USL League One

Founding and inaugural season

The creation of USL League One was a direct response to the restructuring of the American soccer pyramid. In January 2017, the USL Championship was granted second-division sanctioning, which left the third tier vacant. On April 2, 2017, the United Soccer League announced plans to launch a new third-division league in 2019, initially using the temporary name USL Division III. The league targeted cities with populations between 150,000 and one million, focusing on markets without existing professional teams. A tour of prospective cities in the southeastern United States began in April 2017, followed by visits to North Carolina and the Midwest.

The league's founding members were unveiled throughout 2018, beginning with South Georgia Tormenta FC on January 25. They were followed by FC Tucson, Greenville Triumph SC, a team in Madison, Wisconsin, Toronto FC II, and a club in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Three established USL Championship teams, Penn FC, the Rochester Rhinos, and the Richmond Kickers, also announced plans to move to League One by 2020 due to financial pressures. The tenth and final founding member was revealed to be the reserve team of FC Dallas, which branded itself as North Texas SC. The United States Soccer Federation provisionally sanctioned League One as a Division 3 league on December 14, 2018.

The first match in league history was played on March 29, 2019, when Tormenta FC defeated Greenville Triumph SC 1-0 at Eagle Field in Erk Russell Park. Alex Morrell scored the league's first goal in the 72nd minute of that contest. The inaugural 2019 season featured a 28-game regular season for its ten teams. Following the season, one of the original clubs, Lansing Ignite FC, folded operations.

Evolution and MLS reserve team departure

The league expanded to 12 teams for the 2020 season with the addition of Union Omaha and reserve teams from the New England Revolution and Inter Miami CF. A significant shift occurred in June 2021 when Major League Soccer announced the creation of MLS Next Pro, a new league designed to host MLS reserve teams. This led to the departure of several clubs after the 2021 season, including Fort Lauderdale CF, New England Revolution II, North Texas SC, and Toronto FC II, all of which joined the new MLS circuit. Orlando City B, which had been on hiatus, also joined MLS Next Pro for its 2022 launch.

This exodus created space for a new wave of independent clubs. The 2022 season welcomed Central Valley Fuego FC, Charlotte Independence, and Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC. The league also began awarding expansion rights for future seasons during this period. In October 2021, Lexington Pro Soccer was awarded a team for 2023, which became Lexington Sporting Club. Other announcements followed for Wilmington, North Carolina (targeting 2024) and Santa Barbara Sky FC (initially targeting 2024, though its plans were later cancelled). Following the 2022 season, FC Tucson announced a self-relegation back to the amateur USL League Two.

Recent expansion and franchise changes

Expansion accelerated from 2023 onward. One Knoxville SC turned professional and joined for 2023, while Spokane Velocity was announced for Washington state. The autumn of 2023 saw three more teams announced: Portland Hearts of Pine in Maine, Texoma FC in Sherman, Texas, and AV Alta FC in Lancaster, California. Early 2024 brought announcements for FC Naples in Florida and Westchester SC in Mount Vernon, New York. In a notable move, Lexington SC was announced in August 2024 as moving from League One to the USL Championship for the 2025 season.

The league continued to grant new franchises for the 2026 season, including teams in Corpus Christi, Texas, and Boise, Idaho, the latter named Athletic Club Boise. In a dramatic move on November 14, 2024, the league terminated Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC's franchise agreement and mutually parted ways with Central Valley Fuego FC. Both clubs eventually moved to a different league called The League for Clubs. In February 2025, an expansion team was granted to Paterson, New Jersey, which later revealed it would play as the revived New York Cosmos, adopting the legendary name from the original North American Soccer League.

Further changes occurred as the 2026 season approached. Two USL League Two clubs, Sarasota Paradise and Fort Wayne FC, declared their intention to join League One professionally in 2026. However, just twelve days before the 2026 season began, the league announced that founding member Tormenta FC would go on hiatus and not compete. In a separate development, Texoma FC's ownership announced the franchise would move to League Two for 2026 with intent to return later, while simultaneously starting a new League One team called Rodeo SC in Celina, Texas, targeted for 2027.

League structure and competition format

As of the 2026 season, USL League One operates with 17 active teams. The league follows a franchise model where the USL grants clubs the rights to field a team. The competition format consists of a 32-game regular season for each club, followed by a playoff tournament to crown the league champion. In addition to the league title, all teams participate in the USL Cup, a separate knockout competition that adds a minimum of four games to each team's schedule, followed by subsequent knockout rounds. The league shares its Division III status with MLS Next Pro and the National Independent Soccer Association, as sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation.

Player compensation in League One is governed by a minimum monthly salary of $2,200, a figure that is distinct from the higher tiers. The league does not offer the flex contracts that are available in the USL Championship, creating a clear financial and structural differentiation between the second and third divisions. This salary structure is part of the league's design to be sustainable for clubs in mid-sized markets while providing a fully professional environment for players. The league's operational model aims to balance competitive standards with the economic realities of Division III soccer.

