United Soccer League Announces New Promotion and Relegation System

Sports stats



USL Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC

United Soccer League Announces New Promotion and Relegation System

March 19, 2025 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC News Release


COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The United Soccer League (USL) announced today that a supermajority of club owners voted to implement a promotion and relegation system in the USL.

"Switchbacks FC are delighted that our league has voted to pursue a system of promotion and relegation. This move will be a key differentiator in the market, bringing more meaning to every regular season match to the end," said Switchbacks President Brad Estes. "This system will bring added value to supporters and partners alike, and we look forward to its implementation."

The USL becomes the first professional sports league in the U.S. to adopt this global model, creating an interconnected three-tiered men's professional soccer system, where teams earn promotion to a higher division or face relegation to a lower division based on their performance during the season. With this historic step, the USL aligns with the world's top leagues- including the English Premier League, La Liga, and Bundesliga- where promotion and relegation raise the stakes of every match, drive fan engagement, and elevate the overall competition of the game.

"We are very excited to welcome promotion and relegation to the league. It will elevate the game to new heights and make every game much more competitive," said Sporting Director Stephen Hogan. "Teams will need to fight and claw for every point to stay relevant in the league each season, or they'll need those points to survive and not get relegated. We can't wait to see it implemented into our system."

In the last month, the USL announced plans to launch a new Division One league in 2027-28, a pivotal step in its vision to establish a fully integrated three-tier professional system. As defined by U.S.Soccer Federation sanctioning standards, Division One is the highest level of professional soccer in the United States. With the USL Championship (Division Two) and USL League One (Division Three)

already providing a strong foundation for player development and competition, the addition of a Division One league completes the structure. All three leagues will be interconnected through a structured promotion and relegation system.

Check out the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC Statistics

• Discuss this story on the United Soccer League Championship message board...

United Soccer League Championship Stories from March 19, 2025


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central