USL announces ‘Premier’ Division One men’s league, details promotion-relegation plan

The USL, America's second professional setup, revealed last year that it planned to launch a Division One league - a category as yet only including Major League Soccer. For nearly 12 months, it has kept the name and format under wraps. Tuesday, though, they announced their plans. The USL Premier will aim to have 20 teams, competing nationally, departing from the two-conference setup that defined the USL Championship. The league below will also take on a nationwide slate, with promotion and relegation set to come into effect immediately. The anticipated launch date is 2028.

“USL Premier is a defining piece of our long-term vision for the men’s game,” said Alec Papadakis, CEO of the United Soccer League, in a statement. “We’ve built a multi-tier professional system that is both scalable and rooted in communities. By establishing a clear structure, we’re creating a strong foundation for clubs, players, and fans, and unlocking meaningful opportunities for stakeholders and investors as we continue to grow the game and prepare to introduce promotion and relegation.”

A handful of USL Championship sides have made steps to join the Premier League. Louisville City have already announced their intent, so have North Carolina FC, while Pittsburgh Riverhounds, Sacramento Republic, Detroit City, and Miami FC are all in the process of building new stadiums. There is an expectation around the league that OKC Energy will enter the USL Premier as an expansion franchise. USL President Paul McDonough told The Athletic that he expects eight USL Championship clubs to move up immediately, with four to six expansion franchises getting involved for the inaugural season.  

USL reportedly plans on having two teams go up and down in 2028, when the first division is expected to have 12-14 franchises. Once it reaches a full capacity of 20, the league plans on introducing a three-up, three-down model not dissimilar to that of major European Leagues. 

The USL Championship will switch to a new format in accordance with the establishment of the new division, moving to a 20-team single-table format. USL League One, meanwhile, will retain what the league described as a 'regional format.' The league has not unveiled plans for a potential playoff structure.