The USL Super League (USLS) is a planned
Division II professional women's soccer league in the United States, beginning play in 2023. The league will be owned and operated by the
United Soccer League
United Soccer League (USL), formerly known as United Soccer Leagues, is a Association football, soccer league in the United States and Canada. It organizes several men's and women's leagues, both professional and amateur. Men's leagues curren ...
.
History
USL announced the formation of the Super League on September 21, 2021. Along with the pre-professional
USL W League
The USL W League (USLW) is a pre-professional women's soccer league in the United States which began play in May 2022. It was announced on June 8, 2021 by the United Soccer League with eight founding clubs. It follows the USL W-League, a sim ...
, which will start in 2022, the USLS is part of the creation of a full pathway for women's soccer. Amanda Vandervort, former Chief Women’s Football Officer for
FIFPro, the global player’s association, was appointed League President on October 12, 2021.
In May 2022, United Soccer League announced that the Super League schedule will align with the "women’s international soccer calendar" with seasons running from August to June in order to "drive increased value."
To attempt to avoid the worst of winter weather, a mid-season break is planned.
The league hopes to field 12 teams in their inaugural season.
[ On January 31, 2022, ]MLS
Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada ...
club D.C. United
D.C. United is a professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. that competes in the Eastern Conference of Major League Soccer, the top tier of American soccer. Domestically, the club has won four MLS Cups (league championships), four Supp ...
reversed their decision in establishing a club for the inaugural USL W League 2022 season, instead reportedly looking to join the USLS in the future. On July 12, 2022, Santa Barbra Sky was announced as a USL expansion club, aiming to have a professional men's team in USL League One
USL League One (USL1) is a professional men's soccer league in the United States that had its inaugural season in 2019. The Division III league is operated by United Soccer League, the same group that operates the Division II USL Championshi ...
and a professional women's team. On July 14, 2022, the USL announced a partnership with USL NOLA, a group which aims to bring a USL Championship
The USL Championship (USLC) is a professional men's soccer league in the United States that began its inaugural season in 2011. The USL is sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation (U.S. Soccer) as a Division II league since 2017, p ...
team to the city by 2025 and a USLS team to in the future. On August 30, 2022, the USL announced that the JAXUSL ownership and executive group had acquired the rights to a USL Championship franchise in Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the seat of Duval County, with which the ...
, to begin play by 2025 and a USLS team to begin play in the future. On October 18, 2022, USL Championship club Memphis 901 FC
Memphis 901 FC is an American professional soccer team based in Memphis, Tennessee. Founded in 2018, the team made its debut in the USL Championship in 2019.
Stadium
The club currently plays on the grounds of AutoZone Park, a baseball stadiu ...
announced their intentions to construct a new soccer-specific stadium
Soccer-specific stadium is a term used mainly in the United States and Canada to refer to a sports stadium either purpose-built or fundamentally redesigned for soccer and whose primary function is to host soccer matches, as opposed to a multi-pu ...
and accompanying training facilities that would host their men's team and a potential professional women's soccer team. On December 8, 2022, it was announced that USL League Two club Lane United FC
Lane United FC is an American soccer club based in Eugene, Oregon. Founded in 2013, the team currently plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American soccer pyramid.
History 2013
Lane United was admitted into the USL Premier Develo ...
acquired exclusive rights to pursue a Super League franchise in Lane County, Oregon
Lane County is one of the 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2020 census, the population was 382,971, making it the fourth-most populous county in Oregon. The county seat is Eugene. It is named in honor of Joseph Lane, Orego ...
.
References
{{Major women's sport leagues in North America
Women's soccer leagues in the United States
Sports leagues established in 2021
2021 establishments in the United States
Professional soccer leagues in the United States
Professional sports leagues in the United States
United Soccer League