The USL wants to go big league in 2027.
The United Soccer League plans to go “major league” in 2027. The USL has been around since 2011 and has been considered a minor league or Division II grouping by the United States Soccer Federation. The USL has 24 franchises, most of them are in smaller markets that would not necessarily be considered major league markets. The league does have a New York City team that will play in a minor league baseball park in Brooklyn starting in 2026. The league has franchises in some big-league markets including Detroit, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Miami, Oakland, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Sacramento, San Antonio and the Tampa Bay area. The USL also has a Division III level. The USL needs the U.S. Soccer Federation to sanction the new league as a top end league. The USL started a top tier women’s league in August 2024, with eight teams called the USL Super League.
U. S. Soccer has established a set of standards that the USL has to meet. It requires that top-tier leagues have a minimum of 12 teams, with stadiums that seat 15,000 people or more. At least 75 percent of the teams must be located in cities with populations of one million or more. And the teams must provide financial viability. What markets might be joining the league? That is unclear at the moment. The USL will start the process of identifying areas that it believes could support a big-league soccer franchise. USL President Paul McDonough said there will be an application process for teams both already in the USL system and potential new clubs. The big-league USL will play a spring-to-fall calendar and there will be no college draft. The league claims “the new league will bring top-tier soccer to more communities, elevate the game and create more opportunities for players, clubs and fans.” Leagues have come and gone in soccer.
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Charleston Battery and South Georgia Tormenta FC
