USL Super League

Generic logo (top) and sponsor logo (bottom)
Organizing body	United Soccer League
First season	2024–25
Country	United States
Confederation	CONCACAF
Number of clubs	9
Level onpyramid	1
Current champion(s)	Tampa Bay Sun FC (2024–25)
Current Players' Shield	Carolina Ascent FC (2024–25)
Broadcaster(s)	Peacock
Website	gainbridgesuperleague.com
Current:2025–26 season

TheUSL Super League (USLS), officially known as theGainbridge Super League for sponsorship reasons,^[1] is a professionalwomen's soccer league at the highest level of theUnited States soccer league system, alongside theNational Women's Soccer League. Organized by theUnited Soccer League (USL), it operates as its premier league for women above the pre-professionalUSL W League. It began play with the2024–25 season.

The league consists of nine clubs who annually play fourround-robins – two in the fall and two in the spring – to earn four places in aplayoff tournament that determines the league's champion. Additional clubs are expected to join the league in the future. Clubs in the league have nocap on salaries or squad sizes, while minimum salaries are aroundUS$35,000 to 37,000. There is nodraft system, and squads are primarily built withfree agents. The league's matches arestreamed nationally onPeacock.

The USLS was established in September 2021 as part of an effort to develop a youth-to-pro pathway for women's players within the USL system. Initially planned as a division two league, numerous USL clubs explored fielding women's teams in the league, with eight markets being decided upon. The USL would later successfully seek division one sanctioning byU.S. Soccer, marking the first time that two leagues occupied the top tier of the United States women's soccer league system. As of the 2024–25 season,Tampa Bay Sun FC are the current champions, whileCarolina Ascent FC are the current Players' Shield holders.

Embarking on the creation of a full pathway for women's soccer within their system,^[2][3] theUnited Soccer League (USL) established a professional women's league in 2021, and publicly unveiled it as the USL Super League in September of that year.^[4][5] Amanda Vandervort, former Chief Women's Football Officer forFIFPro, was appointed as the league's first president.^[6] In the wake of the unveiling,D.C. United,^[7]Lane United FC,^[8]Memphis 901 FC,^[9]Real Central New Jersey,^[10]USL New Orleans,^[11] andSanta Barbara Sky FC expressed interest in entering the Super League.^[12]

In May 2023, the USL awarded Super League franchise rights toCarolina Ascent FC,Dallas Trinity FC,DC Power FC,FC Tucson,Lexington SC,Phoenix Rising FC,Spokane Zephyr FC, andTampa Bay Sun FC for the inaugural season; andChattanooga Red Wolves SC,Forward Madison,Indy Eleven,Oakland Soul SC, andSporting Club Jacksonville for later seasons.^[13][14] FC Tucson and the Rising would later forfeit their franchise rights, citing unpreparedness for professional play.^[15]Brooklyn FC andFort Lauderdale United gained entry into the league in their place.^[16][17]U.S. Soccer granted the Super League its Division I sanctioning in February 2024, alongside theNational Women's Soccer League.^[18] The league's inaugural season kicked off on August 17, 2024 with two matches: an Ascent home victory againstDC Power FC during whichVicky Bruce scored the league's first goal, and a Zephyr home tie with Fort Lauderdale.^[19][20]

The USL Super League plays a "fall to summer" schedule, aligning with the traditional fall–springdomestic soccer season, but differing from the spring–fall schedule typically played by American soccer leagues.^[21][18][22] A mid-season break is observed in order to avoid play in harsher climates during winter.^[21] The Super League does not have acollege draft, and clubs rely onfree agents andtransfers to build rosters.^[5]

The team with the best record in the regular season wins the USL Super League Players' Shield.^[23] After the regular season, the top four teams play a single-elimination playoff tournament, the winner of which is the league champion.^[24]

Amanda Vandervort serves as thepresident of the USL Super League, while Missy Price serves as its vice president.^[6][25] Carrie Taylor is its vice president ofoperations.^[26]

900km
559miles

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

   

Locations of teams in the 2025–26 season.

1

Brooklyn FC

2

Carolina Ascent

3

Dallas Trinity

4

DC Power

5

FTL United

6

Lexington SC

7

Spokane Zephyr

8

Sporting JAX

9

Tampa Bay Sun

List of USL Super League seasons

Year	T	Pl	Champion	Runners-up	Players' Shield	Att.	Top scorer
2024–25	8	28	Tampa Bay Sun FC	Fort Lauderdale United FC	Carolina Ascent FC	2,487	Thornton (13)

NBCUniversal holdsbroadcasting rights for the USL Super League as part of a multi-year deal. Itlivestreams all matches on its subscription streaming servicePeacock, with some matches simulcast on itsNBC Sports NOWFAST channel.^[41][42][43] Additionally, individual teams have sold packages of games to various local broadcasters, includingover-the-air television stations andregional sports networks.^[44][45][46]

Gainbridge owns the league'snaming rights as part of a multi-year deal beginning in the2025–26 season.^[1][47]

• Prominent women's sports leagues in the United States and Canada
• Women's soccer in the United States
• USL W-League (1995–2015)
• Northern Super League

• Official website

• USL Super League
• Women's soccer leagues in the United States
• Sports leagues established in 2021
• 2021 establishments in the United States
• Professional soccer leagues in the United States
• Top-level women's association football leagues in North America
• Professional sports leagues in the United States

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