USL Super League

The USL Super League (USLS) is a planned Division I professional women's soccer league in the United States. The league will be owned and operated by the United Soccer League.[1] Originally planning to launch in August 2023, it is now slated to begin play in August 2024.[2]

USL Super League
Organizing bodyUnited Soccer League
FoundedSeptember 21, 2021 (2021-09-21)
First season2024–25
CountryUnited States
ConfederationCONCACAF
Number of teams8 (announced)
10–12 (planned)
Level on pyramid1 (Proposed)
Websitewww.uslsuperleague.com
United Soccer League divisions
Men's leagues
Women's leagues
Youth leagues

History

USL announced the formation of the Super League on September 21, 2021. Along with the pre-professional USL W League, which started in 2022, the USLS is part of the creation of a full pathway for women's soccer.[3][4] Amanda Vandervort, former Chief Women’s Football Officer for FIFPro, the global player’s association, was appointed League President on October 12, 2021.[5]

In May 2022, United Soccer League announced that the Super League schedule will align with the "women’s international soccer calendar" with seasons running from August to June in order to "drive increased value."[6] To attempt to avoid the worst of winter weather, a mid-season break is planned.[7] The league hopes to field 12 teams in their inaugural season.[7] On January 31, 2022, MLS club D.C. United reversed their decision in establishing a club for the inaugural USL W League 2022 season, instead reportedly looking to join the USLS in the future.[8] On July 12, 2022, Santa Barbara Sky was announced as a USL expansion club, aiming to have a professional men's team in USL League One and a professional women's team.[9] On July 14, 2022, the USL announced a partnership with USL NOLA, a group which aims to bring a USL Championship team to the city by 2025 and a USLS team to New Orleans, Louisiana in the future.[10] On August 30, 2022, the USL announced that the JAXUSL ownership and executive group had acquired the rights to a USL Championship franchise in Jacksonville, Florida, to begin play by 2025 and a USLS team to begin play in the future.[11] On October 18, 2022, USL Championship club Memphis 901 FC announced their intentions to construct a new soccer-specific stadium and accompanying training facilities that would host their men's team and a potential professional women's soccer team.[12] On November 7, 2022, USL League Two club Real Central New Jersey announced that they and the USL were exploring the establishment of a team in the Super League.[13] On December 8, 2022, it was announced that USL League Two club Lane United FC acquired exclusive rights to pursue a Super League franchise in Lane County, Oregon.[14]

On May 16, 2023, USL Super League announced the initial eight markets that would be participating in their inaugural season, with an additional five that would be joining in later seasons, pending stadium projects. They also announced that they would be intending to launch as a first division league, as opposed to second division as had been previously announced.[15][16] The proposed divisional change would increase the minimum costs and standards for teams, market sizes, and staff, and would make the USL Super League the second top-division professional women's football league in the United States alongside the National Women's Soccer League.[16]

Competition format

The proposed Super League schedule is expected to conform to the international domestic association football season from fall to summer, and would not use a college draft.[16]

Teams

Teams are planning to launch in the following markets for the 2024–25 USL Super League season.[15][16]

City StadiumCapacity FoundedJoining Head coach Ownership
Current teams
Charlotte, North Carolina American Legion Memorial Stadium
10,500
2023
2024
TBA
 Charlotte Independence president Jim McPhilliamy
Dallas–Fort Worth, Texas
TBA
2023
2024
TBA
 Neil family of Churchill Capital Company, LLC
Lexington, Kentucky Toyota Stadium (planned)
6,500 (planned)
2023
2024
TBA
  • Lexington SC owner Bill Shively
  • Donna Shively
  • Lexington SC owner Stephen Dawahare
Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix Rising Soccer Stadium
10,000
2023
2024
TBA
 Phoenix Rising FC ownership group
Spokane, Washington ONE Spokane Stadium
5,100
2023
2024
TBA
 Spokane Velocity FC ownership group
Tampa, Florida
TBA
2023
2024
 Denise Schilte-Brown[17]
Tucson, Arizona
TBA
2023
2024
TBA
  • FC Tucson owner Jon Pearlman
  • FC Tucson chairman Jeff Arnold
Washington, D.C.
TBA
2023
2024
TBA
 Bowie Baysox, Frederick Keys, Spire City Ghost Hounds owner Attain Sports and Entertainment (CEO Greg Baroni), affiliated with D.C. United

