carry the RSL-AZ name, including RSL-AZ West Valley below. We have not confirmed how they relate. Ask the club which teams belong to this program and where they train.
Playmaker Futbol Academy
Location: Scottsdale, AZ Leagues: ECNL RL Boys, Pre-ECNL Boys Gender: Coed
A full pathway for boys and girls from age 4 to 18, in four tiers: Pre-Academy (ages 4–7), Youth Academy (ages 8–12), Competitive, and an Elite Platform. Julien Dragomir is Executive Director and Director of Coaching, and Chris Aquino directs the girls' side. The staff list is unusually detailed, with each coach's birth-year teams named.
Only the boys' places are confirmed in our league data: ECNL RL Boys and the Pre-ECNL Boys feeder below it. The club fields girls' competitive teams, so ask which league they play in. For a Scottsdale boy who is ready for competitive play but not the national tier, this is the live ECNL RL option. ECNL RL vs EDP vs NECSL explains what that tier demands.
RSL-AZ West Valley
Location: Surprise, AZ (RSL-AZ West Valley Fields) Leagues: DPL Gender: Coed
The West Valley's most complete record. The club serves Surprise, Goodyear, Peoria, Glendale, Buckeye, and Avondale, and trains at its own fields in Surprise. Our record lists no city, but the club's own text places it there.
Programs run from recreational soccer and an Excel program through an academy for U6–U10, competitive teams, futsal, and goalkeeper training. The club also runs TOPSoccer for players with disabilities, a College Advisory program, and a fund for players who cannot cover the cost. Technical Director Glen Butler holds a UEFA B license and lists 15 state championships. A license is one data point, not a quality ranking, so watch the session your kid would be in.
The confirmed competitive league here is DPL. The club's site names other pathways too, but we have not confirmed those. For West Valley families, the choice is often this club versus a Scottsdale club 35 or more miles away. Drive that route at 5:30 PM before you decide.
Phoenix Rising FC North Valley
Location: Phoenix, AZ Leagues: DPL Gender: Not recorded
A live profile with limited program detail. Two other Phoenix Rising records are in review: Phoenix Rising FC (MLS NEXT, National Academy League) and Phoenix Rising Academy (ECNL Girls, ECNL RL Girls, Pre-ECNL Girls). We have not confirmed how the three relate. Ask the club which program your player would join and what sits above it.
Utah Royals FC AZ: Live, But Not Placed
Utah Royals FC AZ holds ECNL Girls, ECNL RL Girls, and Pre-ECNL Girls places. That is a full three-tier ECNL ladder for girls, and it is the only live ECNL Girls profile in Arizona. Our record lists no city, so we cannot confirm it trains in the Phoenix metro. Its profile text also describes a boys' team, but every confirmed place is on the girls' side. Trust the confirmed places. Ask where its teams train before you plan the drive.
Phoenix Records Still in Review
These records hold confirmed league places, but their profiles are not live yet, so they are not linked here.
- Arizona Arsenal (Phoenix): ECNL Boys, ECNL Girls, ECNL RL Boys, ECNL RL Girls, Pre-ECNL Boys, Pre-ECNL Girls. A second record, Arizona Arsenal Soccer Club, holds a DPL place. They are probably one club. If so, it is one of the most complete ECNL ladders in Arizona.
- Phoenix Rising FC (Phoenix): MLS NEXT, National Academy League.
- Phoenix Rising Academy (Phoenix): ECNL Girls, ECNL RL Girls, Pre-ECNL Girls.
- CCV Stars (Peoria): ECNL Boys, ECNL RL Boys, ECNL RL Girls, Pre-ECNL Boys, Pre-ECNL Girls.
- RSL Arizona Mesa (Mesa): MLS NEXT.
- FC Arizona (Mesa): ECNL RL Boys, ECNL RL Girls, Pre-ECNL Boys, Pre-ECNL Girls.
- Arizona Soccer Club (Gilbert, per its own text): Girls Academy, DPL.
The East Valley has no live profile yet. That is a gap in our data, not an empty market. If you live in Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, or Queen Creek, call FC Arizona, RSL Arizona Mesa, and Arizona Soccer Club directly.
What Club Soccer Costs in Phoenix
One Phoenix club publishes a full fee schedule. SC Del Sol charges a $300 registration fee at every age, plus a training fee by age group:
| SC Del Sol program | Training fee | With $300 registration | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boys U13–U19 MLS NEXT Homegrown | $2,150 | $2,450 | Aug–Jun |
| Boys U13–U14 MLS NEXT Academy | $2,150 | $2,450 | Aug–Jun |
| Boys U15–U19 MLS NEXT Academy | $2,050 | $2,350 | Aug–Jun |
| U11–U12 | $1,500 | $1,800 | Aug–May |
| U9–U10 | $1,300 | $1,600 | Sep–May |
| Boys U7–U8 | $900 | $1,200 | Sep–May |
Those are club fees, not the full cost of a season. The schedule does not say what it includes, so ask about uniforms, tournament entry, and travel. Even so, $2,450 for MLS NEXT is well below what we model for that tier elsewhere. Use it as an anchor when another club quotes you a number. Our Arizona cost breakdown shows what to budget at each level.
