Touchline Transition: Adapting U.S. College Soccer to Global Best Practices

Today I am going to use my experience as a current international playing college soccer in the U.S. to suggest some changes that could improve the game at the college level. If you like what you read, feel free to check out my blog.

Joseph McInnes follow @McinnesJoe Last Updated: January 8, 2024.

Playing College Soccer has been one of the best experiences in my life so far, but in my four years playing, I have always had something in the back of my mind telling me that it could be so much better. As my former (Scottish) Junior College coach once remarked, “You don’t play football out here, you play SOCCER”. And no, this wasn’t a snide joke at the word “Soccer”, but rather highlighting the different version of the sport that takes place at the collegiate level in the United States.



The biggest issue with College Soccer is the length of the competitive season, as you will struggle to find any league (regardless of its level) that lasts any less than 8-9 months, so for the college season to last only 4 months in its entirety is a huge issue. For international players like myself, it is a massive shock to from playing anywhere from 35-50 games per season through league and cup games, to a mere 25 college games if you are lucky, with these games being crammed into a very short timeframe, thus creating a heavy load for the athletes. It makes sense on almost every level to expand the competitive season across both fall and spring, as competitive games are the most efficient way to accelerate player development, and allowing them to play every week would give them the best chance to develop consistently. Having played USL League Two (a semi-professional summer league) the past two summers, let me tell you, that first game in May feels a little strange considering it is the first competitive match that college players have played in 5-6 months.



It would be extremely simple to stretch out the season by reducing the number of games per week to one, from August–May with a winter break for 2-3 weeks over the festive season. Teams might lose seniors to International tams and the MLS Super Draft, but early enrolees that are true freshmen would benefit playing an entire calander year of soccer from August to May. Unerclassmen that get drafted, but choose to return to college would also beneift under the format I'm proposing.



This would also help to improve the quality of the Soccer on display, as players naturally get more familiar with their teammates the more that they play together, as well as allowing coaches more time with their players to implement their tactical ideas. Another possibility that could be explored through an extended season is that of a multi-divisional cup competition. Think of an NCAA v NAIA v NJCAA straight knockout regional competition. It would bring a newfound level of excitement to the college game, as well as give players at the so-called lower divisions the chance to excel against top opposition and create opportunities for themselves.



The ability to make roll-on roll-off subs at the collegiate level gives a very juvenile feel to what is such a high-level competition. If such rules are not present at the professional level, then they have no place in the college game either. The various governing bodies of college soccer have made recent strives to improve college soccer by getting rid of ridiculous rules, such as the sin bin for yellow cards, but it would make perfect sense and take very little effort to align the rules with those of FIFA.



Taking the aforementioned steps would be a great starting point for enhancing broadcasting and exposure of college soccer to global markets, with soccer fans across the globe more inclined to watch a product that they are familiar with, without the addition of weird rules. It is also merely common sense to expect increased viewing figures and interest in a competition that is almost year-round as opposed to a measly 4 months. The NCAA does a pretty good job of selling its product to streaming networks such as ESPN+ nationally, yet in Europe, there is virtually no coverage of college soccer whatsoever. This is a double-edged sword, harming both the players, as it is much more difficult to get any international exposure, and the governing bodies are failing to gain a slice of the international soccer viewership market.