UNITED SOCCER LEAGUE (USL) has announced USL Premier as the official name of its Division One men’s professional league, alongside a revamped men’s competition structure that establishes an interconnected three-tier pathway aimed at long-term growth and competitive balance.
USL Premier will sit at the top of the men’s professional pyramid, joined by the USL Championship (Division Two) and USL League One (Division Three). The leagues will be aligned in format to enable balanced schedules, credible movement between divisions and future expansion.
Under the proposed framework:
* USL Premier (Division One) will operate as a single national table, with a long-term vision of 20 clubs, and is scheduled to launch in 2028.
* USL Championship (Division Two) will also function as a single national table with 20 clubs, reinforcing competitive consistency and nationwide reach.
* USL League One (Division Three) will continue to expand nationally while maintaining a regional competition model to support local rivalries and reduce travel demands.
With the introduction of USL Premier, the organisation will also roll out the United States’ first promotion and relegation system, creating a connected, merit-based pathway that rewards performance and raises the competitive standard across all three divisions. The move is expected to deliver higher-stakes matches for clubs, players, fans and commercial partners alike.
The USL is currently evaluating applications from clubs seeking entry into USL Premier, with the league’s inaugural members to be announced in due course. Further strengthening the project, English Premier League chief football officer Tony Scholes will join USL Premier as president after completing his duties in England this summer, according to the media release.
USL CEO Alec Papadakis said, “USL Premier is a defining piece of our long-term vision for the men’s game. 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.”
