USL Championship (United States) 2026/27

The USL Championship operates as the second tier of professional men's soccer in the United States, sitting directly below Major League Soccer (MLS). While MLS functions as a single-entity structure where the league owns teams and players, the USL Championship consists of independently owned clubs. This structural difference allows USL clubs greater local autonomy but lacks the centralized revenue sharing and salary cap controls found in the top flight. The league is owned and operated by the United Soccer League (USL), an organization originally founded in 1986.

The competition was established in 2011 as USL Pro, following the merger of the USL First Division and USL Second Division. It underwent a significant rebranding in 2019 when the league introduced a third-division counterpart, USL League One. The current format involves 25 teams divided into Eastern and Western conferences. The regular season consists of 34 games per team, featuring a balanced conference schedule and inter-conference play. The top eight teams from each conference qualify for a single-elimination playoff tournament, culminating in the USL Cup Final.

A key distinction from MLS is the absence of automatic promotion or relegation to the top tier; clubs move between divisions based on ownership decisions and meeting operational criteria. However, the USL has voted to implement a promotion/relegation system within its own structure starting in 2028 with the launch of USL Premier. Historical success has been shared, with Louisville City FC and Orlando City SC each winning two titles. The current champion is Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, having secured the title in 2025. Notable finals include the 2019 match between Louisville City FC and Phoenix Rising FC, which set an attendance record at the time, and the 2023 final where Sacramento Republic FC defeated Birmingham Legion FC.