TAMPA, Fla. – The United Soccer League today announced the alignment, regular season and playoff format for the 2016 USL Season, with 29 teams set to compete in the league’s sixth season in pursuit of the USL Cup.
Six new teams will join the USL in 2016, as Bethlehem Steel FC, FC Cincinnati, Orlando City B, Rio Grande Valley FC, the Swope Park Rangers and San Antonio are all set to compete in the new season.
The USL will continue in a two-conference format, with 14 teams making up the Eastern Conference and 15 teams making up the Western Conference. The 30-game regular season will be conducted over 27 weeks, which will kick off on March 25 and conclude on September 25.
<strong><u>Eastern Conference</u></strong> |
<strong><u>Western Conference</u></strong> |
<span style="line-height: 20.8px;">Bethlehem Steel FC</span><br style="line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="line-height: 20.8px;"></span><span style="line-height: 20.8px;">Charleston Battery</span><br style="line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="line-height: 20.8px;">Charlotte Independence </span><br style="line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="line-height: 20.8px;">FC Cincinnati </span><br style="line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="line-height: 20.8px;">Harrisburg City Islanders</span><br style="line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="line-height: 20.8px;">Louisville City FC </span><br style="line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="line-height: 20.8px;">FC Montreal </span><br style="line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="line-height: 20.8px;">New York Red Bulls II </span><br style="line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="line-height: 20.8px;">Orlando City B </span><br style="line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="line-height: 20.8px;">Pittsburgh Riverhounds </span><br style="line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="line-height: 20.8px;">Richmond Kickers</span><br style="line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="line-height: 20.8px;">Rochester Rhinos </span><br style="line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="line-height: 20.8px;">Toronto FC II</span><br><span style="line-height: 20.8px;">Wilmington Hammerheads FC</span> |
Arizona United SC<br>
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC<br>
LA Galaxy II<br>
OKC Energy FC<br>
Orange County Blues FC<br>
Portland Timbers 2<br>
Real Monarchs SLC<br>
Rio Grande Valley FC<br>
Sacramento Republic FC<br>
Saint Louis FC<br>
San Antonio<br>
Seattle Sounders FC 2<br>
Swope Park Rangers<br>
Tulsa Roughnecks FC<br>
Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 |
The team with the best record across both conferences will earn the 2016 USL Regular Season Title. The top eight teams in each conference will then advance to the 2016 USL Playoffs, which will see a single-elimination bracket crown two conference champions. The two conference champions will advance to the 2016 USL Championship.
USL
The USL is the strongest U.S. men’s professional soccer league below Major League Soccer (MLS). The USL featured 24 teams in 2015 across the United States and Canada, with six new clubs already announced for 2016. Through aggressive and strategic growth, the USL has built a stable, national professional soccer league. In addition to league play, USL teams compete in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup as well as various domestic and international exhibitions. The USL is the longest-standing professional affiliate member of U.S. Soccer.
