An exciting new place for players to prosper, the evolution of a new realm of women's soccer in the United States has begun.
What is the USL Super League?
The USL Super League is, like the NWSL, a first-division soccer league. With its first season now up and running, the initial creation of the professional contest sees eight teams battle it out for the title.
Who is in it?
- Brooklyn FC
- Carolina Ascent FC
- Dallas Trinity FC
- DC Power FC
- Fort Lauderdale United FC
- Lexington SC
- Spokane Zephyr FC
- Tampa Bay Sun FC
Who will join later?
The additions subsequent to the 2024 season of the USL Super League are scheduled to be of the following markets:
- Indianapolis
- Sporting Club Jacksonville
- Wisconsin
- USL Palm Beach
- USL Arkansas
- Tennessee
- Oakland Soul SC
- Phoenix
- Tuscon
When and how will it run?
The USL Super League is controlled by the United Soccer League, who have pledged their allegiance to the community, and to enhancing the level of Division One football, and creating further sporting opportunities for all women.
Unlike the NWSL, uslsuperleague.com explains, the USL Super League will function according to the traditional global soccer calendar. This means the season will take place from August to May (with a mid-season winter break), and allows players the opportunity to play at international level as well as for their club. Meanwhile, domestic teams will be able to utilise the worldwide transfer market.
There will be no salary cap in the USL Super League, contrary to that of the NWSL. While it was originally intended to be a second-division league, the new addition to the world of U.S. women's soccer strives to operate at an entirely professional standard, looking to involve itself in the global market with immediate effect.
Additionally, the minimum number of players a club can have in their squad is set at 20, with no upper limit stated. Another key difference between the USL Super League and its NWSL counterpart, is that there is no draft system. The new league and its clean slate is looking to encourage international signings, and promote improved infrastructure for the increasingly popular academy pathways.
As explained by forbes.com, the format of the USL Super League means the eight competing teams will go head-to-head on both home and away turf. A total of 112 matches will see the top four teams go through to the playoffs. These playoffs will be made up of simple one-leg semifinals and, of course, a final.
What does it mean for women's soccer in the U.S?
The opening weekend of the USL Super League saw professional debutants take to the stage, with three of Dallas Trinity FC's players (Sam Estrada, Julia Dorsey, and Gracie Brian) making their introductory appearances in first-division football.
USL Super League fixtures are set to take place in stadiums holding at least 5,000 supporters, according to goal.com. The competition sits at the top of the American soccer pyramid, looking to provide an alternative, but equally competitive and successful, genre of the game.
The USL Super League has already attracted not only fresh young talent, but also established figures from the international stage and other leagues. Goalkeeper of the Year Morgan Aquino, for example, left the A-League's Perth Glory for DC Power at 22 years old, in the hope of furthering her career prospects overseas.
Amanda Vandervort, the president of the USL Super League, told The Athletic regarding the excitement of those playing in the new league, "The opportunity that they have — a lot of them are coming home to play in their hometowns. A lot of them might have been Americans playing abroad that want to return to the United States. A lot of them are top collegiate players who want to play and negotiate with a club directly rather than be drafted into a league system."
The USL Super League opens up a whole new world of women's soccer in the U.S., heading the existing youth-to-pro setup. Naturally unpredictable, the current standings are available to view here.
Where to watch
Saturday 7 September will see the fourth week of games kick off, with the results so far showing just how close of a contest the USL Super League is drawing up to be.
The USL Super League is available to watch on Peacock in the U.S., DAZN in Canada, ESPN in Latin America and Central America, and ESPN Caribbean in the Caribbean.
The rest of the world can access the Super action via USL on YouTube.