WPSL (United States) 2025/26

The Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) is the largest women's soccer league in the world. It operates as an independent entity sanctioned by the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA). The competition occupies the highest tier of amateur women's football in the United States. In the national pyramid, it sits informally below professional divisions.

Founded in 1998, the league emerged from the Western Division of the original W-League. Organizers sought a model free of franchise fees and less centralized. The structure covers the entire country through four regions: West, Central, South, and East. These regions split into sixteen conferences and numerous divisions. Teams join through application rather than sporting merit, so there is no promotion or relegation system.

Matches follow a standard schedule of a regular season leading into single-elimination playoffs. Winners advance from conference and division levels to regional and national knockout stages. The ultimate prize is the Jerry Zanelli Cup, awarded to the national champion.

The California Storm holds the record for the most titles, winning five championships. They secured their latest victory in 2024 against the Charlotte Eagles. Players in the WPSL can maintain NCAA eligibility because the league remains amateur. This distinguishes it from the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), which is professional.

The league also launched a separate professional initiative called WPSL PRO. This new project seeks Division II sanctioning to bridge the gap between amateur play and top-tier professional football. It operates distinct from the WPSL itself. While the WPSL focuses on amateur development, the PRO section aims for a different status. The league continues to grow, currently featuring approximately 142 to 150 teams in its top flight.