Current and future club landscape

For the 2026 season, the seventeen competing teams are geographically distributed with eight in the southern United States, three each in the midwest, northeast, and west. Only four of the ten charter members from the 2019 inaugural season continue to play in the league as of 2026: Chattanooga Red Wolves SC, Forward Madison FC, Greenville Triumph SC, and the Richmond Kickers. The Charlotte Independence and the Kickers had previously competed in the USL Championship before joining League One. Several current members, including Corpus Christi FC, Fort Wayne FC, One Knoxville SC, and Sarasota Paradise, moved up from the amateur USL League Two.

The league has several clubs confirmed for future entry. Fort Lauderdale United FC, Port St. Lucie SC, and Sporting Cascades FC (the professional incarnation of Lane United FC) are all slated to begin play in the 2027 season. Furthermore, the USL is actively in discussions with municipal governments in numerous cities for potential League One or Championship expansion. These markets include Brevard County, Florida, Brownsville, Texas, Green Bay, Wisconsin, Medford, Oregon, Pensacola, Florida, and Springfield, Missouri, among others. A group in Everett, Washington, has proposed a club that would share a planned multi-purpose stadium with a minor league baseball team, the Everett AquaSox.

Notable teams and Canadian connections

While USL League One is a United States-based league, it has held significance for Canadian soccer. Toronto FC II was one of the ten founding members of the league, providing a professional platform for the MLS club's academy products from 2019 through 2021 before the team moved to MLS Next Pro. The league's expansion into northern US markets also brings professional soccer closer to Canadian population centres, with teams in places like Portland, Maine, and Spokane, Washington, representing the nearest professional clubs to parts of Eastern and Western Canada. This geographic proximity can foster cross-border fan interest and player development pathways. Several clubs have notable histories or rapid ascents. The revival of the New York Cosmos name for the Paterson, New Jersey, franchise connects the league to one of the most famous brands in North American soccer history. Furthermore, the league has served as a successful stepping stone for clubs like Lexington SC and Athletic Club Boise, which both announced moves to the higher-level USL Championship after brief stints in League One, demonstrating the league's role in club development.

Questions about USL League One

What is USL League One?

USL League One is a professional men's soccer league in the United States that operates at the Division III level, as sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation. It was launched in 2019 by the United Soccer League and sits below the Division II USL Championship in the American soccer pyramid. The league provides a professional platform for clubs in mid-sized markets, with a 32-game regular season and playoffs. As of 2026, it consists of 17 teams from across the United States.

How many teams are in USL League One?

As of the 2026 season, there are 17 active teams competing in USL League One. The league has experienced significant turnover and expansion since its founding in 2019, which began with ten teams. The current lineup includes a mix of original members, clubs that have moved down from the USL Championship, teams that have moved up from the amateur USL League Two, and new expansion franchises. The number of teams is subject to change as clubs occasionally move to other leagues or go on hiatus.

Has a Canadian team ever played in USL League One?

Yes, a Canadian team has played in USL League One. Toronto FC II, the reserve team of Major League Soccer's Toronto FC, was one of the ten founding members of the league when it launched in 2019. The team competed in League One for the 2019, 2020, and 2021 seasons. Following the creation of MLS Next Pro, Toronto FC II, along with other MLS reserve teams, left USL League One after the 2021 season to join the new MLS-operated league. No other Canadian clubs have participated in the league to date.

What happened to the MLS reserve teams in USL League One?

Major League Soccer reserve teams were founding members of USL League One but departed after the 2021 season. In June 2021, MLS announced the creation of its own third-division league, MLS Next Pro, which began play in 2022. This new league was designed to host all MLS reserve teams. Consequently, Fort Lauderdale CF (Inter Miami), New England Revolution II, North Texas SC (FC Dallas), and Toronto FC II all left USL League One after the 2021 season to join MLS Next Pro. This shift allowed USL League One to focus more on independent, community-based clubs.

Are there plans for more expansion teams?

Yes, USL League One has aggressive expansion plans with several clubs already confirmed for future seasons. Fort Lauderdale United FC, Port St. Lucie SC, and Sporting Cascades FC are all slated to begin play in the 2027 season. Furthermore, the United Soccer League is in active discussions with numerous municipalities across the United States about potential expansion clubs for either League One or the USL Championship. These discussions include markets like Green Bay, Wisconsin, Pensacola, Florida, and Springfield, Missouri, indicating the league's intent to continue growing its geographic footprint.

What is the USL Cup?

The USL Cup is a separate knockout tournament in which all USL League One teams participate, in addition to their regular league schedule. The competition adds a minimum of four games to each team's calendar, followed by subsequent knockout rounds. It functions similarly to a domestic cup competition, providing another avenue for teams to win silverware. The USL Cup runs concurrently with the league season and is a distinct trophy from the USL League One championship, which is awarded to the winner of the league playoffs.

Sources: Wikipedia and current public reporting, checked by the Garbutt Disposal desk. Last updated 2026-10-20.