The United Soccer League (USL) is an organizer of various professional and amateur soccer leagues in the United States league system. It currently organizes its Championship, League One, and League Two for men, its Super League and W League for women, and the USL Academy and USL Youth for youth players. It also organizes the USL Cup, a league cup competition for its professional men's clubs.
The USL began in 1986 as a men's indoor soccer minor league, before branching out into outdoor soccer in 1989. After rebranding as the United States Interregional Soccer League (USISL), it commenced a women's outdoor league (the W-League) and split its men's outdoor league into two pro and one amateur league over the course of 1995–96. Its top pro flight would merge with the American Professional Soccer League to become the A-League in 1997 – a decision influenced by the advent of Major League Soccer (MLS). Its indoor league folded in 1998. The USISL adopted the name United Soccer Leagues in 1999.
In 2011, a number of USL clubs broke away to form the North American Soccer League, necessitating the merger of its two pro leagues into one. The USL also took ownership of the Major Indoor Soccer League, though it and the W-League would fold by 2015. Despite these setbacks, the USL experienced growth in the late 2010s, leading to a split of the professional leagues back into two in 2019. It also revived the W League and established a pro women's league between 2022 and 2024. A third men's pro league, USL Premier, is currently being planned for a 2028 debut.
The Rochester Rhinos men's team and Pali Blues women's team are the most successful clubs in the USL, having won four championships each in its top flights. Two USL clubs, the Rochester Rhinos and the Richmond Kickers, have won the men's U.S. Open Cup. Seven men's clubs that played in the USL – the Seattle Sounders, Portland Timbers, Vancouver Whitecaps, Montreal Impact, Orlando City SC, FC Cincinnati, and Nashville SC – are now MLS franchises.
History
The United Soccer League (USL) traces its roots to 1985 when Francisco Marcos founded the Southwest Indoor Soccer League. Initially intended as a minor indoor league associated with the Major Indoor Soccer League, it began with five teams owned by operators of indoor soccer arenas in the Southwest United States. By 1986, Marcos' own team, the Austin Sockadillos, joined the league, expanding it to six teams.
In 1989, the league shifted its focus beyond semi-professional indoor soccer. A press release from that year revealed ambitions to align with the United States Soccer Federation (USSF)'s plan to professionalize soccer in the lead-up to the 1994 FIFA World Cup. The league aimed to become part of a structured, three-tiered system envisioned by the USSF.
By 1990, the league began with their first outdoor soccer competitions, and rebranded as the Sunbelt Independent Soccer League, reflecting broader ambitions. Throughout the 1990s, the league underwent significant changes. This included splitting out an amateur Premier League in 1995 (renamed to the Premier Development League (PDL) in 1997), and the launch of their first attempt at a women's league. A merger with the American Professional Soccer League was completed in 1997 to form the USISL A-League (later named the USL First Division), solidifying its position in the U.S. soccer pyramid. In 1999, it adopted the name United Soccer Leagues to reflect its expanding scope.
In 2009, several USL First Division clubs expressed dissatisfaction with the league's leadership and structure, leading to a significant split. These clubs formed a breakaway competition called the North American Soccer League (NASL), which aimed to operate as a separate second division under the USSF. This division sparked disputes over sanctioning rights between the USL and the NASL. In response, the USSF organized a temporary combined league in 2010 before officially sanctioning the NASL as a separate entity.
In 2010, the USL unified its First Division and Second Division under the name USL Pro to consolidate its professional competitions, and moved down to the third division. In 2013, USL Pro and Major League Soccer (MLS) entered a partnership to integrate their competitions, enhancing player development and strengthening the league's professional status. The W-League folded in 2015. Second division sanctioning was once again granted by USSF in 2017. In 2019, the professional league rebranded to USL Championship, the PDL rebranded as USL League Two, and a new division three league named USL League One was launched.
