Playing itsfirst season in 2011 asUSL Pro, and later theUSL, the league formed from the merger of the USL's preceding two pro leagues, after a number of clubs broke away to found theNorth American Soccer League. It was initially sanctioned byU.S. Soccer as a third-tier league, but was later promoted to the second tier in 2017.Reserve teams ofMajor League Soccer (MLS) franchises also competed in the league from 2014 to the advent ofMLS Next Pro in 2022. The Championship adopted its current name following the re-establishment of asecond pro league in 2019. A third pro league, tentatively namedUSL Division One, is currently being planned to supersede the Championship as the USL's premier league.
As of the2025 season,Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC are the current champions, whileLouisville City FC andOrlando City SC have won the most championships each (2). The current Players' Shield holders are Louisville City FC, while Orlando City SC has won the most Players' Shields (3). Three former USL Championship teams – Orlando City SC,FC Cincinnati, andNashville SC – are now MLS franchises.
The league's first match took place on April 2, 2011, atCity Stadium inRichmond, Virginia, where the Kickers defeated Orlando City andStanley Nyazamba scored the league's first goal.[18][19] The season initially structured the American and National divisions as ade facto single division, with their teams only occasionally playing International opponents.[20][21][22] However, financial issues plagued the three PRSL clubs, leading to their expulsion five weeks into the season.[23][24] The International division was abolished, and the Barracuda and Blues moved to the American and National divisions, respectively. The remaining twelve teams completed the season, and Orlando City were crowned as the inaugural champions.[25][26] F.C. New York, also weighed by financial issues, departed for theNational Premier Soccer League at the end of the season.[27][28] The American and National divisions were replaced by a single eleven-team table in the2012 season,[29] during which the Battery won the title.[30][31]
In the2013 season,affiliations withMajor League Soccer (MLS) clubs began as part of a partnership that aimed to improve "player development, competition and the overall business" of American soccer, according to MLS executive Todd Durbin.[32][33][34]Phoenix FC andVSI Tampa Bay FC entered the league,[35][36][37] though both would fold with the Barracuda at the season's end – Phoenix FC had theirfranchise rights revoked for allegedly committingaccounting fraud andwage theft,[38][39] while the Barracuda and VSI suffered from financial troubles.[40] The Barracuda's final season was one of only six in the history of soccer to be completedwithout a win or draw.[41] Phoenix FC's franchise rights were awarded toArizona United SC, who began play the following season.[42] Orlando City earned their second USL Pro title in three years, which was seen as crucial in the club'ssuccessful bid to enter the MLS.[43]
Sacramento Republic FC(pictured) won the championship, and doubled the season average attendance record in their inaugural 2014 season.
Choosing not to affiliate with a USL club, theLA Galaxy founded areserve team,[44] which entered the USL Pro in the2014 season alongside Arizona United,Oklahoma City Energy FC, andSacramento Republic FC.[45][46] The Los Angeles Blues rebranded as Orange County Blues FC.[47] The Republic concluded their inaugural season by winning the Championship and nearly doubling the league's average attendance record.[48][49][50] The Eagles and Lions exited for the PDL,[51] while Orlando City became the fifth USL club to gain promotion to the MLS.[52][53][54] Upon their exit, the Eagles and Orlando City sold their franchise rights to theCharlotte Independence andLouisville City FC respectively.[55][56]
The two clubs began play in the2015 season of theUSL, which dropped "Pro" from its name, alongsideColorado Springs Switchbacks FC,Saint Louis FC, and theTulsa Roughnecks.[57] A newAustin Aztex also joined, but entered a hiatus after the season due to financial troubles caused by ahistoric flood that damaged their home ground.[58][59] Inspired by the Galaxy, seven more MLS clubs fielded reserve teams into the USL, amid the demise of theMLS Reserve League.[60][61] The unprecedented growth from 13 to 24 teams necessitated the introduction of the "Eastern" and "Western" conferences, where teams played 22 intraconference and six interconference games,[62] and inspired the USL to apply forD2 status in early 2015.[57] The Rhinos broke all-time USL records forshutouts (17) and fewest goals allowed (15) on their way to their fourth and final USL title.[63][64]
FC Cincinnati(pictured) repeatedly broke attendance records during their tenure in the USL from 2016 to 2018.
