The USL currently has two professional leagues in its system: the second-division USL Championship and third-division USL League One.
TAMPA, Fla. — The United Soccer League (USL) announced Thursday plans to launch a Division One men’s professional soccer league in 2027-28, creating a separate entity to rival existing Major League Soccer (MLS).
USL already has two leagues in its system: the second-division USL Championship and third-division USL League One, so adding a first-division league would create the three-tier system and set up a promotion and relegation system like those seen in countries around the world.
“Today is a defining moment for the USL and the future of soccer in the United States,” said Alec Papadakis, CEO of the United Soccer League. “Creating a Division One league is a bold step forward, expanding access to top-tier competition, deepening the connection between our communities and taking another step in aligning with the structure of the global game. By uniting people through soccer and bringing Division One to more cities, we’re not just growing the sport—we’re creating lasting opportunities while building a more sustainable and vibrant soccer ecosystem in the U.S.”
Dallas-Fort Worth is no stranger to the United Soccer League – with the creation of the city’s first women’s professional soccer team, Dallas Trinity FC , which competes in the system’s Division One women’s league rivaling the NWSL, as well as the USL Championship expansion team coming to Garland in 2027.
USL president Paul McDonough told The Athletic the Division One men’s league was “a natural next step” for expansion given the impending impact of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to take place in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
McDonough told The Athletic that creating the first ever promotion-relegation system in U.S. soccer history is within their long-term aspirations.
“We’ve been very public about trying to get there with (pro-rel),” McDonough told The Athletic. “We’re not there yet, but we’ll continue to push forward with it.”
It would be a stark contrast to the system of the most successful North American sports leagues, none of which use the promotion-relegation model.
“The USL has long been committed to creating a structure that drives growth, opportunity, and long-term success in American soccer,” Papadakis said in a press release. “The USL model empowers clubs with greater autonomy and fosters a dynamic, interconnected system—one that allows them to compete at the highest level while remaining deeply rooted in their communities. Around the world, top-tier clubs thrive in cities of all sizes, and we believe the same is possible here. The demand and infrastructure are in place, and the potential for growth is immense.”
By U.S. Soccer standards, a Division One league must have at least 12 teams in the Eastern, Central and Pacific time zones, with at least 75% of the teams playing in metropolitan markets of at least 1 million people. All of the league’s stadiums must be enclosed with a minimum seating capacity of 15,000 people.
The league must also expand to 14 teams by year three, the U.S. Soccer standards outline.
A first-division league must also have a broadcast contract, full-time team staff for each club and a full-time league operations staff.
According to The Athletic, multiple teams are expected to move up from the second-division USL Championship into the first-division league, including Louisville, Sacramento, Indianapolis, Phoenix and Las Vegas. WFAA has reached out to the Garland expansion team to see how, if at all, the announcement affects the club’s future.
