USL rebrands divisions as Championship, League One, League Two

The United Soccer Leagues have rebranded all three of its divisions with a very English feel under the United Soccer League banner.

The USL’s D-2 side is now the USL Championship, USL D-3 is now USL League One, and the Premier Development League is USL League Two.

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If you’re thinking the structure melds itself nicely to the idea of promotion and relegation in American soccer, the USL has a handy FAQ for you:

Currently the United Soccer League is focused on establishing a successful new third division in USL League One to help fill out the professional U.S. soccer structure, which is a necessary precursor to any implementation of a promotion and relegation system. That said, the new structure does lend itself well to some form of promotion and relegation in the future.

That’s not a no, though USL would still not be an open system and it’s hard to see how the PDL (now League Two) could make that jump considering the majority of its current players are bound by the current NCAA window.

The naming of the divisions along the Football League model met with some derision online, but it’s a familiar tune for soccer fans around the globe.

“We are repositioning the competition under MLS with a new strategy, new names and logos,” said USL CEO Alec Papadakis. “As we look to the future, the USL is ready to put its fingerprints on U.S. Soccer’s drive toward becoming the best in the world, and its pursuit of winning a FIFA Men’s World Cup.”

Welcome to a new generation.#UnitedForSoccer | #BeChampions pic.twitter.com/TVcz43pBjz

— USL Championship (@USLChampionship) September 25, 2018

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