The U.S. Soccer Federation on Tuesday established a committee tasked with recommending how the college game can be better integrated with the sport.
Top college teams play about 18-25 games per season and the importance of college soccer to men’s professional teams has lessened as more top talent goes through team academy systems and not college. The college game allows unlimited substitutions and for clock stoppages.
The USSF said the committee will produce a report with recommendations by the start of the 2025-26 academic year and is to suggest initiatives for possible implementation as early as 2026-27.
“College soccer is integral to the fabric and future of our sport in this country,” USSF CEO JT Batson said in a statement. “The individuals joining this group bring unique perspectives and expertise that will help us build a model where college soccer can thrive in a modern, connected system — all working collaboratively in service to soccer.”
Former Deloitte Consulting CEO Dan Helfrich will chair the committee, which includes former Major League Soccer president Mark Abbott, United Soccer League Championship president Jeremy Alumbaugh, Warner Bros. Discovery Sport executive Craig Barry, USSF technical development committee chair Mike Cullina, Davidson athletic director Chris Clunie, MLS executive Ali Curtis, Seattle Sounders owner Adrian Hanauer, former LA Galaxy president Chris Klein, Penn State athletic director Patrick Kraft, Kansas City Current co-owner Angie Long, agent Richard Motzkin, high-performance specialist Ryan Nelson, University of Maryland president Darryll Pines, NWSL executive Sarah Jones Simmer, Coca-Cola executive Amber Steele, Bank of America executive David Tyrie and Syracuse athletic director John Wildhack.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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