USL Championship

USL Championship news

Cristo Fernandez Ted Lasso

Source: Ted Lasso star on verge of signing pro contract

Cristo Fernandez, who played Dani Rojas in the hit Apple TV series Ted Lasso, appeared in a preseason friendly for USL Championship side El Paso Locomotive on Saturday, a club source confirmed. They are expected to make a decision on a professional contract early this week. Fernandez, who appeared in the first three seasons of the show, played youth soccer in Mexico until he was 15.

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Memo Rodriguez Sporting KC

Sacramento Republic sign MLS veteran Memo Rodriguez

USL Championship side Sacramento Republic have signed former Houston Dynamo and Sporting Kansas City midfielder Memo Rodriguez, sources told GOAL. The Texan midfielder will pen a two year deal with the USL giants, who finished second in the Western Conference last season. It continues a busy winter for Sacramento, following the signing of Canada's Mark-Anthony Kaye earlier this week.

USL Soccer ball

USL reveals name, competition format of Division 1 league

The United Soccer League revealed the name of its new Division One setup Tuesday morning, announcing that it will be called "USL Premier", with a targeted start date of 2028. The new top division, which was first revealed nearly 12 months ago, will sit atop a three-tiered structure that also includes the pre-existing USL Championship and USL League One.

USL Soccer ball

USL's North Carolina FC announce they will not play in 2026

USL Championship side North Carolina FC announced Tuesday that they will not compete in the 2026 season. The club will release all players, after the playoffs, allowing them to sign elsewhere for 2026 and beyond. As part of the move, North Carolina said their focus will shift toward preparing an application for USL’s new Division One league, set to launch in 2028.

Brian McBride, MLS All-Star-Homegrown Game

U.S. icon McBride appointed GM of USL's Brooklyn Football Club

Brooklyn Football Club announced the appointment of U.S. soccer icon Brian McBride as General Manager, marking a significant milestone as the club builds toward its USL Championship debut in 2026. McBride will oversee all sporting operations for both the men's and women's teams, from roster construction, staffing, and performance analytics to long-term player development.

Frequently asked questions

Barcelona are the most successful Copa del Rey side in history, winning the cup 31 times, seven more than Athletic Bilbao and 11 more than bitter rivals Real Madrid. Their first-ever Copa del Rey win came in the 1909-10 season. Since the start of the 2014-15 season, the Catalans have lifted this trophy six times.

Currently, as many as 126 teams participate in the Copa del Rey, starting at the top from La Liga and going all the way down to the Tercera Federacion, the fifth tier in Spanish football league system. In its inaugural edition in 1903, just three teams (Athletic Bilbao, Espanyol, and Madrid FC) took part.

Former Athletic Bilbao and Spain forward Piru Gainza is Copa del Rey's record-appearance maker ever, featuring in 99 games in the cup competition.

Iconic Spanish forward Telmo Zarra is Copa del Rey's all-time top scorer, finding the back of the net on 81 occasions between 1939 and 1957. All those goals came in an Athletic Bilbao shirt.

CD Bunol goalkeeper Paco is the oldest player to ever feature in a Copa del Rey game, achieving the feat against Real Sociedad in 2023 at the age of 44 years and 231 days.

Armando Sagi is the youngest player to ever feature in a Copa del Rey game. Playing for Barcelona, Sagi was just 15 years and 339 days old when he made his debut in the competition on April 2, 1922.

Antoine Griezmann, Luka Modric, Sergio Ramos, Neymar, Gareth Bale, James Rodriguez, Telmo Zarra, Sergio Busquets, Roberto Carlos, Luis Suarez, and Xavi are some of the most famous players to have played in the Copa del Rey.

Carlo Ancelotti, Luis Enrique, Juande Ramos, Claudio Ranieri, Louis van Gaal, Sir Bobby Robson, Cesar Menotti, Miguel Munoz, and Ferdinand Daucik are some of Copa del Rey's most famous mangers.