Louisville City FC(pictured) won two consecutive championships in 2017 and 2018.
Seeking to arrest financial losses incurred while playing in the NASL, theOttawa Fury andTampa Bay Rowdies defected to the USL ahead of the2017 season,[78][79] triggering a revocation of the NASL's D2 status, as its membership fell below the twelve required. As an interim solution, U.S. Soccer awarded aprovisional D2 status to both the NASL and USL.[80][81]Reno 1868 FC also joined,[82] while theMontreal Impact foldedtheir reserve team for a Fury affiliation.[83] Arizona United SC rebranded as Phoenix Rising FC, following its sale to an ownership group that includedPremier League Hall of FamerDidier Drogba, who also signed for the club.[84][85][86] Louisville City won back-to-back championships in 2017 and 2018 – the latter by defeating the Rising in Drogba's final professional game.[87][88][89] At the end of 2017, the Rhinos entered a hiatus in an attempt to shore up new investors,[90][91] whileOrlando City B (OCB) went on hiatus due to a lack of players and staff.[92]
Indy Eleven(pictured) were one of four NASL clubs to join the USL amid its collapse during 2017 and 2018.
An expansion team was announced for theNew York City borough ofQueens to be namedQueensboro FC.[135] Chicago and Oakland East Bay were both announced to launch by 2021,[136][137] but were indefinitely put on hold when they had issues in securing stadium plans.[138] The proposedEast Bay club's bid had faltered due to stadium issues and its USL franchise rights were purchased byOakland Roots SC, which had previously played in NISA, who started play in the USLC in the 2021 season.[139][140]
On November 6, 2020,Reno 1868 FC announced it was ceasing operations as a result of the financial and operational impacts of COVID-19.[141] On January 10, 2021,North Carolina FC club chairmanStephen Malik announced that the club would make a "strategic move" toUSL League One.[142]
Detroit City FC(pictured) was one of threeNISA clubs to join the USL Championship in a span of three seasons, along with Miami and Oakland.
On February 1, 2021,Monterey Bay FC, which is a continuation of USLC'sFresno FC, joined the USL Championship since Beshoff, the owner of Fresno, was able to retain franchise rights after Fresno ceased operations due to lack of securing construction of asoccer-specific stadium, and landed the franchise in Monterey Bay atCardinale Stadium on the campus ofCalifornia State University, Monterey Bay inSeaside, California. On November 13, 2021, it was announced thatDetroit City would join the USL Championship for the 2022 USL Championship season, becoming the third NISA team to join the league afterMiami FC andOakland Roots SC.[143] On December 2, 2021,Charlotte Independence decided to drop down to the third tierUSL League One for 2022, with the goal of better serving its youth players, as well as the fact that a new expansion franchise in the cityCharlotte FC was joiningMajor League Soccer that season, with whom several Independence players had signed for.[144][145]
On December 3, 2021,Oklahoma City Energy FC announced that it would temporarily suspend soccer operations and would not compete in the 2022 USL Championship season.[146] The decision came after Energy FC's home field at Taft Stadium, which is owned and operated by the Oklahoma City Public Schools, would undergo major renovations that directly overlap with the 2022 USL Championship season and will resume play for the 2023 USL Championship season in its temporary home at Taft Stadium.[147] This came after OKC Energy FC reached an historic agreement only roughly a month earlier renewing their lease with the school district for Taft Stadium.[148] After OKC announced that they would impose another hiatus for the2023 USL Championship season, they have since come out with a new majority ownership group, Echo Investment Capital that would build a stadium inBricktown with part of the money reserved fromthe city's MAPS 4 penny tax initiative, with plans to return for the2027 season.[149][150]
On December 6, 2021,Major League Soccer announcedMLS Next Pro, a Division III league that would begin play in 2022. The MLS–USL partnership that started in 2014 came to an end: all MLS clubs with reserve teams in USL Championship or USL League One would be moving their affiliated teams to MLS Next Pro by 2023, with the exception ofLoudoun United FC (although under different ownership).[151] On December 10, 2021, the USL Championship approved a new ownership group for USL Championship clubAustin Bold FC. The new ownership group consists ofDonnie Nelson, Neil Leibman, and Bobby Epstein. The team has not participated since the 2021 USL Championship season as it actively seeks relocation to another city in Texas.[152]
On January 27, 2022, the USL officially awardedUSL Pro Iowa an expansion team to be based inDes Moines, Iowa, that would join the league in the 2024 season. The team's majority owner is Kyle Krause, who has been the majority owner of USL League Two sideDes Moines Menace since 1998.[153] On July 14, 2022, the USL announced a group that intended to bring USL Championship and Super League teams toNew Orleans, Louisiana, with a goal for the Championship side to kick off by 2025.[154]
Rhode Island FC(pictured) was one of many clubs announced as expansion franchises into the Championship during the late 2010s-early 20s.
