The United Soccer League intends to launch a new men’s professional league in 2027-28 that will play at the top level of soccer in the U.S., the same as Major League Soccer.
The USL already has a pair of leagues, the second-tier USL Championship and the third-tier USL League One. Currently, MLS is the nation’s only Division One league.
The U.S. Soccer Federation will need to sanction the new league, which will include 12 to 14 teams. The league aims to build on “USL’s commitment to grow the game at all levels.”
“Creating a Division One league is a bold step forward, expanding access to top-tier competition, deepening the connection between our communities and taking another step in aligning with the structure of the global game,” Alec Papadakis, CEO of the United Soccer League, said in a statement. “By uniting people through soccer and bringing Division One to more cities, we’re not just growing the sport — we’re creating lasting opportunities while building a more sustainable and vibrant soccer ecosystem in the U.S.”
The USL said the new league would establish a “fully integrated pathway” for clubs and players across the three divisions.
U.S. Soccer, which sets the standards for the sport, requires that top-tier leagues have a minimum of 12 teams, with stadiums that seat 15,000 or more fans. At least 75% of the teams must be located in cities with populations of 1 million or more. And the teams must prove financial viability.
USL President Paul McDonough told The Associated Press that league officials recently met with U.S. Soccer and there were no objections to the plan. Sanctioning will come later in the process.
“We told them our intention, they’re supportive of it. Now we have to go and build a league and provide all the proper documentation and meet all the standards to be sanctioned prior to kickoff,” McDonough said.
It’s possible that a number of current USL Championship teams could move up to the new league, including Sacramento, Louisville, Phoenix and Las Vegas.
Louisville posted on social media: “So did we just get promoted?”
The announcement comes ahead of a busy few years for soccer in North America. The Club World Cup will be played in the U.S. this summer, followed by the World Cup next year, jointly hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico. In 2028, Los Angeles will host the Olympics.
McDonough said there will be an application process for teams both already in the USL system and potential new clubs.
The league will play a spring-to-fall calendar, like MLS, and there will be no college draft. There is the possibility that the league may adopt promotion-relegation, McDonough said.
Major League Soccer is celebrating its 30th season this year. The MLS season opens next week with 30 teams, including expansion club San Diego.
The USL has a top division women’s league, the eight-team USL Super League, which launched last August.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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