History of USL Championship in Timeline
The USL Championship (USLC) is a second-tier men's professional soccer league in the United States, organized by the United Soccer League (USL). The league consists of 24 teams split into Eastern and Western conferences, who compete in a round-robin regular season from spring to fall. The team with the best overall record wins the Players' Shield. The top eight teams from each conference then qualify for a playoff tournament, which culminates in the USL Championship final to determine the champion. USLC teams also participate in the U.S. Open Cup and USL Cup competitions.
September 2010: USL Pro League Merger Announced
In September 2010, the USL announced the merger of its First Division and Second Division into a U.S. Division III USL Pro league. The Dayton Dutch Lions leaked the information weeks prior to the official announcement.
April 2, 2011: USL Pro Inaugural Match
On April 2, 2011, the league's first match took place in Richmond, Virginia, where the Kickers defeated Orlando City, with Stanley Nyazamba scoring the league's first goal.
2011: Launch of USL Pro
In 2011, USL President Tim Holt aimed to launch USL Pro with 14–20 teams across four conferences, including a "Caribbean" and "Western" division. Fox Sports purchased the league's broadcasting rights.
2011: USL Pro inaugural season
In 2011, the league, known as USL Pro, was established through the merger of the USL's two preceding pro leagues after some clubs left to create the North American Soccer League. U.S. Soccer initially sanctioned it as a third-tier league.
2012: Charleston Battery win USL Pro Championship
In the 2012 season, the American and National divisions were abolished and replaced by a single eleven-team table, which the Charleston Battery won after defeating the Wilmington Hammerheads in the Championship Game.
2013: Projected Growth of USL Pro
By 2013, Tim Holt projected a growth to 22–26 teams in USL Pro, continuing the expansion of the league.
2013: MLS Affiliations Begin
In the 2013 season, affiliations with Major League Soccer (MLS) clubs began as part of a partnership to improve player development and competition.
2014: MLS Reserve Teams Join USL
From 2014, reserve teams of Major League Soccer (MLS) franchises began competing in the league, adding a new dimension to the competition.
2015: Projected Growth of USL Pro
By 2015, Tim Holt projected a growth to 28–32 teams in USL Pro, continuing the expansion of the league.
2015: MLS Reserve Teams and USL Expansion
In the 2015 season, inspired by the LA Galaxy, seven MLS clubs also fielded club-owned reserve teams into the USL. The league also reintroduced conferences due to unprecedented growth.
2015: Reno 1868 FC Announcement
Reno 1868 FC was announced as the 28th franchise for the 2017 season during the 2015 season.
August 31, 2016: Arizona United SC Rebrands as Phoenix Rising FC
On August 31, 2016, Kyle Eng sold his majority share of Arizona United SC to an investment group led by Berke Bakay, and the team was rebranded as Phoenix Rising FC. Didier Drogba later purchased a share of the team.
October 25, 2016: USL Adds Teams from NASL
On October 25, 2016, the USL added two teams from the North American Soccer League (NASL): the Tampa Bay Rowdies and Ottawa Fury FC.
2016: FC Cincinnati Joins USL
In 2016, FC Cincinnati joined the USL and set single-match attendance records. The New York Red Bulls II became the first MLS reserve team to win a USL title.
January 6, 2017: USL Granted Provisional Division II Status
On January 6, 2017, the U.S. Soccer Board of Directors voted to grant provisional Division II status to the USL for the 2017 season.
2017: Expansion Continues
Expansion continued for the 2017 season with Reno 1868 FC joining the USL.
2017: Promotion to Second Tier
In 2017, the league was promoted to the second tier by U.S. Soccer, recognizing its growth and development.
2018: Teams Leave USL Top Flight
After the 2018 season, FC Cincinnati was awarded an MLS franchise, and Penn FC, the Richmond Kickers, and Toronto FC II dropped to USL League One.
2018: USL Granted Full Division II Sanctioning
In 2018, the USL was granted full sanctioning under Division II on a year-to-year basis by U.S. Soccer.
2018: USL Expansion and Contraction
In the 2018 season, the USL expanded with Nashville SC, Las Vegas Lights FC, Fresno FC, and Atlanta United 2. The league also lost Orlando City B and the Rochester Rhinos.
2019: Teams Leave USL Championship
Following the end of the 2019 season, Nashville SC was awarded an MLS franchise, Fresno FC announced they would not be returning, and Ottawa Fury FC suspended operations.
2019: Launch of USL League One
In 2019, the United Soccer Leagues launched USL League One, a new third-level league.
August 2020: St. Louis FC folding announced
In August 2020, St. Louis FC announced it would fold at the end of the 2020 season due to the financial impact of COVID-19 and the arrival of MLS in the city.
November 6, 2020: Reno 1868 FC Ceases Operations
On November 6, 2020, Reno 1868 FC announced it was ceasing operations due to the financial and operational impacts of COVID-19.
2020: Miami FC Joins USL Championship
In 2020, Miami FC entered the USL Championship after the Ottawa Fury sold its franchise rights, marking another former NASL team joining the league.
2020: Penn FC planned resumption of play delayed
In 2020, Penn FC suspended professional operations for 2019 and announced that it would resume play in League One in 2020, but it never did.
2020: San Diego Begins Play
In the 2020 season, San Diego began play in the USL.
