Members
Current
Locations of teams for the 2024 USL Championship season
| League | USL Championship |
|---|---|
| Sport | Soccer |
| Founded | January 21, 2015 |
| No. of teams | 12 |
| Most recent champion(s) | Rhode Island FC (2024) (1st title) |
| Most titles | Louisville City FC (4 titles) |
The Eastern Conference is one of two conferences in USL Championship soccer. [1]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisville City FC (S) | 34 | 24 | 6 | 4 | 86 | 43 | +43 | 76 | Playoffs |
| 2 | Charleston Battery | 34 | 18 | 6 | 10 | 68 | 35 | +33 | 64 | |
| 3 | Detroit City FC | 34 | 15 | 8 | 11 | 46 | 32 | +14 | 56 | |
| 4 | Indy Eleven | 34 | 14 | 11 | 9 | 49 | 50 | −1 | 51 | |
| 5 | Rhode Island FC | 34 | 12 | 7 | 15 | 56 | 41 | +15 | 51 | |
| 6 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 34 | 14 | 12 | 8 | 55 | 46 | +9 | 50 | |
| 7 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC | 34 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 41 | 28 | +13 | 48 | |
| 8 | North Carolina FC | 34 | 13 | 12 | 9 | 54 | 43 | +11 | 48 | |
| 9 | Birmingham Legion FC | 34 | 13 | 15 | 6 | 44 | 51 | −7 | 45 | |
| 10 | Hartford Athletic | 34 | 12 | 14 | 8 | 39 | 52 | −13 | 44 | |
| 11 | Loudoun United FC | 34 | 11 | 14 | 9 | 44 | 39 | +5 | 42 | |
| 12 | Miami FC | 34 | 3 | 29 | 2 | 26 | 89 | −63 | 11 |
Conference Member Club moved to Western Conference Former clubs Club playing in different league
‡Orlando City B & Rochester Rhinos went on hiatus after the 2017 season. [2] [3] OKC Energy FC went and has been on hiatus since the 2021 season, and looks to be on hiatus until the 2027 season. [4]
Changes from 2014: USL Pro expanded and was rebranded as simply USL; the round robin table was split into two conferences: Eastern and Western.
Changes from 2015: Bethlehem Steel FC, FC Cincinnati and Orlando City B were added as expansion franchises; [5] St. Louis FC moved out to the Western Conference.
Changes from 2016: Ottawa Fury FC and the Tampa Bay Rowdies moved in from the North American Soccer League; FC Montreal was disbanded; Saint Louis FC moved back in from the Western Conference; [6] Wilmington Hammerheads FC moved out to the Premier Development League (now USL League Two).
Changes from 2017: USL was divided into three divisions: Championship, League One and League Two; Atlanta United 2 was added as an expansion franchise; the Indy Eleven and North Carolina FC moved in from the North American Soccer League; the Harrisburg City Islanders were renamed Penn FC; Orlando City B and the Rochester Rhinos went on hiatus; Saint Louis FC moved out back to the Western Conference. [7]
Changes from 2018: FC Cincinnati disbanded to make way for the MLS franchise; [8] Birmingham Legion FC, Hartford Athletic, Loudoun United FC and Memphis 901 FC were added as expansion franchises; Saint Louis FC and the Swope Park Rangers moved in from the Western Conference; Orlando City B, the Richmond Kickers and Toronto FC II moved out to USL League One; Penn FC and the Rochester Rhinos went on hiatus. They will move to USL League One in 2020.
Changes from 2019: Nashville SC moved out to Major League Soccer; Bethlehem Steel FC was renamed Philadelphia Union II; the Swope Park Rangers were renamed Sporting Kansas City II; Ottawa Fury FC was not sanctioned by U.S. Soccer and had their franchise rights sold to Miami FC; Penn FC was disbanded. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic the conference was split into four groups. Three groups of four and one group of five. [9]
Changes from 2020: The conference was divided into two divisions, Atlantic and Central; the OKC Energy FC and FC Tulsa moved in from the Western Conference; North Carolina FC moved out to USL League One; Philadelphia Union II was withdrawn by its MLS parent club; Saint Louis FC was disbanded. [10]
Changes from 2021: The Atlantic and Central divisions were dropped; OKC Energy FC went on hiatus; Charlotte Independence moved to USL League One; Detroit City FC joined from NISA; Sporting Kansas City II was withdrawn by its MLS parent club and moved to MLS Next Pro. [11]
Changes from 2022: Atlanta United 2 and New York Red Bulls II were withdrawn by its MLS parent club and moved to MLS Next Pro. [12]
Changes from 2023: North Carolina FC returned from USL League One. [13] Rhode Island FC was added as an expansion franchise. [14] Memphis 901 FC and FC Tulsa were moved to the Western Conference. [15]
Changes from 2024: None
| Bold | USL Champions |
| Season | Champions | Score | Runners Up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Rochester Rhinos | 1–0 | Louisville City FC |
| 2016 | New York Red Bulls II | 1–1 (4–3 PK) | Louisville City FC |
| 2017 | Louisville City FC | 1–1 (4–3 PK) | New York Red Bulls II |
| 2018 | Louisville City FC | 5–1 | New York Red Bulls II |
| 2019 | Louisville City FC | 3–1 (AET) | Indy Eleven |
| 2020 [a] | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 2–1 | Louisville City FC |
| 2021 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 3–2 (AET) | Louisville City FC |
| 2022 | Louisville City FC | 1–0 (AET) | Tampa Bay Rowdies |
| 2023 | Charleston Battery | 2–1 | Louisville City FC |
| 2024 | Rhode Island FC | 2–1 | Charleston Battery |
| Bold | Players' Shield Champions |
| Season | Team | Record | Playoffs result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Rochester Rhinos | 17–1–10 (+25) | Won USL Championship |
| 2016 | New York Red Bulls II | 21–3–6 (+40) | Won USL Championship |
| 2017 | Louisville City FC | 18–6–8 (+27) | Won USL Championship |
| 2018 | FC Cincinnati | 23–3–8 (+38) | Lost Conference semifinals |
| 2019 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC | 19-4-11 (+28) | Lost Conference semifinals |
| 2020 | Louisville City FC | 11-3-2 (+16) | Lost Conference Final |
| 2021 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 23–7–2 (+32) | Lost Championship final |
| 2022 | Louisville City FC | 22–6–6 (+37) | Lost Championship final |
| 2023 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC | 19–5–10 (+21) | Lost Conference quarterfinals |
| 2024 | Louisville City FC | 24–6–4 (+43) | Lost Conference semifinals |
The 2019 Atlanta United 2 season was the team's second year of existence, their second season in the USL, the second tier of the American soccer pyramid. It was their first season with home matches at Fifth Third Bank Stadium in Kennesaw, Georgia.
