The 2026 USL Championship season is the 16th season of the USL Championship and the ninth season under Division II sanctioning.
Before the start of the season, the United Soccer League Players Association (USLPA) authorized a player strike, pending resolution of ongoing labor negotiations between the league and the association.https://www.si.com/soccer/us-soccer-players-playing-strike-tense-labor-talks
25 teams in two conferences will compete in the regular season. The Brooklyn FC men's team, which was originally scheduled to begin play in 2025, debuted in 2026 alongside Sporting Club Jacksonville. North Carolina FC dropped out of the USL Championship and went on hiatus following the 2025 season, with hopes of entering USL Premier in 2028 with a new stadium in Raleigh.
All 25 teams will participate in the Prinx Tires USL Cup alongside the 18 USL League One teams.
The Pittsburgh Riverhounds are the defending league champions, and Louisville City FC are the defending Players' Shield winners.
Teams
Changes from 2025 Expansion clubs Brooklyn FC Sporting Club Jacksonville
Departing clubs North Carolina FC
Stadiums and locations Team Stadium Capacity Birmingham Legion FC Protective Stadium 47,000Brooklyn FCMaimonides Park7,000 Charleston Battery Patriots Point Soccer Complex 5,000 Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC Weidner Field 8,000 Detroit City FC Keyworth Stadium 7,933 El Paso Locomotive FC Southwest University Park 9,500FC Tulsa ONEOK Field 7,833Hartford Athletic Trinity Health Stadium 5,500 Indy Eleven IU Michael A. Carroll Track & Soccer Stadium 10,524 Las Vegas Lights FC Cashman Field 9,334 Lexington SC Lexington SC Stadium 7,500Loudoun United FC Segra Field 5,000 Louisville City FC Lynn Family Stadium 15,304 Miami FC Pitbull Stadium 25,000 Monterey Bay FC Cardinale Stadium 6,000 New Mexico United Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park 13,500 Oakland Roots SC Oakland Coliseum 53,200 (15,000) Orange County SC Championship Soccer Stadium 5,000 Phoenix Rising FC Phoenix Rising Soccer Stadium 10,000 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC F.N.B. Stadium 5,000 Rhode Island FC Centreville Bank Stadium 10,500 Sacramento Republic FC Heart Health Park 11,569 San Antonio FC Toyota Field 8,296Sporting Club JacksonvilleHodges Stadium12,000 Tampa Bay Rowdies Al Lang Stadium 7,227
Personnel and sponsorships
Team Head coach Captain(s) Kit manufacturer Kit sponsor Birmingham Legion FC Jay Heaps Phanuel Kavita Hummel Coca-Cola Brooklyn FC Marlon LeBlanc Thomas McNamaraDiaza Charleston Battery Emilio Ycaza Hummel Mercedes-Benz Vans Charleston Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC Alan McCann Matt Mahoney Capelli Sport CommonSpirit Health Detroit City FC Devon Amoo-Mensah Adidas AlumniFi El Paso Locomotive FC Junior Gonzalez Arturo Ortiz Hummel Southwest University at El Paso FC Tulsa Abdoulaye Cissoko Hummel Williams Hartford Athletic Jordan Scarlett Hummel Trinity Health of New England Indy Eleven Aodhan Quinn Under Armour Ford Las Vegas Lights FC Devin Rensing Christian Pinzón Joma Lexington SC Masaki Hemmi Kendall Burks Hummel UK HealthCare Sports Medicine Loudoun United FC Anthony Limbrick Jacob Erlandson Capelli Sport CORAS Louisville City FC Kyle Adams Puma GE Appliances Miami FCGastόn Maddoni Daltyn Knutson Macron Avianca Monterey Bay FC Nico Gordon Charly Montage Health New Mexico United Dennis Sanchez Will Seymore Puma Meow Wolf (home)Sandia Resort and Casino (away) Oakland Roots SC Ryan Martin Tyler Gibson, Tommy McCabe Charly Anthem Orange County SC Tom Brewitt Hummel Hoag Phoenix Rising FC Pape Mar Boye Adidas Carvana Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC Rob Vincent Danny Griffin Hummel Allegheny Health Network (home)84 Lumber (away) Rhode Island FC Koke Vegas Capelli Sport Breeze Airways Sacramento Republic FC Lee Desmond Hummel UCDavis Health San Antonio FC Mitchell Taintor Charly Community First Health PlansSporting Club Jacksonville Liam FoxAdidasAscension St. Vincent's Tampa Bay Rowdies Dominic Casciato Lewis Hilton Charly Union Home Mortgage
Regular season Format The teams will play an unbalanced 30-game schedule plus four USL Cup games. Each team will play its conference opponents twice, home and away, and five or six of the teams in the opposite conference. The top eight teams in each conference will make the playoffs.
Eastern Conference
Western Conference
Attendances
Percentage changes as compared to 2025 USL Championship season.
