The Midwest Premier League (MWPL) is an
American
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amateur
An amateur () is generally considered a person who pursues an avocation independent from their source of income. Amateurs and their pursuits are also described as popular, informal, autodidacticism, self-taught, user-generated, do it yourself, DI ...
and
semi-professional
Semi-professional sports are sports in which athletes are not participating on a full-time basis, but still receive some payment. Semi-professionals are not amateur because they receive regular payment from their team, but generally at a consid ...
soccer
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
league. The league spans primarily the eastern and central portions of the
Midwestern United States.
History
The league was founded by four clubs which were all previously members of the
United Premier Soccer League Midwest Conference. Following the 2019 UPSL season, the clubs decided that they could create a stable league that would focus on sustainability of the member clubs by sharing ideas, keeping league costs to a minimum, and maximizing the opportunities for all clubs to compete by limiting end-of-season playoffs that often shorten the season for many teams.
The league announced
Union Dubuque F.C.
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* Trade union, an organization of workers
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* Union (band), an American rock group
** ''Un ...
as its first member on September 18, 2019, with the other three founding members being announced in the subsequent weeks. RWB Adria joins the MPWL on September 25, 2019. DeKalb County United joins the MWPL on October 2, 2019. Cedar Rapids Inferno join the MWPL on October 9, 2019 making it the Fourth member team. And concludes the joining of the founders.
Cliff Conrad has been elected as the league's first president. Conrad is the co-founder and president of Union Dubuque F.C., one of the league's charter members.
After a period with no expansion news,
FC Diablos
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* Finncomm Airlines (IATA code)
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of
Normal, Illinois was announced on January 10, 2020, and an expansion continues into March. With expansion side
Rockford FC being unveiled shortly thereafter on January 30, 2020. Livonia City FC joins the MWPL on Feb. 29th 2020. Lake St.Clair joins the MWPL on March 2, 2020. BiH Grand Rapids joins the MWPL on March 6, 2020.
The league was set to kickoff in Spring 2020, however the season was cancelled due to the
COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
The COVID-19 pandemic in the United States is a part of the COVID-19 pandemic, worldwide pandemic of COVID-19, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In the Uni ...
.
The Midwest Premier League appoints Andy Hayes as the league's first Commissioner.
On July 27, 2020, the league announced
Lansing Common FC
Lansing Common Football Club is a Midwest Premier League expansion team that began play in Spring 2021. As a result of Lansing Ignite FC being dissolved in October 2019 due to the ownership's financial strain, a group of fans led by Eric Walco ...
from
Lansing, Michigan
Lansing () is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is mostly in Ingham County, although portions of the city extend west into Eaton County and north into Clinton County. The 2020 census placed the city's population at 112,644, making ...
as a new member club.
On September 3, 2020, the MWPL entered a partnership agreement with the
National Independent Soccer Association, a
USSF Division 3 professional league, which includes pathways for both players and clubs to go fully pro.
November kicks off another round of expansions for the league. Starting with Edgewater Castle FC on Nov. 27th 2020.
It was announced on March 21, 2022 that the MWPL would have 3 Divisions within it.
The schedule for the 2nd season of the league was announced on April 6, 2022 nearly a month ahead of the first game. With Detroit city U23 gone there will be a new champion in the East Division. And with a finalized Southern Division there will now be 3 champions for the 2022 season.
Current teams
Former
Seasons
2021 Fall Season
The first season for the MWPL ended on August 1, 2021
East Division
This division contained 8 teams for the 2021 season.
Rules for classification: P) points; (GP) games played; (GD) goal differential;
(C) Champion
Western Division
This division contained 12 teams for the 2021 season.
Rules for classification: P) points; (GP) games played; (GD) goal differential;
(C) Champion
2022 Season
The first season with 3 divisions in it.
Eastern Division
This division contained 11 teams for the 2022 season.
Rules for classification: P) points; (GP) games played; (GD) goal differential;
(C) Champion
Western Division
This division contained 12 teams for the 2022 season.
Rules for classification: P) points; (GP) games played; (GD) goal differential;
(C) Champion
Southern Division
This division contained 4 teams for the 2022 season.
Rules for classification: P) points; (GP) games played; (GD) goal differential;
(C) Champion
Division Winners
East Division Winner
West Division Winner
South Division Winner
Golden Boot winner
The golden boot winners were announced on September 15, 2021.
Notable former players
*
Damon Almazan,
Steel City FC Steel City Football Club is the name of a number of association football teams:
* Ladies Steel City FC, an American women's association football team, and the sister club of Steel City FC (Illinois), based in Joliet, Illinois
* Steel City FC (Illi ...
- 2020, signed in 2021 by
Chicago House AC
*
Derek Huffman,
RWB Adria - 2020, signed in 2021 by
Chicago House AC
*
Stefan Mijatovic,
RWB Adria - 2020, signed in 2021 by
Chicago House AC
References
{{National Independent Soccer Association
Soccer leagues in the United States
2019 establishments in the United States
Sports leagues established in 2019
Soccer in Iowa
Soccer in Wisconsin
Soccer in Illinois
Soccer in Michigan