United States soccer league system
The United States soccer league system, sometimes called the American soccer pyramid, is a series of professional and amateur leagues based, in whole or in part, in the United States. For practical and historical reasons, some teams from Antigua and Barbuda, Bermuda, Canada, and Puerto Rico (considered a separate country by FIFA) also compete in these leagues, although they are not eligible for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, which is open only to teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer, and cannot represent the United States in the CONCACAF Champions League; only USSF-affiliated teams can represent the U.S. in the continental tournament.
The United States is unusual in that its leagues are not linked by a system of promotion and relegation, just as none of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada are; however, US Soccer (“USSF”) does officially define and sanction leagues into three (3) divisions. The other tiers listed are not based on standards set by the USSF.
Structure
Unlike league systems in many other countries, in the United States no professional league uses merit-based promotion and relegation to allow teams to move between divisions. The country’s governing body for the sport, the United States Soccer Federation (also known as the USSF or U.S. Soccer), oversees the league system and is responsible for sanctioning professional leagues. The leagues themselves are responsible for admitting and administering individual teams. Amateur soccer in the United States is regulated by the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA), the only amateur soccer organization sanctioned by the USSF.
Limited forms of promotion and relegation have existed in the past; for example, the United Soccer Leagues previously ran multiple sanctioned leagues, between which teams could voluntarily move, although this was largely unused. Several franchises had been voluntarily relegated from the First Division to the Second, and occasionally from the professional ranks to the PDL, usually to reduce operating costs or to re-structure the organization of the franchise in question. Similarly, some franchises have been given the opportunity to move up to a higher level having found success in the lower divisions—most recently USL2 champions Cleveland City Stars moving to USL1 in 2009—but this was not a regular occurrence. Automatic relegation between the two leagues, as exists in many other national league systems, was considered by the USL, but was never implemented.
Some amateur leagues sanctioned by the USASA also use promotion and relegation systems within multiple levels of their leagues. However, there has never been a merit-based promotion system offered to the USASA’s “national” leagues, the NPSL and the PDL.
College soccer in the United States is sanctioned by bodies outside the direct control of the USSF, the most important of which is the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
Men
Pro Soccer Teams (includes teams outside US)
Year
Teams
MLS (D1)
USL-1 (D2)
USL-2 (D3)
2005
33
12
12
9
2006
33
12
12
9
2007
35
13
12
10
2008
35
14
11
10
2009
35
15
11
9
MLS (D1)
D2 Pro (D2)
USL-2 (D3)
2010
34
16
12
6
MLS (D1)
NASL (D2)
USL (D3)
2011
38
18
8
12
2012
38
19
8
11
2013
40
19
8
13
2014
43
19
10
14
2015
55
20
11
24
In the United States, professional men’s outdoor soccer leagues are ranked by the United States Soccer Federation into one of three divisions: Division I, Division II, and Division III. Amateur soccer organizations are also recognized by the USSF, but individual amateur leagues are not. Currently the only adult amateur soccer organization recognized by U.S. Soccer is the USASA, although several other leagues operate independently under the USASA umbrella.
Since 1996, Major League Soccer (MLS) has been the only sanctioned USSF Division I men’s outdoor soccer league in the United States. MLS has grown from 10 teams in 1996 to 20 teams as of the 2015 season.
The only sanctioned Division II men’s outdoor soccer league is the North American Soccer League (NASL). NASL was formed in 2009, but did not debut until 2011 following the controversial 2010 season which saw neither the USL First Division nor the NASL receive Division II sanctioning from the USSF, resulting in the temporary USSF Division 2 Pro League.
The only recognized Division III league is United Soccer League (USL). The USL is the result of the merger of the former USL First Division and USL Second Division.
