Iowa has 35 rated soccer clubs on Ranked XI across 9 leagues. The top men’s side is Drake University Bulldogs (1466, NCAA Division I); the top women’s side is State University of Iowa Hawkeyes (1687, NCAA Division I Women's). Every club here is rated on the same national scale as MLS and the grassroots, so a Iowa amateur side and a top-flight club are directly comparable. Updated 29 October 2026.
Iowa’s largest represented league is NAIA with 11 rated clubs. 30 men’s and 5 women’s sides carry a rating here, and the state’s best national position is #52. Clubs from Iowa whose divisions publish no usable table are listed on the map without a rating rather than being given an invented one.
35 rated clubs across 9 leagues — 30 men’s and 5 women’s. Unrated clubs are held and mapped but carry no number.
Which is the best soccer club in Iowa?
State University of Iowa Hawkeyes at 1687, playing in NCAA Division I Women's. "Best" here means highest rating on the Ranked XI national scale, not league position.
Are amateur and pro clubs really on the same scale?
Yes. Cross-league placement is calibrated on about 600 U.S. Open Cup results, the one competition where clubs from different tiers meet, so a strong amateur side can rate above a weak professional one.
Every Ranked XI rating labels its basis. Cross-league placement is calibrated on ~600 U.S. Open Cup results — how the ratings work. Ranked XI is an independent project: not an official USSF or league ranking, not affiliated with any league or club, and not betting advice. Marks belong to their owners. About · FAQ · The US soccer pyramid · Corrections & removal.