USL Division One

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USL Division One
USL Division One.svg
Interim logo
Organizing body United Soccer League
First season2028 (proposed)
CountryUnited States
Confederation CONCACAF
Number of clubs12 (proposed)
Level on pyramid Division 1 (proposed)
Relegation to USL Championship
Domestic cup U.S. Open Cup
League cup USL Cup
International cup CONCACAF
Champions Cup

USL Division One is the tentative name for a proposed professional men's soccer league in the highest level of the United States league system, alongside Major League Soccer. Organized by the United Soccer League (USL), it would supersede the USL Championship as its premier league for men, and would employ a promotion and relegation system with the Championship. Its inaugural season would commence by 2028. Its proposed minimum salary for players would be US$55,000.

Contents

History

The USL announced its intent to establish a new Division I league via a press release published in February 2025. USL clubs were informed of the decision the day prior. [1] [2] [3] Before making their announcement, the USL waited for the outcome of N. Am. Soccer League, LLC v. U.S. Soccer Fed'n, Inc. in the United States District Court, E.D.N.Y., which ultimately ruled that U.S. Soccer's league system was legal and did not break antitrust laws. [4] The USL aims to commence play in USL Division One in the 2028 season. [5] [6]

Format

USL Division One would play a spring-to-fall schedule, and its teams would sign players via transfers and free agency; a college draft would not be used, comparable to most association football leagues outside of the United States. [7] A system of promotion and relegation would be implemented, in which the worst-performing teams in Division One would be replaced by the best-performing teams in the USL Championship at the end of each season. [8] [9] [10]

Organization

USL Division One will be led by Tony Scholes, the English Premier League's director of football, as its president. [11] [12]

Teams

U.S. Soccer's Professional League Standards stipulate that a league must have a minimum of twelve teams to qualify for Division 1 sanctioning, and fourteen teams by its third season. The league must have teams situated in the Eastern, Central, and Pacific time zones, and at least three quarters of the teams must be based in metropolitan areas with a population of 1 million or more. [2] [13] [14] All clubs must play in a venue with a capacity of 15,000 or more, and have an ownership group with a combined net worth of US$70 million. An individual owner with a net worth of US$40 million must also have a 35% or greater stake in the club. [13] [14] The USL have proposed to the USL Player's Association a US$55,000 minimum salary, which would escalate by $5,000 per year to US$70,000 for the 2031 season. [15]

Louisville City FC, North Carolina FC, and Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC have applied to join. [16] [17] [18] An upgrade of Highmark Stadium to meet the stadium capacity requirement was put forward as the centerpiece of the Riverhounds' bid. [19] North Carolina FC owner Steve Malik said his team has specific sites for a new stadium under consideration, as the team's current stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park does not meet the capacity requirement. [20] Detroit City FC and Sacramento Republic FC have also initiated stadium projects with an intent to meet the capacity requirement. [21] [22] [23] Birmingham Legion FC, Miami FC, and Oakland Roots SC currently meet both the market population and capacity requirements, [3] while Louisville City meet the capacity requirement. [16] The USL are also open to applications from clubs outside of its system. [7]

List of applicant clubs
TeamLocationStadiumCapacityRef.
Louisville City FC Louisville, Kentucky Lynn Family Stadium 15,304 [16]
North Carolina FC Raleigh, North Carolina TBDTBD [17] [20] [24]
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Highmark Stadium 15,000 (planned) [18] [19]