Player statistics
Goals RankPlayerClubGoals1 Rubio RubínEl Paso Locomotive FC162 Khori BennettColorado Springs Switchbacks FC143 Darren SmithDetroit City FC13 Peter WilsonOakland Roots SC5 Ihsan SackoPhoenix Rising FC12 MD MyersTampa Bay Rowdies Johnny RodriguezLas Vegas Lights FC Phillip GoodrumLexington SC9 Greg HurstNew Mexico United1110 Bruno RendónIndy Eleven10 Kieran SadlierSporting JAX
Hat-tricks +PlayerTeamAgainstScoreDate Peter Wilson Oakland Roots SC Las Vegas Lights FC4–2 (H)April 22 Jürgen Locadia Miami FC Louisville City FC4–3 (H)April 22 Darren Smith5 Detroit City FC Sporting JAX2–6 (A)June 13 Trevor Amann Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC Louisville City FC3–1 (H)July 18 Arquímides Ordóñez FC Tulsa Orange County SC1–5 (A)August 22 Rubio Rubín El Paso Locomotive FC Loudoun United FC4–1 (H)August 29 Eddy Davis III Loudoun United FC Colorado Springs Switchbacks4–5 (H)September 4 Phillip Goodrum Lexington SC Oakland Roots SC1–4 (A)September 12 Phillip Goodrum Lexington SC Orange County SC6–0 (H)September 19 MD Myers Tampa Bay Rowdies Birmingham Legion FC4–0 (H)September 19
Notes (H) – Home team(A) – Away team
Assists RankPlayerClubAssists1 Taylor DavilaLouisville City FC9 Jeremy KellyCharleston Battery Blaine FerriLexington SC4 Charlie OstremTampa Bay Rowdies8 Christian PinzónLas Vegas Lights FC6 Memo RodríguezSacramento Republic FC7 Christopher Olney Jr.Brooklyn FC Nathan MesserCharleston Battery Jorge HernandezSan Antonio FC Wolfgang PrenticeOakland Roots SC
Clean sheets RankPlayerClubCleansheets1 Carlos HerreraDetroit City FC132 Jahmali WaiteTampa Bay Rowdies123 Antony SiahaHartford Athletic9 Danny VitielloSacramento Republic FC Oliver SemmleLexington SC Nico CampuzanoPittsburgh Riverhounds SC7 Kris ShakesNew Mexico United8 Joseph BatrouniSan Antonio FC9 Dane JacomenFC Tulsa7 Alex RandoOrange County SC
USL Cup
Awards Midseason awards Goalkeeper of the YearDefender of the YearCoach of the YearYoung Player of the YearPlayer of the YearReferences Joey BatrouniSan Antonio FC Michael EdwardsOakland Roots SC Danny StoneOrange County SC CJ OlneyBrooklyn FC Ihsan SackoPhoenix Rising FC
Monthly awards MonthPlayer of the MonthCoach of the MonthReferences Player Club Position Coach ClubMarch Antony SiahaHartford AthleticGoalkeeper Dominic CasciatoTampa Bay RowdiesApril Wolfgang PrenticeOakland Roots SCForward Alan McCannColorado Springs SwitchbacksMay Colton SwanCharleston BatteryForward Dominic CasciatoTampa Bay RowdiesJune Emilio YcazaCharleston BatteryMidfielder Ben PirmannCharleston BatteryJuly Aaron MolloyLexington SCMidfielder Alan McCannColorado Springs SwitchbacksAugust Rubio RubínEl Paso Locomotive FCMidfielder Junior GonzalezEl Paso Locomotive FC
Weekly awards Player of the Week Week Player Club Position Reason 1 Rubio RubínEl Paso Locomotive FCForward2 goals vs Colorado Springs 2 Jansen WilsonLouisville City FCForward1 goal, 1 assist vs Miami 3 Emilio YcazaCharleston BatteryMidfielder2 goals in comeback win vs Birmingham 4 Arney RochaMiami FCForward2 goals and 2 Assists in 6 point week for Miami 5 Amando MorenoEl Paso Locomotive FCForward2 goals vs Las Vegas 6 Markus AndersonBrooklyn FCForward1 goal, 2 Assists vs Charleston 7 Albert DikwaPittsburgh Riverhounds SCForward2 goals vs Detroit 8/9 Peter WilsonOakland Roots SCForward4 goals in 2 games including first Hat Trick 10 Nico CampuzanoPittsburgh Riverhounds SCGoalkeeper7 save shutout vs Louisville City FC 11/12 Jürgen LocadiaMiami FCForwardHat Trick vs Louisville City FC 13 Christian SortoSan Antonio FCForward2 goals vs Jacksonville 14/15 Darren SmithDetroit City FCForward5 goals vs Jacksonville 16 Peter WilsonOakland Roots SCForward3 goals; 1 assist in 2 games 