AURORA, COLORADO – The Elite Clubs National League is closing another season, this time with a much greater share of the top clubs in the country and a better format for its finals.

Beginning Thursday, quarterfinal knockout rounds will be played in four age groups for the ECNL finals, U15 through U18. Having completed its most ambitious regular season schedule yet, the teams and coaches are gathered here in the Denver area for both the knockout rounds and the showcase matches, involving all teams in both the top and bottom brackets.

ECNL uses promotion and relegation between its two flights per age group. While the top and bottom teams in each flight from the regular season have already been promoted and relegated respectively, a four-team promotion/relegation round robin is also scheduled for this weekend, with the top two teams from each quartet ending up in the top flight for next year, and the bottom two assigned to Group B.

We are on hand for each day of action, focusing on the championship brackets but also keeping an eye out on the outlying fields and other newsworthy goings on here as coaches and directors gather to discuss the ECNL future. There are a ton of women’s college coaches here as well.

Here is the schedule for the championship bracket quarterfinal matches Thursday.

U15
PDA vs. Carmel United
San Diego Surf vs. Slammers FC
Lonestar SC vs. Eclipse Select
Mustang SC vs. West Coast FC

U16
Eclipse Select vs. Real So Cal
Real Colorado vs. FC Virginia
CASL vs. Michigan Hawks
Concorde Fire vs. Scorpions SC

U17
San Diego Surf vs. Minnesota Thunder
PDA vs. Albertson Fury
FC Stars of Mass vs. Mustang SC
Challenge SC vs. Solar SC

U18
Lonestar SC vs. Ohio Premier
FC Stars of Mass vs. KCFC Alliance
Eclipse Select vs. San Diego Surf
SC Del Sol vs. Bethesda SC

Promotion/Relegation Picture by Age Group

U15
Automatic Promotion B to A: KCFC Alliance, Sereno SC
Automatic Relegation A to B: Ohio Premier Eagles, FC Virginia
Playoff Pool: San Juan SC, Real Colorado, FC Dallas, Atlanta Fire United

U16
Automatic Promotion B to A: FC DELCO, Carmel United
Automatic Relegation A to B: Charlotte Soccer Academy, Solar SC
Playoff Pool: Sereno SC, San Juan SC, Freestate SA, CESA Premier
 
U17
Automatic Promotion B to A: Carmel United vs. CESA Premier
Automatic Relegation A to B: Connecticut FC, Sereno SC
Playoff Pool: SC Del Sol, Colorado Rush, Utah Avalanche, D’Feeters