United Soccer League Adopts Promotion and Relegation System, Ushering in a New Era for American Soccer

League House owners Approve Historic Transfer to Align with International Requirements and Elevate Competitors Nationwide

TAMPA, Fla., March 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The United Soccer League (USL) introduced right this moment {that a} supermajority of membership house owners voted to implement a promotion and relegation system, marking a groundbreaking resolution that may reshape the way forward for skilled soccer in the USA.

The USL turns into the primary skilled sports activities league within the U.S. to undertake this world mannequin, creating an interconnected three-tiered males’s skilled soccer system, the place groups earn promotion to the next division or face relegation to a decrease division based mostly on their efficiency throughout the season. With this historic step, the USL aligns with the world’s prime leagues—together with the English Premier League, La Liga and Bundesliga—the place promotion and relegation raises the stakes of each match, drives fan engagement, and elevates the general competitors of the sport. 

“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,” stated Alec Papadakis, CEO of the United Soccer League. “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.” 

Final month, the USL introduced plans to launch a brand new Division One league in 2027-28, a pivotal step in its imaginative and prescient to determine a completely built-in three-tier skilled system. As outlined by U.S. Soccer Federation sanctioning requirements, Division One is the best degree {of professional} soccer in the USA. With the USL Championship (Division Two) and USL League One (Division Three) already offering a powerful basis for participant improvement and competitors, the addition of a Division One league completes the construction. All three leagues might be interconnected by means of a structured promotion and relegation system, the place extra matches matter, rewarding efficiency and unlocking new alternatives for golf equipment, gamers, and followers.

“Promotion and relegation transforms the competitive landscape of American soccer,” stated Paul McDonough, President and Chief Soccer Officer of the USL. “With the 2026 World Cup and other major international events approaching, we have a unique opportunity to build on that momentum and create a sustainable future for the sport in the U.S. Fans and stakeholders have been clear—they want something different. They’re drawn to the intensity of high-stakes competition, where more matches have real consequences—just like we see in European leagues. This shift challenges the status quo and brings a level of excitement and relevance that can elevate the game across the country.” 

Extra particulars in regards to the implementation and construction of promotion and relegation might be shared within the coming months. For updates, please go to uslsoccer.com. 

About United Soccer League
Based in 1986, the United Soccer League (USL) is the most important and fastest-growing soccer group in the USA, impacting greater than 200 communities nationwide. The USL is the primary and solely group to supply a complete youth-to-professional pathway for each women and men below one ecosystem. This construction consists of 4 males’s leagues: the newly introduced, top-tier skilled Division I league, the USL Championship (Division II), USL League One (Division III), and USL League Two (pre-professional). The ladies’s pathway consists of the top-tier USL Tremendous League (Division I), which debuted in 2024, and USL W League, the nation’s main pre-professional ladies’s league. The USL additionally oversees USL Academy, a progressive expertise improvement platform, and USL Youth, a premier nationwide youth platform. 

With multi-year nationwide and worldwide media rights agreements throughout varied platforms together with CBS Sports activities, ESPN and Peacock, the USL is probably the most extensively accessible soccer league within the nation. 

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SOURCE United Soccer League