In recent years, the USL has expanded its reach significantly in the women's game. It reintroduced the W League in 2022 to support women's development and launched the USL Super League in 2024 as a Division I professional women's league alongside the National Women's Soccer League.
On February 13, 2025, the USL announced plans to launch a Division I league in 2027 that would exist apart from MLS, pending USSF approval. It also restated its desire to eventually introduce a promotion and relegation system like most other global soccer leagues. On March 19, 2025, USL announced that that club's owners had overwhelmingly passed a proposal to adopt promotion and relegation throughout all of the organization's professional leagues, including the upcoming Division I league. No timeline for the start of the process had been determined.
Competitions
Men's competitions
The USL operates three divisions within the U.S. soccer pyramid for men's professional and developmental teams:
USL Championship: The second division of professional men's soccer in the United States, sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation. It includes a regular season and playoffs to determine the league champion. USL League One: One of two third-division leagues of professional men's soccer, launched in 2019 to focus on smaller markets and player development. It also features a regular season and playoffs. USL League Two: A developmental league primarily for collegiate players aspiring to go professional. It operates during the summer and provides a platform for scouting and talent development.
Women's competitions
USL Super League: A professional league launched in 2024, with joint top-tier status within women's soccer. USL W League: A pre-professional women's league reintroduced in 2022 to create a pathway for collegiate players and young talent.
Former competitions
The USL has a history of organizing leagues and competitions that have since evolved or ceased operations:
USL First Division: The former top-tier league operated by the USL until 2010, when it was restructured into the USL Pro (now USL Championship). USL Second Division: Operated as a lower-level professional league until 2010, when its teams were absorbed into other USL leagues. Southwest Indoor Soccer League: The USL's original indoor competition, established in 1986. It provided a platform for amateur and semi-professional teams in the Southwest United States. Sunbelt Independent Soccer League (Indoor Division): After expanding into outdoor soccer in 1990, the league continued operating indoor divisions to maintain year-round competition. The indoor leagues were phased out as the organization shifted its focus to outdoor soccer in the 1990s.
These competitions show the evolution of the USL from its origins as an indoor soccer league to a modern, multi-tiered system supporting professional and developmental soccer across North America.
Champions
Won the regular season championship § Won the U.S. Open Cup
Men's leagues
Year Division 2 Division 3 Semi-pro Champions Div. Champions Div. Champions 1989 SOSL Colorado Comets 1990 SISL Colorado Comets (2) 1991 SISL Richardson Rockets 1992 USISL Palo Alto Firebirds 1993 USISL Greensboro Dynamo 1994 USISL Greensboro Dynamo 1995 Pro Long Island Rough Riders Premier Richmond Kickers § 1996 Select California Jaguars Pro Charleston Battery Premier Central Coast Roadrunners 1997 AL Milwaukee Rampage D3 Pro Albuquerque Geckos PDSL Central Coast Roadrunners (2) 1998 AL Rochester Raging Rhinos D3 Pro Chicago Stingers PDSL San Gabriel Valley Highlanders 1999 AL Minnesota