What is the USL Championship?
The USL Championship is the second division of American men's professional soccer — around two dozen clubs from Louisville to Sacramento, sanctioned Division II by U.S. Soccer and run by the United Soccer League, whose pyramid also includes USL League One (Division III), the pre-professional League Two, and the women's USL Super League.[1]
How does it work?
A regular season leads to the USL Championship Playoffs and a single final. In a first for American soccer, USL owners voted in March 2025 to adopt promotion and relegation: a new USL Division One launches in 2027, linked to the Championship and League One so clubs can rise and fall on sporting merit.[1] [2]
Why does it matter?
The Championship is the professional proving ground of the American pyramid — full-time contracts, U.S. Open Cup runs, and rosters mixing prospects, internationals and former MLS players. For professionals building a career in the U.S., a Championship contract and its match records are core credentials of the paid game below MLS.[1] [2]
References
- USL — official site. Accessed August 2026.
- ESPN — USL votes to adopt promotion-relegation; Division One launches 2027. Accessed August 2026.