USL names new top tier 'USL Premier' and targets 2028 launch

The United Soccer League has confirmed USL Premier as the name of its planned Division One men’s competition and unveiled a restructured three-tier men’s pathway designed to introduce promotion and relegation in the United States. USL said the new system would place USL Premier at the top, followed by the USL Championship and USL League One, with formats aligned to support “credible movement” between divisions as the organisation expands. Under the initial framework, USL Premier and the USL Championship would each run as a single national table with a long-term target of 20 clubs, while USL League One would continue to grow nationally but organise regionally. “USL Premier is a defining piece of our long-term vision for the men’s game,” said USL chief executive Alec Papadakis, adding that the league believes a clear structure will “unlock meaningful opportunities for stakeholders and investors” as it prepares to introduce promotion and relegation.The league said USL Premier is scheduled to launch in 2028 and that it is reviewing club applications, with inaugural members to be announced later. USL also confirmed that Tony Scholes, currently the English Premier League’s chief football officer, is set to join USL Premier as president after completing his responsibilities in England this summer. Sports Business Journal reported USL is aiming for 14 founding teams in the first season of USL Premier, with USL president Paul McDonough saying the minimum required to meet U.S. Soccer’s current Division I standards is 12. The report added that USL expects most of the initial line-up to come from existing USL Championship clubs, supplemented by expansion and potential entrants from outside the USL system. SBJ also said USL sees reform of U.S.Soccer’s professional league standards – including the 15,000-seat minimum stadium requirement for Division I – as one of the hurdles to clear before launch, alongside the financial mechanics of promotion and relegation. English Premier League Chief Football Officer, Tony Scholes, will join as USL Premier President this summer.