No other Phoenix club in our data publishes a fee. The ranges below are modeled, not taken from local club sites, so treat them as a planning envelope, not a quote.
| Level | Estimated Annual Range | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| MLS NEXT | $2,350–$6,000+ | Low end published by SC Del Sol; high end modeled |
| ECNL Girls / Girls Academy | $2,500–$6,000 | Modeled |
| ECNL RL / DPL | $2,000–$4,500 | Modeled |
| U11–U12 competitive | $1,800 | Published by SC Del Sol |
| U7–U10 competitive | $1,200–$1,600 | Published by SC Del Sol |
Add uniform kit ($150–$400 in year one), tournament fees ($500–$1,500), and family travel. Conference play at the national tier can reach into California, Nevada, and Utah, so ask for last season's away schedule. One Phoenix note: summer heat moves training to early mornings, evenings, or indoor sites, and some clubs charge for indoor time separately. Ask. For the full breakdown, see our budget guide. If you have more than one player, read multiple kids in club soccer first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Phoenix club is best for boys players?
We cannot rank them, and any guide claiming to is overstating what the data supports. Here is what the data says. Three live clubs hold an MLS NEXT place: SC Del Sol, Phoenix Premier FC, and RSL Arizona. Below that, Playmaker Futbol Academy is the live ECNL RL Boys option. Watch a training session before you decide.
Which Phoenix club is best for girls players?
Two live Phoenix clubs hold a Girls Academy place: SC Del Sol and Phoenix Premier FC. Utah Royals FC AZ holds ECNL Girls, but our record does not say where it trains. DPL is the broad tier below. Phoenix Premier FC, RSL-AZ West Valley, and Phoenix Rising FC North Valley hold DPL places. See Girls Academy vs DPL and our girls club soccer guide.
When do Phoenix clubs hold tryouts?
Our records hold no confirmed tryout dates this season. Nationally, MLS NEXT and ECNL clubs can start as early as April. Phoenix Premier FC runs ID Sessions with registration on its site. SC Del Sol holds separate girls' and boys' tryouts. RSL-AZ West Valley books tryouts through its site. Check each club directly, and do not assume one window covers the Valley.
How much does the commute matter?
More than league tier, for most families. The live clubs here run from Surprise in the far West Valley to Scottsdale and Paradise Valley in the northeast, and the East Valley adds Mesa and Gilbert. A club 25 miles away can be an hour on I-17, the 101, or the 202 at 5:30 PM. Families who leave a club mid-pathway most often name the drive, not the coaching.
Can my kid play club and high school soccer?
Arizona high school soccer is a winter sport, so the overlap with the club season is real for both boys and girls. None of our Phoenix records publishes a policy, so ask each club before tryouts. See club soccer and high school soccer.
My kid isn't ready for a national-league club. What are the options?
There are good ones. Playmaker Futbol Academy holds ECNL RL Boys places. RSL-AZ West Valley and Phoenix Rising FC North Valley hold DPL places. SC Del Sol, Phoenix Premier FC, and RSL-AZ West Valley all run development and younger-age programs alongside their competitive teams. Starting a tier lower at a club with a ladder is almost always better than starting a tier too high at a club without one.
What about clubs not listed here?
Eight Phoenix-area records are still in review, and four more Arizona records have no city at all. The Arizona Soccer Association also runs the state and regional play where much of Phoenix travel soccer happens, and we do not carry those leagues club by club yet. This guide undercounts Phoenix's options, especially in the East Valley. If you are weighing a move from a current club, see when to switch clubs.
What to Do Next
- Find out which league you are actually being offered. MLS NEXT, Girls Academy, ECNL RL, and DPL are different leagues with different budgets. Ask before you plan anything else.
- Match the club to your side of the Valley. Central and north Phoenix, Scottsdale, Paradise Valley: SC Del Sol, Phoenix Premier FC, RSL Arizona, Playmaker Futbol Academy, Phoenix Rising FC North Valley. West Valley: RSL-AZ West Valley. East Valley: call the in-review clubs listed above.
- Use the published number. SC Del Sol shows what an MLS NEXT season costs in club fees here. Ask every other club for the same number, in writing.
- Ask what is excluded. Kit, tournament entries, indoor summer training, and state registration are the usual extras.
More Resources
- Club Soccer in Arizona: A Parent's Complete Guide
- How Much Does Club Soccer Cost in Arizona?
- Club Soccer in Tucson, AZ: A Guide for Parents
- How to Choose a Club Soccer Club
- How to Evaluate a Youth Soccer Coach
- Compare All Youth Soccer Leagues Side by Side
- Girls Academy vs DPL
- MLS NEXT vs ECNL: What Parents Need to Know
- ECNL vs Girls Academy: Which Path Is Right for Your Daughter?
- Club Soccer on a Budget: Under $3K/Year
- Club Soccer Age-by-Age Guide: U8 Through U18
- Youth Soccer Glossary