On August 12, 2022, ground was broken inPawtucket, Rhode Island, onCentreville Bank Stadium that will be the permanent home ofRhode Island FC.[155] The team began play in the 2024 season in Smithfield, Rhode Island, as the construction is completed in Pawtucket.[156] On August 30, 2022, the USL announced that a group of investors had formed to bring USL Championship and USL Super League expansion teams toJacksonville, Florida, with the goal for the Championship side to kick off in 2025.[157] On October 19, 2022, the USL awarded an expansion team toUSL Milwaukee, set to begin play in 2025 with plans to build an8,000-seat stadium inMilwaukee, Wisconsin.[158]
On July 12, 2023, the USL awarded an expansion team to a team that would later be calledOzark United FC[159] with the intent to bring USL Championship and Super League teams toRogers, Arkansas, with a goal for the Championship and Super League sides to kick off by 2026, now expected to at least be 2027[160] and play in a new 5,000-seat stadium.[161]
TheSan Diego Loyal SC(pictured) were one of a handful of teams in the USL Championship affected by MLS expansion.
On August 24, 2023,San Diego Loyal ownership announced that the team would shut down at the end of the season due to an inability to find a "viable near- and long-term stadium solution".[163] and the USL announced that it would transfer the franchise rights of the Loyal.[164] The announcement came three months afterMajor League Soccer announced a San Diego expansion team that would begin play in 2025 asSan Diego FC.[163] The club's final game was a 4–3 extra-time playoff quarterfinal loss toPhoenix Rising, the eventual playoff champions.[165]
On November 29, 2023, it was announced that Milwaukee's expansion would be deferred to the 2026 season.[166] On December 14, 2023, the USL awarded an expansion team toUSL Palm Beach with the intent to bring USL Championship and Super League teams toPalm Beach County, Florida, with a goal for the Super League side to kick off by 2025.[167]
On December 18, 2023,Rio Grande Valley FC Toros announced they were ceasing all soccer and business operations, officially ending their eight-year business partnership withUSL.[168]
On March 7, 2024, it was announced that Brooklyn FC, originally vying for a spot in League One, would instead move their efforts to try to get a team in the Championship by 2025, along with getting their women's side to play in the inauguralUSL Super League season in 2024, both playing atMaimonides Park, the home also to baseball'sBrooklyn Cyclones.[169] This effort would be later pushed back to 2026.[170]
In August 2024, the USL announced thatLexington SC would move from League One to the Championship in the 2025 season.[171]
On November 13, 2024, the USL announced thatMemphis 901 FC would cease operations, with their franchise rights being moved toSanta Barbara Sky FC. The Sky, initially planning to play in League One in 2025, will now begin play in the Championship starting with the 2026 season.[172] Memphis's last game was theirquarterfinal playoff loss to Orange County.