January 10, 2021: North Carolina FC Moves to USL League One
On January 10, 2021, North Carolina FC announced that the club would make a "strategic move" to USL League One.
February 1, 2021: Monterey Bay FC Joins USL Championship
On February 1, 2021, Monterey Bay FC, a continuation of Fresno FC, joined the USL Championship after Fresno's owner retained franchise rights and secured a stadium location in Monterey Bay.
November 13, 2021: Detroit City Joins USL Championship
On November 13, 2021, Detroit City was announced to be joining the USL Championship for the 2022 season, making them the third NISA team to join the league.
December 2, 2021: Charlotte Independence Drops to USL League One
On December 2, 2021, Charlotte Independence made the decision to drop down to the third-tier USL League One for the 2022 season, focusing on youth player development and due to the arrival of Charlotte FC in MLS.
December 3, 2021: Oklahoma City Energy FC Temporarily Suspends Operations
On December 3, 2021, Oklahoma City Energy FC announced they would temporarily suspend soccer operations and not compete in the 2022 USL Championship season due to stadium renovations.
December 6, 2021: MLS Announces MLS Next Pro League
On December 6, 2021, Major League Soccer announced MLS Next Pro, a Division III league that would begin play in 2022, effectively ending the MLS-USL partnership.
December 10, 2021: New Ownership Approved for Austin Bold FC
On December 10, 2021, the USL Championship approved a new ownership group for Austin Bold FC. The team has not participated since the 2021 USL Championship season.
2021: Chicago and East Bay Launch Delayed
In 2021, Chicago and East Bay were both announced to launch but were indefinitely put on hold due to stadium issues.
2021: Oakland Roots SC Joins USLC
In 2021, Oakland Roots SC, which had previously played in NISA, started play in the USLC after purchasing the proposed East Bay club's USL franchise rights.
January 27, 2022: USL Awards Expansion Team to USL Pro Iowa
On January 27, 2022, the USL officially awarded USL Pro Iowa an expansion team to be based in Des Moines, Iowa, that would join the league in the 2024 season.
July 14, 2022: USL Announces Intent to Bring Teams to New Orleans
On July 14, 2022, the USL announced intentions to bring USL Championship and Super League teams to New Orleans, Louisiana, with the Championship side aiming to start by 2025.
August 12, 2022: Ground Broken for Rhode Island FC Stadium
On August 12, 2022, ground was broken in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, for Tidewater Landing Stadium, the future home of Rhode Island FC.
August 30, 2022: USL Announces Expansion Teams for Jacksonville
On August 30, 2022, the USL announced the formation of investor group to bring USL Championship and USL Super League expansion teams to Jacksonville, Florida, with the Championship side starting in 2025.
October 19, 2022: USL Awards Expansion Team to USL Milwaukee
On October 19, 2022, the USL awarded an expansion team to USL Milwaukee, set to begin play in 2025 with plans for an 8,000-seat stadium.
2022: End of MLS Reserve Teams in USL
In 2022, MLS Next Pro was launched, marking the end of MLS reserve teams competing in the USL Championship.
2022: Rochester Rhinos join MLS Next Pro
In 2022, Rochester New York FC joined the new third-level MLS Next Pro after changing its name from the Rochester Rhinos.
July 12, 2023: USL Awards Expansion Team to Ozark United FC
On July 12, 2023, the USL awarded an expansion team to Ozark United FC to bring USL Championship and Super League teams to Rogers, Arkansas, aiming to start by 2026.
August 7, 2023: North Carolina FC Returns to USL Championship
On August 7, 2023, North Carolina FC's owner announced the club would move from USL League One back to the USL Championship starting in the 2024 season.
August 24, 2023: San Diego Loyal to Shut Down
On August 24, 2023, San Diego Loyal ownership announced the team would shut down at the end of the season due to stadium issues, with the USL transferring franchise rights.
November 29, 2023: Milwaukee's Expansion Deferred
On November 29, 2023, it was announced that Milwaukee's expansion to the USL Championship would be deferred to the 2026 season.
December 14, 2023: USL Awards Expansion Team to USL Palm Beach
On December 14, 2023, the USL awarded an expansion team to USL Palm Beach, aiming to bring USL Championship and Super League teams to Palm Beach County, Florida, with the Super League side starting by 2025.
December 18, 2023: Rio Grande Valley FC Toros Cease Operations
On December 18, 2023, Rio Grande Valley FC Toros announced they were ceasing all soccer and business operations, ending their eight-year partnership with USL.
February 27, 2024: USL Announces Multi-Year Deal with ESPN
On February 27, 2024, the USL announced multi-year deal with ESPN as a second broadcast partner through 2026.
March 7, 2024: Brooklyn FC Aims for USL Championship and Super League
On March 7, 2024, Brooklyn FC shifted its focus to securing a USL Championship team by 2025, alongside a USL Super League team in 2024, with both playing at Maimonides Park.
August 2024: Lexington SC moves from League One to the Championship
In August 2024, the USL announced that Lexington SC would move from League One to the Championship in the 2025 season.
November 13, 2024: Memphis 901 FC Ceases Operations
On November 13, 2024, the USL announced that Memphis 901 FC would cease operations, with their franchise rights transferred to Santa Barbara Sky FC, who will now begin play in the Championship starting in the 2026 season.
2024: Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC Current Champions
As of the 2024 season, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC are the current champions of the USL Championship.
