Playing elite youth soccer in the United States can cost families thousands of dollars each year, and Alex Morgan believes that’s where the real problem starts. Following the USMNT’s 4-1 Round of 16 exit against Belgium, the World Cup winner pointed to the country’s pay-to-play system as one of the biggest obstacles to developing future stars.

“I think it’s all about the youth system… and in a lot of ways, been made like a business. And I really want the youth system, that’s really fractured right now, to be repaired and really harness kids growing up and getting and giving them opportunities,” said the former USWNT forward.

Her concern comes because families continue spending thousands of dollars every year just to keep their child at a competitive level. That growing financial burden has become one of the biggest talking points surrounding the future of American soccer. 

“Unfortunately, the pay-to-play model, I believe, is getting worse in soccer than when I played competitive soccer (growing up). It’s a very inexpensive sport, and the fact that we’ve made youth soccer in the U.S. more of a business than a grassroots sport is, I think, detrimental to the growth of the sport in the U.S.,” is what she also said back in 2019 when she was actually still playing.  

Young players develop their touch, movement, and decision-making through years of training sessions and games. But in America, that journey is mostly paid for by families instead of the clubs developing those players. Club dues, travel, hotels, tournaments, uniforms, equipment, and private coaching usually come straight from parents’ pockets throughout the season. 

That cost keeps rising as players move higher through the youth soccer system across the States.  

Recreational soccer usually costs between $100 and $600 every year, making early participation possible for many families. But competitive travel soccer ranges from $1,500 to $6,000, and that is before we add hotels, flights, and tournament costs.  

A study from Money.com showed that, other than spending that much in the competitive range, they also spent an additional $8,900 per year. It almost put the total cost at around $20,000. 

Elite pathways like ECNL and MLS NEXT reach between $8,000 and $15,000 per year, and that is before we add the additional cost of travel and other things. 

We have to understand that not every family can afford to spend over $20,000 every year for a single child. The system is such that the more you pay, the better opportunities you get. And this means that talented players can’t afford to move into other sports. 

And until that system changes, consistently challenging teams like Argentina, Spain, and France will remain an enormous challenge.