March 20 – In news that could permanently alter how football is run in the United States, the upstart, United Soccer League (USL), has announced that it will introduce promotion and relegation to its pyramid, with expectations that it will be in place in 2028.
The USL owners passed this resolution with a supermajority, allowing the league to fall in line with the rest of world football in creating a true meritocracy.
Alec Papadakis, CEO of the United Soccer League, said: “A new chapter in American soccer begins. The decision by our owners to approve and move forward with this bold direction is a testament to their commitment to the long-term growth of soccer in the United States.
“This is a significant milestone for the USL and highlights our shared vision with our team ownership to build a league that not only provides top-tier competition but also champions community engagement.
“Now, just as it is in the global game, more communities in America can aspire to compete at the highest level of soccer. It’s time.”
With Major League Soccer (MLS) seemingly locked into its single-entity, franchise model, promotion and relegation from the current top tier of U.S. football is simply a non-starter, allowing USL to slip into that environment where “every game matters”, which is not currently the MLS model.
In 2023 the USL previously brought this initiative to the table but had been unable to get buy-in from a majority of the owners.
How the U.S. Soccer Federation reacts to this news is unknown and could lead to some uncomfortable conversations. Currently, there are strict guidelines in place as to what is expected of Division 1 teams. With Divisions 2 and 3 coming online, it’ll be interesting to see if those guidelines have flexibility.
The USL can rightly point out that it is a growing concern in the American soccer market, citing TV figures that showed 431,000 viewers tuned into its championship game on CBS, compared to 468,000 for the MLS Cup broadcast on Fox and Fox Deportes. However, that figure doesn’t factor in viewership on Apple’s MLS Season Pass.
Regardless, this is a seismic day for US soccer and one that has the potential to change the sport in a highly competitive season-long way.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1742477317labto1742477317ofdlr1742477317owedi1742477317sni@r1742477317etsbe1742477317w.kci1742477317n1742477317.