American youth soccer has a talent problem that is not about talent. A player's ability does not always determine how far they go. The cost of elite training and competition often does.
The Aspen Institute's Project Play reports that nearly one-third of players cite expensive team fees as a major issue. For children from low-income households, that figure climbs to 41%. The families most likely to produce the next generation of players are the ones least able to pay for access.
