Argentina's affordable youth soccer model
A report from Argentina shows how clubs like Newell's Old Boys keep youth soccer accessible with low fees and scholarships, funded by professional team
In Rosario, Argentina, the Newell's Old Boys club trains about 700 children aged 4 to 12 each week. Parents pay around $25 monthly for twice-weekly training, with the most promising young players receiving scholarships to train for free, according to a report from NPR.
Carlos Gil, a fencing contractor, brings his eight-year-old son Dastan to practice weekly. He told NPR that in the United States, parents reportedly pay between $1,000 and $3,000 annually for similar instruction. "If you did that here, almost nobody could play," Gil said. He linked Argentina's status as a soccer powerhouse to its accessible system, noting that many top players come from low-income backgrounds.
How Argentine clubs fund youth development
Newell's Old Boys, where Lionel Messi played from ages 6 to 13, does not rely on tuition or donations to survive. Gustavo Tognarelli, the head of youth development at Newell's, told NPR that the young players being trained are what sustain the institution. Revenue comes from the professional team's ticket sales and broadcasting rights, as well as from transfer fees when young players are sold to other clubs.
The club funds the training and education of approximately 400 players aged 12 to 18, who practice up to six times weekly. Younger children, like Dastan Gil who practices twice a week, can receive scholarships. Carlos Gil lives 120 miles from Rosario but says the club's low costs ease the burden. "In Argentina, we might not have so much money," he said. "But in some areas we have better quality of life."
The U.S. model and calls for change
In the United States, youth soccer clubs largely operate on a pay-to-play model. Rory O'Neill, a coach for an under-13 team in Pennsylvania, told NPR that these clubs have limited revenue streams, relying mostly on parent payments. He said U.S. youth clubs get nothing when a player they trained moves to a bigger club.
This is because Major League Soccer (MLS) teams are not obliged by the U.S. soccer federation to share transfer fees with youth clubs, according to the report. Systems like training compensation and solidarity payments, common in Europe and South America, are not fully adopted. NPR states MLS has been slow to adopt this, reportedly fearing it might violate U.S. laws.
O'Neill and other coaches, like Orlando business owner and coach Filippo Silva, argue for a shift to an open system with promotion and relegation. Currently, MLS is a closed league with only 30 teams, charging hundreds of millions to join. An open system, they contend, would incentivize investment in youth academies as clubs could aim for promotion to the top division.
"You would have almost any millionaire start investing in clubs," O'Neill said. Silva agreed, telling NPR that an open, merit-based system would open doors for more small investors willing to put money into soccer.
Argentina's open pyramid as a contrast
Argentina's soccer structure operates with promotion and relegation. Thousands of clubs across the country have a theoretical shot at reaching the top division. Many invest in youth development hoping to climb the football pyramid or profit from player transfers and solidarity payments.
Newell's is one of dozens of Argentine clubs that subsidize youth training. The report highlights this as a model that keeps soccer affordable while producing world-class talent. With the World Cup recently concluded, debates about making U.S. youth soccer more affordable have resurfaced. Coaches cited in the NPR report suggest Argentina's approach could be an example to follow.
Carlos Gil drives his son from a small town 120 miles away for training at the club where murals of alumni like Lionel Messi cover the walls.