Future teams

The following teams are expected to join the league pending completion of stadium construction or upgrade projects.[15][16]

City StadiumCapacity FoundedJoining Ownership
Planned expansion teams
East Ridge, Tennessee CHI Memorial Stadium
5,500
2023
TBA
 Chattanooga Red Wolves SC founder Bob Martino
Indianapolis, Indiana Eleven Park (planned)
20,000 (planned)
2023
TBA
  • Indy Eleven founder Ersal Ozdemir
  • Indy Eleven CEO Greg Stremlaw
Jacksonville, Florida
TBA
2023
2025
 Jacksonville USL Expansion founders:
Madison, Wisconsin Breese Stevens Field
5,000
2023
2025
 Forward Madison FC owners Big Top Events
Oakland, California
TBA
2023
TBA
 Oakland Roots SC owners

Location map
USL Super League is located in the United States
Charlotte
Charlotte
Dallas–Fort Worth
Dallas–Fort Worth
Lexington
Lexington
Phoenix
Phoenix
Spokane
Spokane
Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay
Tucson
Tucson
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Chattanooga
Chattanooga
Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Jacksonville
Jacksonville
Madison
Madison
Oakland
Oakland
USL Super League clubs
Current club Future club

References
  1. "USL Announces New Professional Division II Women's Soccer League". uslsoccer.com. USLSoccer.com Staff. September 21, 2021. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  2. "USL Super League". uslsoccer.com/step-up.
  3. "USL announces new professional women's soccer league: USL Super League". espn.com. ESPN. September 21, 2021. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  4. "USL launching women's Division II league with 'commitment to gender equity'". theathletic.com. The Athletic. September 21, 2021. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  5. "Amanda Vandervort Named USL Super League President". uslsoccer.com. USLSoccer.com Staff. October 12, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  6. USLSoccer com Staff (March 15, 2022). "USL Super League to Align with International Women's Soccer Calendar and Kick Off in August 2023". USL Championship. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  7. "New women's USL league to play fall-to-summer". ESPN.com. March 15, 2022. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  8. Steven Goff [@soccerinsider] (January 31, 2022). "D.C. United will not field a team in the USL W League (women's amateur) this year. But sources say they are planning to have a team in the USL Super League (women's second-tier pro) starting in 2023. #dcu" (Tweet). Retrieved July 15, 2022 – via Twitter.
  9. USLLeagueOne com Staff (July 12, 2022). "Santa Barbara Sky FC to Join USL League One". USL League One. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  10. USLChampionship com Staff (July 14, 2022). "Local group aims to bring USL club to New Orleans". USL Championship. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  11. USLChampionship com Staff (August 30, 2022). "United Soccer League announces expansion plans for Jacksonville". USL Championship. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  12. "Memphis 901 FC Announces Plans for a New Soccer Specific Stadium". Memphis 901 FC. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
  13. "USL AND REAL CENTRAL NJ SOCCER EXPLORING PROFESSIONAL SOCCER EXPANSION". Real Central NJ. November 7, 2022. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
  14. USLLeagueOne com Staff (December 8, 2022). "Lane United FC acquires exclusive rights to pursue professional USL franchises". USL League Two. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  15. "USL Super League Announces Initial Markets". USLSuperLeague.com. USL Super League. May 16, 2023. Archived from the original on May 16, 2023. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  16. Yang, Steph (May 16, 2023). "USL announces new women's pro league to rival NWSL". The Athletic. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  17. Kriger, Rachael (July 15, 2023). "New USL Super League side Tampa Bay tabs Christina Unkel as president, Denise Schilte-Brown as head coach". The Equalizer. Retrieved July 15, 2023.
  18. Roa, Ray (May 11, 2023). "Darryl Shaw is bringing a new professional women's soccer team to Tampa". Creative Loafing. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
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