The USL announced its intent to establish a new Division I league, tentatively namedUSL Division One, via apress release published in February 2025. This new league would supersede the Championship as the top of the USL's men's league structure.[173][174] The USL aims to commence play in USL Division One by the 2028 season.[175][176] A system ofpromotion and relegation would also be implemented, with the Championship at the center of the USL's three tier professional pyramid. At the end of each season, the Championship's best-performing teams would be replaced by the worst-performing teams in the USL Division One, and the Championship's worst-performing teams would be replaced by the best performing teams in League One.[177][178][179] A number of Championship clubs are likely to apply to USL Division One, withPittsburgh Riverhounds SC the first to officially do so in August 2025,[180][181] followed byLouisville City FC in September.[182]
Locations of teams in the USL Championship Current teams: Western Conference · Eastern Conference · Eastern Conference, Expected Not To Return for '26 or '27 seasons[183][184][185] Future teams: On hiatus (Planned 2027 return) · 2026 · 2027 · TBD
The following teams are playing in the 2025 season.[186]
^abcPuerto Rico United,River Plate Puerto Rico, andSevilla Puerto Rico tried to participate in the USL's first season but had financial difficulties almost immediately and the league had to cancel all games after May and make significant changes to the remaining schedule
For the 2025 season, teams play a home-and-away schedule within their conference and an additional twelve games (six home and six away) against 8 of the 12 teams in the opposing conference for an unbalanced 30-game schedule. At the conclusion of the regular season, the top eight teams in each conference will qualify for the playoffs. The USL Championship playoffs is a single-elimination tournament with a fixed bracket format, culminating in theUSL Championship Final.[286]
Fox Sports purchased the league'sbroadcasting rights for the2011 and2012 seasons, and aired matches on itsFox Soccer channel, while the leaguelivestreamed matches on its USL Live website.[29] The USL has been partnered withESPN since the 2016 season. The first iteration of the deal brought 20 matches toESPN3 and the championship match to one of its linear networks, while all remaining matches were broadcast directly by the league on itsYouTube channel.[287]
Beginning with the launch ofESPN+ on April 12, 2018, all USL matches moved to theover-the-top service, with 18 games of the week and the championship continuing to air on one of ESPN's linear channels.[288] The 2019 final will also air onESPN Deportes. The deal with ESPN expired after the 2019 season, but was subsequently renewed for three additional seasons. Although the ESPN+ match streams are notblacked out in-market, individual clubs are also allowed tosyndicate the USL-produced broadcast to local television stations.[289]
The English-language commentary team for theUSL Championship on ESPN has includedMike Watts and Devon Kerr since 2018. Watts and Kerr also host a weekly program,USL All-Access, onSirius XM FC. Broadcasts on ESPN Deportes have been led by Jesús Eduardo Acosta and José Armando Rodriguez.[290]
In August 2020, the USL announced their first international broadcast partner withCaribbean broadcaster Flow Sports.[291]
In August 2021, the USL announced a new broadcast agreement withOneFootball in Italy.[292]
The USL announced that four-year media deal withCBS Sports beginning with the 2024 season through 2027.[293] On February 27, 2024, the USL also announced multi-year deal withESPN as a second broadcast partner through 2026.[294]
FC Cincinnati played before a record crowd of 20,497 atNippert Stadium on April 16, 2016, in a rivalry match against neighboringLouisville City FC.[296] This broke the USL Pro's previous record for attendance at a regular-season match of 20,231 set bySacramento Republic in its home debut on April 26, 2014, atHughes Stadium.[297] Cincinnati broke the record again on May 14, 2016, with a new all-time high of 23,375.[298] Cincinnati broke the single game attendance record again on October 2, 2016, in their first ever playoff match against the Charleston Battery, losing 2–1 in the quarterfinals of the 2016 USL playoffs. The attendance of 30,187 also set the USL playoff record.[299]
Cincinnati broke the regular season record again on August 5, 2017, at Nippert Stadium, drawing 25,308 againstOrlando City B. They broke their own record again about six weeks later drawing 30,417 to a 4–2 win over the New York Red Bulls II.[300] Cincinnati broke the record once more in their final home regular season game as a USL team on September 29, 2018, drawing 31,478 versusIndy Eleven.[301]
^Ozark United FC (December 23, 2024)."OZARK UNITED FC ANNOUNCES NEW STADIUM LOCATION IN ROGERS".ozarkunited.com. Rogers, Ark. RetrievedSeptember 7, 2025.Ozark United FC announced it is under contract for a new stadium site in the Rogers Entertainment District.While the club is making every effort to begin play in 2026, the relocation and expanded scope of the project may result in a 2027 start date. Should that shift be necessary, the club will confirm with an announcement at a later date.
