USL W LEAGUE

WHAT IS THE USL W LEAGUE?
The USL W League is a pre-professional women’s soccer league set to kick off play in May 2022. It will serve as the nation’s premier pre-professional league developing the next generation of women’s soccer talent both on and off the field. The USL W League strives to use women’s soccer as a force for societal good by creating a national platform to increase opportunity, gender equity, and career development.

WHAT IS A PRE-PROFESSIONAL LEAGUE?
A pre-professional league is one in which all players competing have an amateur status. The USL W League will respect the amateur status of its players and focus on developing the next wave of elite talent while using best-in-class resources and infrastructure to bring elements of professionalism to this new opportunity for women’s soccer players. With the addition of the USL W League, the USL now operates two pre-professional leagues, the other being USL League Two on the men’s side.

WHY IS THE USL LAUNCHING A WOMEN’S LEAGUE?
USL owners from across the Championship, League One and League Two have for several years shared their desire for a women’s platform. This, combined with the fact that USL has been involved in the women’s game before made it an easy decision for league leadership. Further, the USL W League highlights USL’s commitment to investing in women’s sports, with the League and each of our member clubs uniting around our mission to increase gender equity and opportunity.

HOW DOES THE USL W LEAGUE FIT IN THE WOMEN’S SOCCER LANDSCAPE IN THE UNITED STATES?
The USL W League is a pre-professional league that enhances the women’s soccer pipeline between college and professional soccer by providing more opportunities for women to play, coach, and work in soccer. The League is collaborating with key stakeholders and organizations in the women’s game to collectively advance women’s soccer, and we believe the more opportunities there are for women’s players to compete at a high level, the better. As a pre-professional league, we are focused on developing the next wave of elite women’s soccer talent to support the growth of soccer at all levels. It is our goal to see USL W League alumnae competing in professional leagues and for their national teams as their careers progress – on the field, on the sidelines, and in the front office.

USL LEAGUE TWO

WHAT IS USL LEAGUE TWO

USL League Two is the leader in pre-professional soccer in North America. The League holds a vital role as it continues to provide the elite platform for those pursuing professional careers domestically and internationally.

Throughout the United States and Canada, League Two franchises continue to provide top pre-professional players the opportunity to train and compete at the highest level while maintaining their collegiate eligibility. With ownership of teams coming from the likes of MLS and USL franchises as well as leading business and sports individuals,

League Two serves as the leading development platform for the game both on and off the field.

League Two is more than the leading national pre-professional league. League Two is the defined and proven pathway for players to progress to the ranks of professional soccer, while its clubs become fixtures in the communities where they operate.

USL League Two regular season takes place during the summer from early May to mid-July. Each team plays a 14-match schedule against their respective divisional opponents, seven at home and seven away. In conferences with three divisions, each division winner, plus the highest-finishing second-place team in the conference, advances to the playoffs in the conference semifinals. In conferences with two divisions, the top two teams from each division advance to the conference semifinals. The playoffs occur in late July, with each conference champion advancing to the national semifinals and the winners of those matches advancing to the USL League Two Final in early August.

USL League Two continues to display its elite pool of amateur players in the longest-running North American cup competition. In 2022, FC Motown and North Carolina Fusion U-23 both reached the Third Round of the competition, and both lost to professional sides in extra time for the chance to continue advancing.