Tier
Leagues/divisions
Sanctioned by USSF as Professional Leagues
USSF Division I
Major League Soccer (MLS)
17 US clubs and 3 Canadian clubs
Western Conference
9 US clubs and 1 Canadian club
Eastern Conference
8 US clubs and 2 Canadian clubs
USSF Division II
North American Soccer League (NASL)
9 US clubs and 2 Canadian clubs
USSF Division III
United Soccer League (USL)
Western Conference
11 US clubs and 1 Canadian club
Eastern Conference
10 US clubs and 2 Canadian clubs
The USSF does not officially recognize distinctions between amateur soccer leagues in the United States. However, the USASA sanctions affiliated, but separately run, national leagues that are recognized in practical terms as playing at a higher level than the USASA state association leagues; for example, as of 2014 they receive automatic berths to the US Open Cup.
The Premier Development League takes place during the summer months, and the player pool is drawn mainly from NCAA college soccer players seeking to continue playing high level soccer during their summer break, while still maintaining their college eligibility. The National Premier Soccer League is similar to the Premier Development League and also attracts top amateur talent from around the United States. NPSL does not have any age limits or restrictions, thus incorporating both college players and former professional players alike.
Leagues sanctioned through United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA)
an Organization Member of USSF and only member of the Adult Council
United Soccer Leagues
Premier Development League(PDL)
63 clubs (in 4 conferences)
(plus 8 Canadian clubs)
Central Conference
Eastern Conference
Southern Conference
Western Conference
National Premier Soccer League (NPSL)
78 clubs (in 4 regions)
Northeast Region
South Region
Midwest Region
West Region
USASA Elite Amateur Leagues
11 State & Regional Leagues
Coast Soccer League (South California)
Cosmopolitan Soccer League (New Jersey, East New York)
Long Island Soccer Football League
Maryland Major Soccer League
Michigan Premier Soccer League
Rochester District Soccer League
San Francisco Soccer Football League
United Soccer League of Pennsylvania
United Premier Soccer League (South California)
Washington Premier Soccer League (Metro DC, Virginia, & Maryland)
Evergreen Premier League (Washington State)
United States Adult Soccer Association state leagues
55 state associations in 4 regions
See List of USASA affiliated leagues for complete list
Region I
Region II
Region III
Region IV
US Club Soccer (USCS)
39 leagues in 4 regions
East Region
Midwest Region
South Region
West Region
Men’s national soccer cups
Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
— open to all USSF-sanctioned amateur and professional leagues
George F. Donnelly Cup
— amateur-only cup tournament organized by the USASA
Werner Fricker Open Cup
— established in 1999 by the USASA
USASA Amateur Cup
— amateur-only cup tournament
USASA U-23 Cup
— an open competition established in 1997
Gerhard Mengel Cup
— USASA Over-30 Cup tournament established in 1984
US Soccer National Amateur Championships
— contested between the league winners of NPSL, PDL, Open Cup and Amateur Cup
Women
The Women’s United Soccer Association suspended operations in 2003 and was replaced in 2009 with Women’s Professional Soccer. WPS closed after the 2011 season due to a dispute with owners, and the WPSL Elite League was the de facto top tier of women’s soccer in 2012. In November 2012 the National Women’s Soccer League, sponsored by the United States Soccer Federation, the Canadian Soccer Association and the Mexican Football Federation was announced. The league started play in April 2013.
Tier
Leagues/divisions
Division 1
NWSL
9 Teams
2
Affiliated through
United States Adult Soccer Association
(USASA)
W-League
16 US clubs and 2 Canadian clubs (in 3 conferences)
Women’s Premier Soccer League
(WPSL)
74 clubs (in 10 conferences)
3
United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA)
55 state associations in 4 regions
See List of USASA affiliated leagues for complete list
Region I
Region II
Region III
Region IV
Women’s national soccer cups
- USASA National Women’s Open — open to WPSL and W-League teams
- USASA National Women’s Amateur — open to all USASA-affiliated women’s teams
- US Soccer National Amateur Championships — contested between the league winners of WPSL, W-League, Open cup, and Amateur cup
Indoor soccer
Though not officially organized by USSF, this is the generally accepted organization for indoor soccer in the United States by the United States Indoor Soccer Association.
Tier
Leagues/divisions
1
Major Arena Soccer League
(MASL)
21 US clubs and 2 Mexican clubs
2
Premier Arena Soccer League
(PASL-Premier)
39 US clubs and 1 Mexican club