^Eric Crawford (September 25, 2025)."Louisville City FC files formal application for USL's new top-tier men's league".wdrb.com. Louisville, KY. RetrievedOctober 8, 2025.Louisville City FC formally applied to compete in the United Soccer League's planned Division One men's league, club owner Soccer Holdings confirmed to Louisville Business First, a WDRB Media partner.
^USLSoccer.com Staff (November 4, 2025)."North Carolina FC Update".uslchampionship.com. Tampa, FL. RetrievedNovember 4, 2025.North Carolina FC's franchise agreement with the USL Championship concluded at the end of the 2025 season
^Bogert, Tom (November 4, 2025)."North Carolina FC tells players it won't field a team in 2026 USL Championship season".NYTimes.com. Cary, NC. RetrievedNovember 4, 2025.USL Championship club North Carolina FC has informed players it will not be fielding a team in 2026, sources briefed on the situation tell The Athletic. Sources added that North Carolina has applied for membership into USL's new Division One league, which is set to start in 2028. The club's plan is to wait until then to field a men's team again. NCFC's current USL's membership is due to expire after this season.
^Ashton, Alex (November 4, 2025)."North Carolina FC to Cease Operations Following Playoff Run".beyondthe90.substack.com. RetrievedNovember 4, 2025.Per numerous sources close to the situation, North Carolina FC informed its players via the USL Player's Association last night that the club will cease operations of the USL Championship team following the conclusion of the current playoff run.UPDATE: Per Tom Bogert at The Athletic, NCFC has applied for membership in USL's new top flight league, set to start in 2028.
^Rowdies Communications (July 8, 2025)."Rowdies Name Dominic Casciato as Head Coach".rowdiessoccer.com. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. RetrievedSeptember 6, 2025.The Tampa Bay Rowdies announced today that two-time USL League One Coach of the Year Dominic Casciato has signed on to lead the club as head coach.
^Orange County SC Communications (December 12, 2024)."ORANGE COUNTY SC ANNOUNCE DANNY STONE AS HEAD COACH FOR 2025 USL CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON".orangecountysoccer.com. Irvine, CA. RetrievedOctober 2, 2025.After a successful run as interim head coach leading the Black and Orange to the Western Conference Semifinal, Orange County SC has removed the interim tag and signed Danny Stone to a new contract as head coach. Stone becomes the 11th head coach in club history.
^Santa Barbara Sky FC (October 3, 2025)."Inaugural Season Update".santabarbaraskyfc.com. Santa Barbara, CA. RetrievedOctober 4, 2025.After careful evaluation, we've decided that Santa Barbara Sky will not be kicking off next season as planned. This doesn't mean we're slowing down. We're finalizing the ownership group and preparing for sanctioning, with a plan to take the field in March 2027.
^Santa Barbara Sky Social Media Team (October 3, 2025)."An important update from the club about our inaugural season" [Una actualización importante del club sobre nuestra temporada inaugural.](Instagram Post).Instagram.com. Santa Barbara, CA. RetrievedOctober 4, 2025.We're finalizing the ownership group and preparing for sanctioning, with a plan to take the field in March 2027.
^Alex Ashton (October 3, 2025)."Santa Barbara Sky FC Delays to 2027".beyondthe90.substack.com. RetrievedOctober 4, 2025.It's the second major delay for the long-running expansion club
^Andrew Fleck (August 7, 2025)."The Dream Of Milwaukee Pro Soccer In 2026 Is Dead".anonymouseagle.com. Marquette, WI. RetrievedSeptember 6, 2025.It's clearly not early summer any more. This stadium construction isn't starting like Milwaukee Pro Soccer expected back in February. More importantly? That means that Milwaukee Pro Soccer will not be starting play in the 2026 USL Championship season, no matter what was announced in late November of 2023.
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Liam Fox
Evan Newton
Odisnel Cooper
Cody Laurendi
Alex Tambakis
Miguel Gallardo
