USL to launch first division men’s league: Here’s everything to know about potential MLS rival

The USL announced on Thursday that it will launch a Division One Men’s Soccer League that could match MLS and focuses on a start of 2027 for the new competition. In his announcement, the USL mentioned the growth of football in the US as an important reason for creating the new competition. The organization wants to benefit from the hype created by the World Cup 2026, which is partly organized by the US, Mexico and Canada, as well as the construction of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

“By uniting people by bringing football and division one to more cities, we not only grow the sport – we create permanent opportunities while we build a more sustainable and livelier football ecosystem in the US,” ” USL CEO Alec Papadakis said in a statement.

With the new competition, the USL will operate three different men’s football competitions, including the second Tier USL Championship and the Third-Tier USL League One, both of which are already working and organizing a combined 26 teams. The structure also lends itself to the idea of ​​promotional investment, a staple of European football that has never been tried in the US and is something that the leaders of the USL have long shown interest.

Although the incoming competition of the USL technically the same place on the American football pyramid will have MLS, it is unclear how exactly the new competition will compete with MLS. However, there is an almost guarantee for overlap between the two competitions, and certain voltage points that would go.

Here is an explanation about the evolving structure of club football in the US

Which teams will be in the new competition of the USL?

It is currently too early in the process, although it is very possible that teams will make the leap to the top class in the other competitions of the USL. Owners of teams in the USL Championship and League One were informed of the decision of the USL to launch a new competition on Wednesday evening, Per athletics.

What are the standards to form a division one competition?

US Soccer requires division one men’s football competitions that have at least 12 teams in the time zones of the Eastern, Central and Pacific. In addition, 75% of those teams have to play in metropolitan areas with populations of at least one million people.

Teams in a Division One men’s competition must also have stadiums with a minimum capacity of 15,000, as well as owners who can prove financial viability for five years. Each team must have full -time employees, while the competition is also obliged to have full -time operational staff and a temporary partner. The USL currently has a temporary employment contract with CBS Sports that runs until the end of the 2027 Championship and League One seasons.

The USL Championship currently has three teams that meet the population and the stadium requirements – Birmingham Legion, Miami FC and Oakland Roots – while another three expansion teams in Dallas, Palm Beach, FLA. And Buffalo, ny could join that group if they land the country if they have the countries right stadiums.

USL’s history with MLS

The USL is historically operated on a level under MLS and serves as a kind of feeder competition for players, coaches and even any MLS teams. Seven final MLS extension teams participated for the first time in the USL: The Seattle Sounders, The Vancouver WhiteCaps, The Portland Timbers, CF Montreal, Orlando City, FC Cincinnati and Nashville SC.

The geographical overlap between MLS and the incoming competition is clearly unknown at the moment, but can be inevitable – for example, Dallas is already the home of MLS ‘FC Dallas. The new competition of the USL could position itself as a more affordable alternative to MLS for potential investors, because expansion prices are rising in the existing Division One Men’s League of the country. San Diego FC will enter MLS this year as the 30th team, and the club’s ownership group paid $ 500 million to enter the competition.

USL leaders claim that there is room for growth outside the presence of 30 teams of MLS, which describes the country’s general footprint as comparable to the entire continent of Europe.

“If football will really grow in the country, it will grow outside 30 or 32 markets,” Usl President Paul McDonnaaugh told the Athletic.

It is also unclear how the competition for talent between MLS and the new competition of the USL will come true. MLS salaries are broad considering the types of players in the competition, but the average salary of the competition was slightly less than $ 600,000 in 2024. How competitive salaries can come to American football is something to keep an eye on, because MLS Works within a salary limit and the USL does not. MLS teams work with a salary limit of $ 5,950,000 for 2025, but a series of competition rules enable clubs to exceed the cap.

There is also an argument that more top teams will promote the development of football players in the US, where many believe that there are still not enough talent piping in a nation of more than 330 million people.

Is there a precedent for two division one competitions?

From last year there are two division one women’s football competitions-de NWSL and the newly formed USL Super League. There is overlap in the metropolitan areas of New York City and Washington, DC, but the financial differences between the two competitions means that there is not much competition for players at the moment.

The two competitions enjoy a friendly relationship, at least from the sporting side. NWSL clubs have formed partnerships with USL Super League clubs, with Orlando Pride Sporting Director Haley Carter who told CBS Sports that she regards the USL Super League as an important opportunity to explore emerging talent.

Head coach Emma Hayes of the American ladies, Emma Hayes, also called Brooklyn FC -goalkeeper Neeku Purcell as the only USL Super League player in the January camp, while the leadership groups of both competitions are also warm.

“We have seen a few NWSL players, former NWSL players who have not found a place on our schedules, are signed in the USL,” said NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman on the Mediadag of the competition in January. “That is great. The more opportunities there are that the game in our country is growing and worldwide, the better for our sport and so we have a great working relationship and we work together where we can ensure that the game is healthy in the us “