The 2019 season was the fifth ever season of competitive soccer played by the New York Red Bulls II, the reserve team of Major League Soccer's New York Red Bulls. The side participated in the USL Championship, the second-tier of American soccer.
The 2019 North Carolina FC season was the club's 13th season of existence. The 2018 season was the club's first in the USL, having left the NASL at the end of the 2017 season. For the fourth time in history and the first time since 2009, North Carolina won the 2018 Southern Derby, a fan-based U.S. professional soccer cup competition between North Carolina, Charleston Battery, and Charlotte Independence. North Carolina finished the regular season in 9th place with 47 points, missing out on the playoffs by 2 points to Nashville. The 2019 season was the first under new coach Dave Sarachan who replaced Colin Clarke.
The 2019 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC season was the club's twentieth season of existence, their second consecutive season in the second tier of American soccer, and their ninth season in the league now named the USL Championship. The season covers the period from October 21, 2018 to the beginning of the 2020 USL Championship season. Bob Lilley returns for his second season as Riverhounds manager.
The 2019 Memphis 901 FC season was the inaugural season for Memphis 901 FC in the USL Championship, the second-tier professional soccer league in the United States and Canada.
The 2019 Hartford Athletic season was the club's inaugural season and their first in the USL Championship, the second tier of American soccer. The season covers the period from the founding of the club to the start of the 2020 USL Championship season.
The 2019 Charlotte Independence season was the club's fifth season of existence, and their fifth in the USL Championship, the second tier of American soccer.
The 2019 Tampa Bay Rowdies season was the club's tenth season of existence, their third in the United Soccer League, and first in the newly named USL Championship. Including the previous Tampa Bay Rowdies, this was the 26th season of a franchise in the Tampa Bay metro area with the Rowdies moniker. Including the now-defunct Tampa Bay Mutiny, this was the 32nd season of professional soccer in the Tampa Bay region.
The 2019 Saint Louis FC season was the club's fifth season of existence, and their fifth consecutive season in the USL Championship, the second tier of American soccer. Saint Louis will additionally compete in the U.S. Open Cup.
The 2019 Indy Eleven season was the club's sixth season of existence, their sixth consecutive season in the second tier of American soccer, and their second season in the league now named the USL Championship. The season covers the period from October 21, 2018 to the beginning of the 2020 USL Championship season.
The 2019 Charleston Battery season was the club's 27th year of existence, their 16th season in the second tier of the United States Soccer Pyramid. It was their ninth season in the United Soccer League Championship as part of the Eastern Conference.
The 2019 Louisville City FC season was the club's fifth season in Louisville, Kentucky playing in the United Soccer League Championship, which as of 2019 is the second-tier league in the United States soccer league system.
The 2019 Nashville SC season was the club's second and final season both as an organization and as a member in the USL Championship. In 2018 and 2019, Nashville SC played in the Eastern Conference of the USL Championship, the second-highest level of professional soccer in the US.
The 2021 Tampa Bay Rowdies season was the club's twelfth season of existence, their fifth in the United Soccer League, and third in the USL Championship. Including the previous Tampa Bay Rowdies, this is the 28th season of a franchise in the Tampa Bay metro area with the Rowdies moniker. Including the now-defunct Tampa Bay Mutiny, this is the 34th season of professional soccer in the Tampa Bay region.
The 2022 FC Tulsa season was the franchise's 8th season in the USL Championship, the second-tier professional soccer league in the United States. The team will also participate in the 2022 U.S. Open Cup.
The 2022 Louisville City FC season was the club's eighth season of competition. Louisville City competes in the USL Championship, the second tier of professional soccer in the United States.
The 2022 Atlanta United 2 season was the team's fifth year of existence as well as their fifth and final season in the USL Championship, the second tier of the American soccer pyramid.
The 2022 Tampa Bay Rowdies season was the club's thirteenth season of existence, their sixth in the United Soccer League, and fourth in the USL Championship. Including the previous Tampa Bay Rowdies, this is the 29th season of a franchise in the Tampa Bay metro area with the Rowdies moniker. Including the now-defunct Tampa Bay Mutiny, this is the 35th season of professional soccer in the Tampa Bay region.
The 2024 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC season was the club's twenty-fifth season of existence, their eighth season in the second tier of American soccer, and their fourteenth season in the league now named the USL Championship (USLC).
The USL Championship final between the Tampa Bay Rowdies and Phoenix Rising has been canceled after multiple Tampa Bay players tested positive for COVID-19, the league announced on Saturday.
