The United States will have two different top-tier women’s leagues after the new USL Super League was given Division One sanctioning by U.S. Soccer on Friday.
The National Women’s Soccer League has been operating since 2013 and its clubs have featured most of the USA women’s team players as well as foreign imports.
The new league will operate independently from the NWSL and is part of the United Soccer League structure, which includes second and third division men’s leagues and men’s and women’s national amateur leagues and a youth structure.
While promotion and relegation does not exist in American soccer, U.S. Soccer applies sanctioning for leagues based on their compliance with a series of standards.
“This is a tremendous moment for the USL Super League and for women’s sports. Receiving Division One sanctioning further showcases the work that our ownership groups, our clubs, and the league are doing to create a professional environment for top-level talent to compete. This is a crucial step toward realizing our vision to be a global leader in women’s soccer on and off the field. We cannot wait to see our clubs take the field when we kick off in August 2024. USL Super League president Amanda Vandervort
The USL Super League’s inaugural season will kick off in August with eight clubs including a newly announced team in Brooklyn, New York.
The league said that eight more clubs are building to join in future seasons when stadium development and other projects are completed.
Unlike the NWSL and the top tier men’s Major League Soccer, which play on a spring to autumn calendar, the USL Super League will play autumn to spring in line with European leagues.
U.S. Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone welcomed the new arrival.
“The USL Super League is looking to grow the women’s game and to expand the opportunities for women to compete at the highest professional level,” she said. “As with all our professional leagues, we look forward to collaborating with the USL Super League and extend our best wishes to the clubs as they gear up for the upcoming season this August.”
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© Agence France-Presse
Very interesting – that they chose the traditional calendar – If they also add a domestic content rule – restricting – not prohibiting the number of foreign roster spots and starting spots – this would make them even more singular. An honest American league with mostly American players – playing on the normal fall to spring calendar – that would something to behold. Watching a bunch of foreign players – albeit many very good but older ones – in the heat of summer – this is the recipe to keep soccer a bottom feeder – not grow the sport. C’mon USSF! Step Up!
Probably this will not end well. Or it will end with a merger of two leagues.
Remember the ABA? Remember the other pro football league that did not last very long?
More nuttiness in US soccer.
It was a surprise that the USL project got D1 as originally it was discussed their intent was D2. This is nothing like our other closed USA only sports where we have seen mergers – although it’s possible – and yes – the both leagues are the closed type – here we talk women – and a global sport. The bigger dynamic here in USA is the groundswell at grass – roots – look at UPSL – semi-pro – now over 400 clubs – and beginning to integrate the latino clubs that here-to-fore – operated in their own closed – cash-only context. For the moment short term – what it means – on the front lines – is there there are about 200 new pro roster spots for women – and – we have our first pro league operating on the international calendar – and it will have a leg up for transfers, loans, etc. We see where it goes. I am impressed so far.
One look at that map and you know that this league is another “national” league. Leagues should be known by their quality of play not the distance that they travel to get to a match. Take the EPL as an example. Most teams are clustered around London. The entire country of Great Britain is comparable in size to the state of Michigan. One state, and not Texas or Alaska.
Three or 4 regional leagues is the obvious practical choice, with tiers in each region. National championships from playoffs between the league champions. Quick and cheap, even if the two rounds are five days apart.
If the quality of soccer and the number of team varies between the 4 leagues, so what. So often we create meaningless roadblocks to our own success.