The Arkansas Soccer Association (ASA) is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) tax exempt corporation. Founded in 1979, ASA is governed by a Board of Directors that is elected by representatives from our 50+ Member Associations and maintains a State Office in Sherwood with a professional staff. Our mission is to:
- Educate coaches, players, referees, parents, and administrators
- Develop and administer soccer programs and activities for youth and adult players
- Provide opportunities and experiences for all participants where they can develop positive character traits while reaching their full potential
- Promote and stimulate interest in the game of soccer for a lifetime
ASA currently registers approximately 15,000+ youth and adult members from across the state each year. ASA’s Member Associations (or “clubs”) field more than 1,600 teams each year. These clubs organize and operate their own programs, drawing on a large volunteer base of coaches and program administrators. Each association has a set of bylaws to operate by, which are submitted when applying to become a member of ASA. Each local association has a Board of Directors which oversees the operation of the club.
Members of ASA have access to all of our programs, events, and activities, including:
- In-state leagues for recreational and classic teams
- Regional and national leagues for elite-level teams
- Coaching education
- Referee training
- Club-sponsored tournaments
- ASA State Cups
- Regional and national championship tournaments
- Olympic Development Program
The Arkansas Soccer Association is part of a much larger soccer community. ASA is a proud member of the United States Youth Soccer Association, United States Adult Soccer Association, United States Soccer Federation, and Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).
Confused? Here’s a breakdown of the hierarchy of soccer world-wide to help you understand the governing organizations of soccer and where you fit in!
You are on a local soccer team that is part of your local soccer club.
Your local soccer club is a member of the Arkansas Soccer Association (ASA). There are 54 State Associations in the United States: one in each state, and two in California, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
ASA is a member of the United States Youth Soccer Association (US Youth Soccer) and the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA). US Youth Soccer is the largest member organization within the United States Soccer Federation (USSF), and USASA is the largest member organization for adult soccer in the United States. Both US Youth Soccer and USASA are organized into four Regions; ASSA is part of Region III. The four Regions in the United States are pictured below:
- Region I – East
- Region II – Midwest
- Region III – South
- Region IV – West
The USSF is the governing body for soccer in the United States, and is part of the Confederation of North, Central American, and Caribbean Associations of Football (CONCACAF).
CONCACAF is one of six member Confederations of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), which is the worldwide governing body for soccer. The six FIFA Confederations are:
- AFC – Asian Football Confederation
- CAF – Confédération Africaine de Football
- CONCACAF – Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football
- CONMEBOL – Confederación Sudamericana de Fútbol
- OFC – Oceania Football Confederation in Oceania
- UEFA – Union of European Football Associations
We hope this has helped you learn more about soccer in your local community, the state of Arkansas, and the world as a whole!
We invite you to explore our website, Instagram, Facebook, and X to learn more about soccer in Arkansas!