At the American soccer organization USL, they must have raised their eyebrows in 2022. Via their website, they receive a short and powerful message with the following text: 'Hey! I would like to start a new professional club. What do you need from my side?" The message comes from a Dutchman named Danny Dekker (41). The sender of these two sentences is now having a laugh in a coffee shop in Vleuten, Utrecht. 'Afterwards I heard that they get as many as eighty applications every year. Often people already have their entire market in view, a completely thought-out plan and a group of owners behind them. Most of them still don't get through and now they saw those two sentences of mine come in.' He sips his flat white. 'Apparently it triggered something in them.' https://www.vi.nl/pro/de-nederlander-die-vanaf-nul-een-profclub-in-new-york-bouwt
Boise gets their stadium deal finalized. Set to open in 2026 with 6,000 seats. Expandable up to11,000. Men's team planned to joined League One in 2026, women's team TBD for the Super League. https://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/1332207
Ft. Wayne moving up to USL League One, including building an 8.400 seat stadium with construction starting this year. https://www.uslleagueone.com/news_article/show/1332382
USL and the city of Pensacola will talk to each other for the next year about the possibility of starting soccer teams in the city. https://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/1334592
I saw this and thought I'd share it here. 5 Expansion Markets USL Should Target Ahead Of Division One Launch: https://www.forbes.com/sites/ianqui...l-should-target-ahead-of-division-one-launch/
A nice little update on expected USL Championship expansion teams. https://www.usltactics.com/p/usl-championship-expansion-2025-promotion-relegation
Yes. Not good. Especially to take the same color scheme, or close enough, to USL bottom-dwellers for like three straight years.
Eugene officially joining USL1 in 2026. That's a touchdown of new teams for USL1 next year. If the existing teams all survive, that's a jump from 14 to 21. Everett, WA potentially getting a teams as part of a combined stadium build with the local minor league baseball team.
Between 2014 and 2015, the third division leapt from 14 teams to 24 with the addition of seven MLS reserve teams and six independent clubs. (Dayton, the Charlotte Eagles and Orlando City left the league for the net 10.) Of the six independent clubs, four remain.
It's wild to think that this is made up entirely of independent clubs. I'm assuming a few won't make it into next year, because there's always some attrition, but there's a non zero chance of 28 D2 and 21 D3 pro teams next year in USL alone. There will likely be 4 independent MLS Next Pro teams along with the 27 2nd team sides (DC, Montreal, and SD don't have MLSNP teams yet). That's 53 independent teams at the D2 or D3 level if everyone miraculously survives.
Cleveland State is negotiating with USL as USL Cleveland to turn their soon to be former basketball stadium into an open air soccer stadium. https://www.cleveland.com/entertain...enter-soccer-stadium-redevelopment-talks.html
------------ So this is different than what the MLS is doing in Cleveland with its Next Pro? So 2 soccer projects in Cleveland...wow
That might be one of the more fun "double headers" possible. Get a match in at one stadium and then exit it and walk to the other one for the next game. Even better, buy tickets for two simultaneous games and leave the one you're at if the other is more exciting.
To be fair, it is a slightly lengthy walk. The doubleheader would be entirely doable, the latter idea...you'd have to bail on Game A early
======== So the teams should just merge now, be called Cleveland United and jump both leagues right to MLS ! Seriously, I am ok with 2 teams in same city if our modern soccer history was more established to the point that both teams would draw well. Both LA team draw ok, NY is kind of mixed, but we really don't have too many other large cities with 2 teams to draw as comparison with the top league. Sure, some of our metros have 3rd teams- USL OCSC is in So California market, Brooklyn is coming to NY market...I sure there are some other examples.... but nothing in the way of London or Buenos Aires. The thing is, since they would be in different leagues, except for maybe the Open Cup or a friendly, they will never play each other....kind of hard to build a rival that way.
This is a fun thought experiment. It's also batsh#t crazy. There is absolutely no chance that BOTH of these projects get done. Zero. Zilch. Completely infeasible considering the market, current political climate regarding public financing, resources of those involved, and a hundred other factors. It's one or the other, if any at all. Fun to daydream but let's rein it in a bit, eh?
--------- I guess my dripping sarcasm did not come through. Nothing against Cleveland, 1 project off he ground would be hard enough even if it were full MLS. But USL, MLSNP and USL-SL are special challenges
And now we get a "pre-development agreement and partnership" between USL and Firestone, CO for a men's and women's team. https://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/1345892
The Dream Of Milwaukee Pro Soccer In 2026 Is Dead | Anonymous Eagle How many USL Championship expansion teams will launch in 2026? Milwaukee is basically dead, for now. Arkansas, Buffalo having funding and/or infrastructure setbacks. Iowa is set to launch in 2028, with early 2026 as groundbreaking of their new stadium Jacksonville...2026? Are they going to stadium share the same college sports stadium with the women's team? Santa Barbara...2026? Mostly radio silence on that front. Brooklyn...2026? Dallas will play at the Cotton Bowl in 2027.