Thunder D3 Pro Western Mass Pioneers PDL Chicago Sockers 2000 AL Rochester Raging Rhinos (2) D3 Pro Charlotte Eagles PDL Chicago Sockers (2) 2001 AL Rochester Raging Rhinos (3) D3 Pro Utah Blitzz PDL Westchester Flames 2002 AL Milwaukee Rampage (2) D3 Pro Long Island Rough Riders (2) PDL Cape Cod Crusaders 2003 AL Charleston Battery Pro Wilmington Hammerheads FC PDL Cape Cod Crusaders (2) 2004 AL Montreal Impact Pro Utah Blitzz (2) PDL Central Florida Kraze 2005 USL1 Seattle Sounders USL2 Charlotte Eagles (2) PDL Des Moines Menace 2006 USL1 Vancouver Whitecaps USL2 Richmond Kickers PDL Michigan Bucks 2007 USL1 Seattle Sounders (2) USL2 Harrisburg City Islanders PDL Laredo Heat 2008 USL1 Vancouver Whitecaps (2) USL2 Cleveland City Stars PDL Thunder Bay Chill 2009 USL1 Montreal Impact (2) USL2 Richmond Kickers (2) PDL Ventura County Fusion 2010 D2 Pro Puerto Rico Islanders USL2 Charleston Battery (2) PDL Portland Timbers U23s 2011 USL Pro Orlando City SC PDL Kitsap Pumas 2012 USL Pro Charleston Battery (3) PDL Forest City London 2013 USL Pro Orlando City SC (2) PDL Austin Aztex 2014 USL Pro Sacramento Republic FC PDL Michigan Bucks (2) 2015 USL Rochester Rhinos PDL K–W United FC 2016 USL New York Red Bulls II PDL Michigan Bucks (3) 2017 USL Louisville City FC PDL Charlotte Eagles 2018 USL Louisville City FC (2) PDL Calgary Foothills FC 2019 USLC Real Monarchs USL1 North Texas SC USL2 Flint City Bucks (4) 2020 USLC USL1 Greenville Triumph SC USL2 2021 USLC Orange County SC USL1 Union Omaha USL2 Des Moines Menace (2) 2022 USLC San Antonio FC USL1 Tormenta FC USL2 Ventura County Fusion (2) 2023 USLC Phoenix Rising FC USL1 North Carolina FC USL2 Ballard FC 2024 USLC Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC USL1 Union Omaha (2) USL2 Seacoast United Phantoms 2025 USLC Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC USL1 One Knoxville SC USL2 Vermont Green FC Year Champions Div. Champions Div. Champions Division 2 Division 3 Semi-pro
Women's leagues
+ 1995–2015 Year Semi-pro Champions Div. Champions 1995 WL Long Island Lady Riders 1996 WL Maryland Pride 1997 WL Long Island Lady Riders (2) 1998 WL1 Raleigh Wings WL2 Fort Collins Force 1999 WL1 Raleigh Wings (2) WL2 North Texas FC 2000 WL1 Chicago Cobras WL2 Springfield Sirens 2001 WL1 Boston Renegades WL2 Charlotte Lady Eagles 2002 WL Boston Renegades (2) 2003 WL Hampton Roads Piranhas 2004 WL Vancouver Whitecaps 2005 WL New Jersey Wildcats 2006 WL Vancouver Whitecaps (2) 2007 WL Washington Freedom 2008 WL Pali Blues 2009 WL Pali Blues (2) 2010 WL Buffalo Flash 2011 WL Atlanta Silverbacks Women 2012 WL Ottawa Fury 2013 WL Pali Blues (3) 2014 WL Los Angeles Blues (4) 2015 WL Washington Spirit Reserves
+ 2022–present Year Division 1 Semi-pro Champions Div. Champions 2022 USLW Tormenta FC 2023 USLW Indy Eleven 2024 USLW North Carolina Courage U23 2025 USLS Tampa Bay Sun FC USLW Utah United 2026 USLS Lexington SC USLW
Indoor leagues
Year Champions 1986–87 SISL Garland Genesis 1987–88 SISL Oklahoma City Warriors 1988–89 SISL Lubbock Lazers 1989–90 SISL Addison Arrows (2) 1990–91 SISL Colorado Comets 1991–92 USISL Oklahoma City Warriors (2) 1992–93 USISL Atlanta Magic 1993–94 USISL Atlanta Magic (2) 1994–95 USISL Atlanta Magic (3) 1995–96 USISL Baltimore Bays 1996–97 IL Baltimore Bays (2) 1997–98 IL Baltimore Bays (3) 2011–12 MISL Milwaukee Wave 2012–13 MISL Baltimore Blast 2013–14 MISL Missouri Comets
Staff Alec Papadakis – chief executive officer Justin Papadakis – Chief operating officer and chief real estate officer Paul McDonough – President and chief soccer officer
References
External links