USL Division One
{{Short description|Proposed men's soccer league in the United States}}
{{Distinguish|text=USL League One or USL First Division (2005–2010)}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox football league
| American = yes
| logo = USL Division One.svg
| caption = Interim logo
| organiser = United Soccer League
| first = 2028 (proposed)
| country = United States
| confed = CONCACAF
| teams = 12 (proposed)
| levels = 1 (proposed)
| relegation = USL Championship
| domest_cup = U.S. Open Cup
| league_cup = USL Cup
| confed_cup = CONCACAF
Champions Cup
| champions =
| season =
| most successful club =
| website =
| current =
}}
USL Division One is the tentative name for a proposed professional men's soccer league in the highest level of the United States league system, alongside Major League Soccer. Organized by the United Soccer League (USL), it would supersede the USL Championship as its premier league for men, and would employ a promotion and relegation system with the Championship.
History
The USL announced its intent to establish a new Division I league via a press release published on February 13, 2025. USL clubs were informed of the decision the day prior.{{cite web |last1=Becherano |first1=Lizzy |title=USL announces plans to start new league that would rival MLS |url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/43827636/usl-announces-plans-new-league-rival-mls |website=ESPN |access-date=February 17, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250213185636/https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/43827636/usl-announces-plans-new-league-rival-mls |archive-date=February 13, 2025 |date=February 13, 2025 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last1=Schneider |first1=Jacob |title=USL intends to launch rival Division 1 men's soccer league in 2027-28 to challenge MLS |url=https://www.goal.com/en/lists/usl-launch-rival-division-1-men-s-soccer-league-in-2027-28-to-rival-mls/bltc15ef2244232b6a0 |website=Goal.com |access-date=February 17, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250217192021/https://www.goal.com/en/lists/usl-launch-rival-division-1-men-s-soccer-league-in-2027-28-to-rival-mls/bltc15ef2244232b6a0#csc21edbad39c02c30 |archive-date=February 17, 2025 |date=February 13, 2025 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last1=Cattry |first1=Pardeep |title=USL to launch first division men's league: Here's everything to know about potential MLS rival |url=https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/usl-to-launch-first-division-mens-league-heres-everything-to-know-about-potential-mls-rival/ |website=CBS Sports |access-date=February 17, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250217185617/https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/usl-to-launch-first-division-mens-league-heres-everything-to-know-about-potential-mls-rival/ |archive-date=February 17, 2025 |date=February 13, 2025 |url-status=live}} Before making their announcement, the USL waited for the outcome of N. Am. Soccer League, LLC v. U.S. Soccer Fed'n, Inc. in the United States District Court, E.D.N.Y., which ultimately ruled on February 3 that U.S. Soccer's league system was legal and did not break antitrust laws.{{cite web |last1=Tenorino |first1=Paul |title=Move over, Major League Soccer. A rival top flight men's league is coming to the U.S. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6129972/2025/02/13/usl-launch-division-1-league-us-soccer-mls/ |website=The Athletic |access-date=February 20, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250213161317/https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6129972/2025/02/13/usl-launch-division-1-league-us-soccer-mls/ |archive-date=February 13, 2025 |date=February 13, 2025 |quote=McDonough said the USL waited for the trial to conclude before moving forward with its plans. |url-status=live |url-access=subscription}}
Format
USL Division One would play a spring-to-fall schedule, and would not employ a college draft à la the MLS SuperDraft.{{cite web |last1=Peterson |first1=Anne M. |title=New top-tier men's soccer league coming to the United States |url=https://apnews.com/article/usl-mls-soccer-82689ccc5f31635b65031e3acf1b6172 |website=Associated Press |access-date=February 17, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250217191141/https://apnews.com/article/usl-mls-soccer-82689ccc5f31635b65031e3acf1b6172 |archive-date=February 17, 2025 |date=February 14, 2025 |url-status=live}} A system of promotion and relegation would be implemented, in which the worst-performing teams in Division One would be replaced by the best-performing teams in the USL Championship at the end of each season.{{cite web |title=USL votes to adopt pro-rel in 2027 when Division One launches |url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/44315033/usl-votes-adopt-pro-rel-2027-division-one-launches |website=ESPN |access-date=March 25, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250319144102/https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/44315033/usl-votes-adopt-pro-rel-2027-division-one-launches |archive-date=March 19, 2025 |date=March 19, 2025 |url-status=live}}{{cite magazine |last1=Steiner |first1=Ben |title=Promotion-Relegation Coming to American Professional Soccer, per Report |url=https://www.si.com/soccer/promotion-relegation-coming-to-american-professional-soccer-per-report |magazine=Sports Illustrated |access-date=March 25, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250319025004/https://www.si.com/soccer/promotion-relegation-coming-to-american-professional-soccer-per-report |archive-date=March 19, 2025 |date=March 19, 2025 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last1=Thompson |first1=Andrew |title=USL makes history after official adoption of promotion-relegation system |url=https://onefootball.com/fr/news/usl-makes-history-after-official-adoption-of-promotion-relegation-system-40857481 |website=OneFootball |access-date=March 25, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250325194241/https://onefootball.com/fr/news/usl-makes-history-after-official-adoption-of-promotion-relegation-system-40857481 |archive-date=March 25, 2025 |date=March 19, 2025 |url-status=live}}
Teams
U.S. Soccer stipulates that a league must have a minimum of twelve teams to qualify for Division I sanctioning, and fourteen teams by its third season. The league must have teams situated in the Eastern, Central, and Pacific time zones, and at least three quarters of the teams must be based in metropolitan areas with a population of a million or more.{{cite web |last1=Abnos |first1=Alexander |title=USL announces intention to start new league at same tier as MLS |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/feb/13/usl-division-i-league-mls-paul-mcdonough |website=The Guardian |access-date=February 17, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250217191838/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/feb/13/usl-division-i-league-mls-paul-mcdonough |archive-date=February 17, 2025 |date=February 13, 2025 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |title=USL plans to launch Division I men's league, take on MLS |url=https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2025/02/13/usl-plans-to-launch-division-i-mens-league-take-on-mls/ |website=Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal |access-date=February 17, 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250217193049/https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2025/02/13/usl-plans-to-launch-division-i-mens-league-take-on-mls/ |archive-date=February 17, 2025 |date=February 13, 2025 |url-status=live}} All clubs must play in a venue with a capacity of 15,000 or more, and have an ownership group with a combined net worth of US$70 million. An individual owner with a net worth of US$40 million must also have a 35% or greater stake in the club. The USL Championship's Birmingham Legion, Miami FC, and Oakland Roots currently meet the stadium and market population requirements. The USL are also open to applications from clubs from outside the USL system.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.uslsoccer.com/division-one USL Division One] at the United Soccer League
{{United Soccer League}}
{{Soccer in the United States}}
{{CONCACAF leagues}}
{{Professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada}}
{{USSF D1 soccer seasons}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:2025 establishments in the United States
Category:Professional soccer leagues in the United States
Category:Proposed association football leagues
Category:Sports leagues established in 2025
Category:Summer association football leagues
Category:Top-level association football leagues in North America