USL Super League will be Division 1

Yes, there already IS a First Division, but now there will be two.

USL have announced today that US Soccer have granted them sanctioning to be Division 1. This sets them on a direct parallel to the existing D1 league, NWSL although the two will play at different times of the year.

Division 1 women’s leagues are required to have 8 teams in two different time zones, and two more teams by the fourth year. By the sixth year, they must have teams in the Eastern, Central and Pacific Time Zones.

In regard of the last requirement, USL Super League is ahead of schedule (with Dallas in the Central and Spokane in the Pacific Time Zones)

There is also a floor for market size at this level. “At least 75 percent of the league’s teams must play in metropolitan markets of at least 750,000 persons. All league stadiums must have a minimum seating capacity of 5,000.”

There is also a financial viability hill for the clubs below to climb:

“League must demonstrate adequate financial viability to ensure continued operation on a season-by-season basis either in the form of a performance bond or similar instrument for each team in the amount of one hundred thousand US dollars, or readily-available league funds representing such amounts. The funds will be used to cover the costs of the teams’ operations (including, without limitation, player and staff salaries and wages, stadium lease commitments and third party vendor obligations in addition to commitments by each team to the league) for a season, should that become necessary. Any team whose performance bond is used during the season will be required to replenish it at least 120 days prior to the next season.

Each team ownership group must demonstrate the financial capacity to operate the team for three years. As part of the process of demonstrating financial capacity, each ownership group must provide detailed financial history (if applicable) and projections (including a detailed budget) for the team to the Federation in a form satisfactory to the Federation. In addition, each team must have and its governing legal documents must designate one principal owner with a controlling interest who owns at least 35% of the team and has authority to bind the team. Such principal owner must have an individual net worth of at least fifteen million US dollars exclusive of the value of his/her ownership in the league or team and his/her primary personal residence. The principal owner, together with all other owners, must have a combined individual net worth of at least twenty five million US dollars exclusive of the value of ownership interests in the league or team and primary personal residences. Federation shall have the right to require an independent audit to establish that the team meets these net worth requirements; the cost of such audit shall be the responsibility of the team or league. The Federation will take reasonable steps to protect from disclosure and limit access to financial information provided under this section.”

Anyway, back to the fun stuff:

Brooklyn FC has been announced in Brooklyn, playing at the Brooklyn Cyclones’ baseball stadium — along with a USL League One men’s team launching in 2025.

There is a team who will play in Charlotte, NC — playing at the same venue as USL Championship club Charlotte Independence.

Dallas has a team announced, but their venue is not yet announced.

Nova Southeastern University are preparing to host a team in Fort Lauderdale.

Lexington, Kentucky’s got a team in the announcement, part of the Lexington Sporting Club group which currently plays a squad in USL W. LSC is developing a new stadium.

Spokane Zephyr are a new club, out on an island in the Pacific Northwest. Their stadium is also brand-new. They will play a second team in USL W.

Tampa Bay Sun are also a new club, playing at Howard W. Blake High School in Tampa.

Washington DC has a club in ‘partnership with the MLS club DC United’.

Chattanooga Red Wolves has a team planned, but with no launch date.

Indy Eleven will launch a team at their new Eleven Park campus in 2025. Eleven currently has a team in the USL W, in the warehouse of Grand Park.

Jacksonville, FL will see a new club play at a new stadium in 2025.

Madison, WI has a team announced but with no timeline — although the league’s publicity very clearly illustrates a link to Forward Madison.

Oakland Soul opened play in USL W last year, and will transition to the Super League when their stadium is finished in 2025.

Palm Beach, FL will host a team but the timeline and stadium are undeclared.

Phoenix and Tucson, AZ are both listed in the league’s press release but there is a big question mark over both.

Update 2/17/24:

FC Tucson COO Kyle Cornell told us “Tucson has pushed back the launch of its Super League team pending completion of certain club development initiatives.”, language which echoes that of the league release linked above but which implies that Tucson will have a team at some point.