Eastside FC, Mercer Island FC and XL are excited to announce a new partnership, effective for the 2026-2027 season and beyond.

We are excited to share an update about the continued growth of Eastside FC and the long-term vision for our club across the Eastside. This next step reflects our commitment to providing strong, consistent development pathways while expanding opportunities for players and families in our community. 

Eastside is FC Partnering with Mercer Island FC; Top XL Teams to Join Eastside FC and the RCL 

Beginning with the 2026/27 season, Eastside FC has reached an agreement with Mercer Island FC to form additional Eastside FC teams that will compete in the RCL. 

With this agreement, Mercer Island FC XL teams (their year-round teams) will rebrand as Eastside FC West Maroon, honoring the historic colors of Mercer Island FC with a nod to the new location. These teams will train in Bellevue and Mercer Island and are planned to be formed from U10 through U19, with an initial goal of building one strong team per age group based on quality and demand. 

This partnership allows us to thoughtfully grow the club, strengthen competition, deepen the player pool, offer additional RCL opportunities to more players, and maintain consistent development standards across all teams—all while maintaining the standards and values that families expect from Eastside FC. Most importantly, it creates a more complete and sustainable pathway for both boys and girls throughout the Eastside. 

Impact to Eastside FC Bellevue Teams

For our current Eastside FC Bellevue teams, the day-to-day experience will remain exactly the same. Training locations, schedules, programming, and developmental pathways are not changing. The only update you will see is a naming adjustment. Going forward, Bellevue teams will be known as Eastside FC West Red, with Eastside FC West White used in age groups where a second team exists. Players will continue to have the same opportunities to progress within the club, including advancement to ECNL and ECNL RL teams based in Preston. 

Additional Girls Teams to Form 

We are also thrilled to announce the launch of additional girls teams within Eastside FC. This expansion reflects our commitment to growing the girls’ game and providing clear, high-level pathways for female players. These teams will train between Bellevue and Mercer Island. We will aim to form one team per age group from U10 through U19, as numbers allow, and follow the same development pathway toward ECNL and ECNL RL competition. 

Tryouts 

All players—whether currently based in Bellevue, Preston, or Mercer Island—will attend upcoming tryouts at Preston. During registration, families will have the opportunity to indicate which teams they would like their player to be considered for. As always, player placement will be based on merit, quality of play, and team needs, with the goal of placing every player in the best possible environment for their development. 

We are genuinely excited about what this growth means for our players, families, and the broader Eastside FC community. We wanted you to hear this news directly from us ahead of our broader public announcement. 

Thank you for being an important part of the Eastside FC family. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out—we are always here to support you. 

Eastside FC Leadership

More information: 

https://www.eastsidefc.org/west