17/18 Adrien PerezColorado Springs Switchbacks FCForward2 goals; 1 assist vs Phoenix 19/20 Trevor AmannPittsburgh Riverhounds SCForward hat trick in 3 minutes, 27 seconds vs Louisville 21 Kyle EdwardsSacramento Republic FCForward 2 goals in win vs Oakland 22 Russell CiceroneTampa Bay RowdiesForward 2 goals in comeback win vs Louisville 23 Valentin NoëlNew Mexico UnitedMidfielder 2 goals 1 assist in 5–2 win vs Monterey Bay 24 Alex MendezEl Paso Locomotive FCForward 2 goals in 3–0 win vs San Antonio 25 Rubio RubínEl Paso Locomotive FCForward hat trick in 4–1 win vs Loudoun United 26 Arquímides OrdóñezFC TulsaForward hat trick in 5–1 win vs Orange County 27 Eddy Davis IIILoudoun UnitedForward hat trick in 5–4 loss vs Colorado Springs 28 Philip GoodrumLexington SCForward hat trick in 4–1 win vs Oakland 29 Philip GoodrumLexington SCForward hat trick in 6–0 win vs Orange County 30 Memo RodriguezSacramento Republic FCForward 2 goals, 1 assist 6–0 win vs New Mexico 31 Arney RochaMiami FCForward 2 goals, 1 assist 4–1 win vs Jacksonville
Goal of the Week Week Player Club Opponent 1 Wilmer Cabrera Jr.Charleston BatteryPittsburgh Riverhounds SC 2 Ihsan SackoPhoenix Rising FCOrange County SC 3 Owen DammFC TulsaLas Vegas Lights FC 4 Sebastian CruzTampa Bay RowdiesLoudoun United FC 5 Blake WilleySacramento Republic FCPhoenix Rising FC 6 Thorleifur ÚlfarssonLoudoun United FCLouisville City FC 7 Edward KizzaIndy ElevenBirmingham Legion FC 8/9 Johnny RodriguezLas Vegas Lights FCLexington SC 10 Tucker LepleyOakland Roots SCEl Paso Locomotive FC 11/12 Jojea KwizeraRhode Island FCBrooklyn FC 13 Tyshawn RoseSporting Club JacksonvilleBrooklyn FC 14/15 Mattheus OliveiraTampa Bay RowdiesCharleston Battery 16 Abdellatif AboukouraLoudoun UnitedBirmingham Legion FC 17/18 Emil JääskeläinenSporting JAXLoudoun United FC 19/20 Forster AjagoSacramento Republic FCCharleston Battery 21 Marco MicalettoTampa Bay RowdiesMiami FC 22 Russell CiceroneTampa Bay RowdiesLouisville City FC 23 Greg HurstNew Mexico UnitedMonterey Bay FC 24 Louis PerezTampa Bay RowdiesRhode Island FC 25 Delentz PierreFC TulsaOrange County SC 26 Dominique BadjiPhoenix Rising FCIndy Eleven 27 Daniel FloresPhoenix Rising FCMonterey Bay FC 28 Yutaro TsukadaRhode Island FCSporting Club Jacksonville 29 Marcus EppsLexington SCOrange County SC 30 Greg HurstNew Mexico UnitedSacramento Republic FC
Save of the Week 1 Nico CampuzanoPittsburgh Riverhounds SCCharleston Battery 2 Chituru OdunzePhoenix Rising FCOrange County SC 3 Chituru OdunzePhoenix Rising FCOakland Roots SC 4 Sebastián Mora-MoraEl Paso Locomotive FCSacramento Republic FC 5 Eloy RoomMiami FCHartford Athletic 6 Koke VegasRhode Island FCLexington SC 7 Joey BatrouniSan Antonio FCEl Paso Locomotive FC 8/9 Danny VitielloSacramento Republic FCOrange County SC 10 Nico CampuzanoPittsburgh Riverhounds SCLouisville City FC 11/12 Jackson LeeBrooklyn FCRhode Island FC 13 Alex TambakisFC TulsaLas Vegas Lights FC 14/15 Danny FaundezLouisville City FCBrooklyn FC 16 Sebastián Mora-MoraEl Paso Locomotive FCMonterey Bay FC 17/18 Carlos HerreraDetroit City FCBirmingham Legion FC 19/20 Danny FaundezLouisville City FCPittsburgh Riverhounds SC 21 Abraham RomeroEl Paso Locomotive FCSporting Club Jacksonville 22 Eloy RoomMiami FCDetroit City FC 23 Kendall McIntoshOakland Roots SCLas Vegas Lights FC 24 Charlie LanphierLas Vegas Lights FCBrooklyn FC 25 Pedro CruzEl Paso Locomotive FCColorado Springs Switchbacks 26 Mike SheridanPittsburgh Riverhounds SCEl Paso Locomotive FC 27 Kris ShakesNew Mexico UnitedLas Vegas Lights FC 28 Kendall McIntoshOakland Roots SCLexington SC 29 Christian HerreraColorado Springs SwitchbacksNew Mexico United 29 Koke VegasRhode Island FCCharleston Battery