SUPER GROUP: Top 10 Powerhouses Set for High-Stakes Showdown
The U16 Super Group includes seven of the top 10 nationally ranked teams from the DPL National Rankings and DPLO Rankings. Split across four groups, this is widely considered the most competitive field in DPL Finals history.
Group A features perennial national contender Sting SC 09G (Ranked No. 4), who come in with a record of 16-1-1 and a +54 goal differential. They’re joined by Rebels SC IE (No. 6), a balanced team known for quick transitions and physical play. Rounding out the group are OCLN 09G (No. 11) and LFA Blue Star Premier (No. 17), two clubs who posted undefeated spring seasons in their respective conferences.
Group B boasts two offensive juggernauts in Ginga FC Elite (No. 9), who average nearly 4 goals per game, and Arizona SC (No. 8), who recorded 14 wins this season and feature one of the most productive forward lines in the league. They’ll face Inter Atlanta FC (No. 14), fresh off a regional title, and Central Coast Academy (No. 12), who allowed fewer than 10 goals all season.
Group C includes Georgia Impact Elite (No. 7), who have not conceded more than one goal in a game since early March. They are joined by Cali Rise (No. 10), a program with a well-known technical identity and high possession stats, FC Dutchmen Freedom (No. 15), and Rangers FC (No. 20), known for their disciplined back line.
Group D may be the most difficult to predict. Albion SC Santa Monica (No. 2) enters as the highest-ranked team in the bracket, featuring a 15–1–1 record and a league-best +49 goal differential. They’ll square off with GFI 09G (No. 3), Colorado Rush East (No. 19), and Western United Pioneers (No. 13), forming one of the most closely matched groups in the tournament.
The top team from each group will advance to the semifinals on Saturday, June 28. The national champion will be crowned on Sunday, June 29.
CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION: Ambition Meets Opportunity
The U16 Championship Division offers a competitive and meaningful stage for a dozen clubs on the rise. Divided into two groups of five, the teams here are not only seeking silverware—but recognition.
Group A is led by Tophat 09 (GA), one of the most well-organized sides in the Southeast. Despite narrowly missing out on Super Group inclusion, Tophat has posted a 12–3–2 record this season and has allowed just six goals in its last eight matches. They are joined by Colorado Rush North, a program with a strong tradition of technical development, and CFYSC 2009 Premier (FL), who return to the DPL Finals after finishing top-three in their conference.
SoCal Elite FC adds West Coast grit to the group, having gone unbeaten in seven of their final eight matches. Rounding out Group A is JIYSC 09G, a DPLO qualifier that surged late in the spring season and earned their spot in Minneapolis through strong defensive performances.
Group B features WFF 09G (FL), a high-energy team that has quietly posted an 11–3–3 record this year while averaging over 2.8 goals per match. They’ll face off against Wasatch SC (UT), a program with one of the deepest 2009 rosters in the Mountain region, and Mass City SC (MA), who qualified for the Finals on the back of a strong second-half surge.
Two DPLO standouts round out Group B: Albion SC Riverside and CR 09G. Albion SC Riverside enters as one of the most disciplined teams in the DPLO ranks, with several players reportedly on college radars already. CR 09G, based in COLORADO, has led their conference in both goals scored and goal differential.
Only the top team from each group will advance to the championship match, scheduled for Sunday, June 29.
COLLEGE COACHES TAKE NOTICE
With recruitment officially opening for the Class of 2027 later this summer, many of the players on the field this week will be evaluated live for the first time. For athletes in both the Super Group and Championship Division, the exposure to college programs offers real opportunity—and the DPL Finals provide the structure, quality, and visibility needed to stand out.
Every match is recorded and shared through digital scouting platforms, allowing performances here in Minneapolis to echo far beyond the final whistle.
As the tournament kicks off, players will compete not just for trophies—but for futures.
