 | |
| Organizing body | United Soccer League |
|---|---|
| Founded |
|
| First season | 2011 |
| Country | United States |
| Confederation | |
| Conferences | Eastern Conference Western Conference |
| Number of teams | 23 |
| Level on pyramid | 2 |
| Domestic cup(s) | U.S. Open Cup |
| Current champion(s) | Phoenix Rising FC (2023) |
| Current Players' Shield | Louisville City FC (2024) |
| Most championships |
|
| Most Players' Shields | Orlando City (3 titles) |
| TV partners | |
| Website | uslchampionship |
| Current: 2024 USL Championship season | |
| United Soccer League divisions |
|---|
| Men's leagues |
| Women's leagues |
| Youth leagues |
The USL Championship (USLC) is a professional men's soccer league in the United States that began play in 2011. The USL is sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) as a Division II league since 2017, placing it under Major League Soccer (Division I) in the hierarchy.[1] The USL is headquartered in Tampa, Florida.[2]
The league is owned and operated by United Soccer League and was formed as result of the merger of their USL First (USL-1) and Second Divisions (USL-2), following the 2010 season which saw neither the USL-1 nor the North American Soccer League (NASL) receive Division II sanctioning from the USSF, resulting in the temporary USSF Division 2 Pro League. United Soccer Leagues stated that the merger would strengthen the league's position within the American professional soccer landscape through stability, commercial growth and the professional development of soccer in four main regions throughout the United States and Canada.[3]
- ^ "U.S. Soccer Board of Directors Grants Provisional Division II Status to NASL and USL". U.S. Soccer. January 6, 2017. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
- ^ "About". uslsoccer.com. Retrieved November 16, 2017.
- ^ "USL Restructures Professional Division". uslsoccer.com. September 8, 2010. Archived from the original on October 11, 2010. Retrieved September 8, 2010.