References

  1. ↑ Becherano, Lizzy (February 13, 2025). "USL announces plans to start new league that would rival MLS". ESPN . Archived from the original on February 13, 2025. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  2. 1 2 Schneider, Jacob (February 13, 2025). "USL intends to launch rival Division 1 men's soccer league in 2027-28 to challenge MLS". Goal.com . Archived from the original on February 17, 2025. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  3. 1 2 Cattry, Pardeep (February 13, 2025). "USL to launch first division men's league: Here's everything to know about potential MLS rival". CBS Sports . Archived from the original on February 17, 2025. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  4. ↑ Tenorino, Paul (February 13, 2025). "Move over, Major League Soccer. A rival top flight men's league is coming to the U.S." . The Athletic . Archived from the original on February 13, 2025. Retrieved February 20, 2025. McDonough said the USL waited for the trial to conclude before moving forward with its plans.
  5. ↑ Abnos, Alexander (March 20, 2025). "USL's Paul McDonough: promotion and relegation likely in US soccer by 2028". The Guardian . Archived from the original on April 29, 2025. Retrieved August 20, 2025.
  6. ↑ Booth, Chuck (March 19, 2025). "United Soccer League to bring promotion and relegation to American soccer for first time, starting in 2028". CBS Sports . Archived from the original on August 20, 2025. Retrieved August 20, 2025.
  7. 1 2 Peterson, Anne M. (February 14, 2025). "New top-tier men's soccer league coming to the United States". Associated Press . Archived from the original on February 17, 2025. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  8. ↑ "USL votes to adopt pro-rel in 2027 when Division One launches". ESPN . March 19, 2025. Archived from the original on March 19, 2025. Retrieved March 25, 2025.
  9. ↑ Steiner, Ben (March 19, 2025). "Promotion-Relegation Coming to American Professional Soccer, per Report". Sports Illustrated . Archived from the original on March 19, 2025. Retrieved March 25, 2025.
  10. ↑ Thompson, Andrew (March 19, 2025). "USL makes history after official adoption of promotion-relegation system". OneFootball . Archived from the original on March 25, 2025. Retrieved March 25, 2025.
  11. ↑ Abnos, Alexander (November 4, 2025). "USL hires Premier League director of football for exec role: 'He can have a really big impact'". The Guardian . Archived from the original on November 15, 2025. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
  12. ↑ Kay, Oliver; Tenorio, Paul (November 6, 2025). "USL tabs Premier League chief Tony Scholes to run new first division" . The Athletic . Archived from the original on November 15, 2025. Retrieved November 15, 2025. Tony Scholes, chief football officer of the Premier League, will be leaving to join the USL as president of its new first-division men's league...
  13. 1 2 Abnos, Alexander (February 13, 2025). "USL announces intention to start new league at same tier as MLS". The Guardian . Archived from the original on February 17, 2025. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  14. 1 2 "USL plans to launch Division I men's league, take on MLS". Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal . February 13, 2025. Archived from the original on February 17, 2025. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  15. ↑ Carlisle, Jeff (December 9, 2025). "Sources: New top-tier USL proposes $55K minimum salary". ESPN . Archived from the original on December 10, 2025. Retrieved December 10, 2025.
  16. 1 2 3 Schmidt, Stephen P. (September 25, 2025). "PE firm joins forces with USL to fuel top-tier ambitions, Lou City formally applies" . Louisville Business First . Archived from the original on September 28, 2025. Retrieved September 28, 2025. A representative from Soccer Holdings said the club recently sent in its formal application for a position in USL Division One. [...] Lynn Family Stadium (which can seat up to upwards of 15,000 spectators, if need be).
  17. 1 2 Murphy, Brian (November 5, 2025). "'All about the Courage': Soccer team's stadium needs at heart of decision to suspend men's club". WRAL News . Archived from the original on November 7, 2025. Retrieved November 7, 2025.
  18. 1 2 Schooley, Tim (August 19, 2025). ""We'll say not if, but when": The Pittsburgh Riverhounds submit application for new league as fundraising starts for stadium expansion" . Pittsburgh Business Times . Archived from the original on August 19, 2025. Retrieved August 20, 2025. We've currently completed our Division One application,
  19. 1 2 Babetski, Adam (August 19, 2025). "Riverhounds' owner plans a $125 million expansion project at its riverfront soccer venue" . Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . Archived from the original on August 19, 2025. Retrieved August 20, 2025. ...he was increasing capacity from 5,500 to 15,000 to qualify the Riverhounds for the United Soccer League's new Division One, which will launch in 2028.
  20. 1 2 Ohnesorge, Lauren (November 4, 2025). "Soccer club's future hinges on Raleigh stadium" . Triangle Business Journal . Archived from the original on November 4, 2025. Retrieved November 17, 2025. The new Division One league requires clubs to have a stadium with a minimum capacity of 15,000 seats. WakeMed Soccer Park's official capacity is 10,000. He confirmed there are specific sites under consideration but declined to name them.
  21. ↑ Biderman, Chris (August 18, 2025). "Why MLS looms large as Sacramento Republic FC breaks ground on downtown stadium". The Sacramento Bee . Archived from the original on August 21, 2025. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  22. ↑ Davis, Coty M. (August 11, 2025). "Detroit City FC unveils new stadium and name, AlumniFi Field, for 2027". The Detroit News . Archived from the original on August 21, 2025. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  23. ↑ Batcheller, Pat (March 26, 2025). "New soccer stadium in Detroit could open in 2027". WDET . Archived from the original on August 21, 2025. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  24. ↑ Hoggard, DeJuan (November 5, 2025). "North Carolina Football Club suspending operations in hopes of going into new league". ABC11 WTVD . Archived from the original on November 7, 2025. Retrieved November 7, 2025.
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