Since its founding, the Northern Virginia Youth Football League (NVYFL), formerly the Fairfax County Football League (FCYFL), has been a national leader in providing the best environment for young athletes to play football. The league is built on a commitment to ensuring fair competition by matching players based on four key factors: size, age, experience, and skill. This structure, supported by a carefully crafted age/weight matrix and three levels of competitive play, prioritizes player safety, development, and enjoyment of the game.

2025 SEASON REFORMS

For the 2025 season, NVYFL has adopted reforms to the age/weight matrix to further enhance the experience for all players. These adjustments include:

• Limiting each division to three age groups instead of four to improve competition balance.
• Providing more flexibility in weight limits to increase enrollment and participation.
• Aligning players more closely with those of similar ages for safer and fairer matchups.
• Adjusting the birthdate eligibility from October 1st to July 1st to better match players with their grade level.

In addition to the weight matrix, the NVYFL divides most weight classes into three development levels or Divisions. We believe that combining the matrix with the three skill levels will provide the vast majority of kids with the opportunity to be successful at their own pace. There are 2 exceptions to the three skill levels: 1) at Anklebiters (AB), all children are considered to be Developmental, and 2) at the Legacy Division, where participation levels prevent splitting into multiple teams.

This  Matrix is official until the Official Rules are updated; the matrix below will continue to serve as the official matrix. The minimum weight requirement for participating is 40 lbs for Anklebiters and 56 lbs for other weight classes. Players must weigh at or greater than the minimum by the official weigh-in (Typically mid-to-late August).
 

(If you have any questions regarding this age matrix, please contact your local club's commissioner.)

Birthday Age Cutoff Dates: July 1st