How NCAA Roster Rules Will Affect Soccer Players Going Forward

Over the summer of 2024, there were a few changes in college soccer that will have some massive ripple effects: specifically, the number of scholarship spots available are now aligned with roster limits for D1 programs. While this will likely increase the number of scholarships available for both men’s and women’s programs, this reduces a lot of program’s roster sizes as they are capped at 28 players (many programs had 35 players beforehand).

Going forward, roster size will vary by school (it’s related to how much revenue sharing will be done with the soccer programs within each school), but we could be seeing some rosters shrink to 18-24 players because of this rule. Most of the teams now at 35+ are likely to keep the max, but his means that there are going to be a lot of players in college now that will be transferring before the 2025 season.

The Trickle-Down Effect in Program With The New Roster Limits

With many of the top D1 programs carrying 35 players, if they drop down to 22 next season, there are 13 players on that team that will be looking for a new program next season. Multiply that by every school and you are going to see some massive shifts – players from Power 4 programs will be looking to join Mid-Majors, who will cut more players to make space for those Power 4 players. Those former Mid-Major players will be looking to move down to smaller DI programs or DII. And so on.

All of this to say, there likely are not going to be many roster spots available for players graduating high school in the Spring of 2025. The same will likely be true for players graduating high school in the Spring of 2026.

What The Roster Rules Mean For Players Looking to Play College Soccer

For the next few years, this is going to be tough. But what you have to do is Chart Your Own Path. While it’s immensely frustrating, look at what options you have and what you’re willing to do.

Look at widening your scope. There are many smaller D1 schools as well as tons of D2 and D3 schools in addition to Junior Colleges that have excellent soccer programs and will give you a great education. Then, with the transfer portal, it is easier than ever to transfer to a new program if you crush it at a smaller program for a year or two.

If you are more adventurous, look at getting some trials with lower division teams in Spain or Portugal, and attending university there. If that is overwhelming, look at taking a gap year and coaching younger teams at your current club for a year while training and then work to get some offers for the following season.

Learn a new position to add more value – with smaller rosters, there will be a premium on players that can play in multiple spots on the field.  

It comes down to something we bring up with our mentees regularly – the importance of resiliency. This change is throwing a lot of players’ plans into the air – both current and future college athletes. How quickly you adapt to the current reality will determine how far you go.

If you are looking for help to figure out the next step, feel free to reach out. We are here for you.