The USL Championship final is the post-season championship match of the USL Championship, the second tier of professional men's soccer in the United States. The winner is crowned champion in the same manner as in other North American sports leagues (i.e. via a playoff following a regular season).
Organizing body | USL Championship |
---|---|
Founded | 2010 |
Region | United States (CONCACAF) |
Current champion(s) | Phoenix Rising FC (1st title) |
Most successful club(s) | Louisville City and Orlando City (2 titles each) |
Television broadcasters | CBS ESPN |
Website | USLSoccer.com |
2024 USL Championship Playoffs |
Unlike most soccer league, but much like North American sports leagues, the USL champion does not earn promotion into Major League Soccer, due to the fixed membership structure found in the league.
As of 2024, the USL Championship final is typically held in late-November and features the Eastern Conference champion and Western Conference champion.[1] The predecessor to the USL Championship final was the A-League Championship and the USL-1 Championship.
Champions
editA-League era (1996–2004)
editSeason | Winner | Score | Runner-up | Box Score |
---|---|---|---|---|
1996 | California Jaguars | 1–1 (p) | Richmond Kickers | [2] |
1997 | Milwaukee Rampage | 1–1 (p) | Carolina Dynamo | [3] |
1998 | Rochester Raging Rhinos | 3–1 | Minnesota Thunder | [4] |
1999 | Minnesota Thunder | 2–1 | Rochester Raging Rhinos | [5] |
2000 | Rochester Raging Rhinos | 3–1 | Minnesota Thunder | [6] |
2001 | Rochester Raging Rhinos | 2–0 | Hershey Wildcats | [7] |
2002 | Milwaukee Rampage | 2–1 (2OT) | Richmond Kickers | [8] |
2003 | Charleston Battery | 3–0 | Minnesota Thunder | [9] |
2004 | Montreal Impact | 2–0 | Seattle Sounders | [10] |
USL-1 era (2005–2009)
editSeason | Winner | Score | Runner-up | Venue | Attendance | Box Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2005 | Seattle Sounders | 1–1 (p) | Richmond Kickers | Qwest Field | 8,011 | [11] |
2006 | Vancouver Whitecaps | 3–0 | Rochester Raging Rhinos | PAETEC Park | 9,547 | [12] |
2007 | Seattle Sounders | 4–0 | Atlanta Silverbacks | Starfire Sports Complex | 4,893 | [13] |
2008 | Vancouver Whitecaps | 2–1 | Puerto Rico Islanders | Swangard Stadium[n 1] | 5,822 | [14] |
2009 | Montreal Impact | 3–2[n 2] 3–1[n 2] |
Vancouver Whitecaps | Swangard Stadium Saputo Stadium |
5,886 13,034 |
[15] [16] |
- ^ The league granted Vancouver the right to host the 2008 final, despite them being the lower seeded team.
- ^ a b Montreal won the two-legged series 6–3 on aggregate.
USL Championship era (2010–present)
editRecords and statistics
editUSL Championship titles
editClub | Winner | Runner-up | Years won | Years runner-up |
---|---|---|---|---|
Louisville City FC | 2 | 2 | 2017, 2018 | 2019, 2022 |
Orlando City SC | 2 | 0 | 2011, 2013 | |
Charleston Battery | 1 | 1 | 2012 | 2023 |
Phoenix Rising FC | 1 | 1 | 2023 | 2018 |
Sacramento Republic FC | 1 | 0 | 2014 | |
Rochester Rhinos | 1 | 0 | 2015 | |
New York Red Bulls II | 1 | 0 | 2016 | |
Real Monarchs SLC | 1 | 0 | 2019 | |
Orange County SC | 1 | 0 | 2021 | |
San Antonio FC | 1 | 0 | 2022 | |
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC | 1 | 0 | 2024 | |
Harrisburg City Islanders | 0 | 2 | 2011, 2014 | |
Swope Park Rangers | 0 | 2 | 2016, 2017 | |
Wilmington Hammerheads FC | 0 | 1 | 2012 | |
Charlotte Eagles | 0 | 1 | 2013 | |
LA Galaxy II | 0 | 1 | 2015 | |
Tampa Bay Rowdies | 0 | 1 | 2021 | |
Rhode Island FC | 0 | 1 | 2024 |
Winner | USL Cup champions |
Bold | Players' Shield champions |
Italics | No longer plays in the USL Championship |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ USLChampionship Staff (December 18, 2023). "USL Championship Unveils 2024 Regular Season Schedule". USL Championship. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ "The Year in American Soccer, 1996". Soccer History USA – Audio Essays on the Beautiful Game. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ "A-League 1997 Season". a-leaguearchive.tripod.com. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ "A-League 1998 Season". a-leaguearchive.tripod.com. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ "A-League 1999 Season". a-leaguearchive.tripod.com. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ "A-League 2000 Season". a-leaguearchive.tripod.com. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ "2001 A-League Final". OurSports Central. October 16, 2001. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ "A-League 2002 Season". a-leaguearchive.tripod.com. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ "A-League 2003 Season". a-leaguearchive.tripod.com. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ "Impact de Montréal 2-0 Seattle Sounders - September 18, 2004 / A-League 2004". footballdatabase.eu. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ "Seattle Sounders (USL) vs. Richmond Kickers - 1 October 2005 - Soccerway". ke.soccerway.com. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ "Rochester New York vs. Whitecaps (USSF) - 30 September 2006 - Soccerway". gh.soccerway.com. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ "Seattle Sounders (USL) vs. Atlanta Silverbacks - 29 September 2007 - Soccerway". ng.soccerway.com. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ "Vancouver Whitecaps vs Puerto Rico Islanders: live 12 october 2008. Team News, Preview, Lineups, Streaming | Soccer365". soccer365.me. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ "Montreal at Vancouver Whitecaps 3:2". October 10, 2009. Archived from the original on October 6, 2012. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ "Impact defeat Whitecaps, win USL-1 title". www.sportsnet.ca. October 17, 2009. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ "Harrisburg City Islanders at Orlando City". archive.ph. September 3, 2011. Archived from the original on February 5, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ USL PRO News Release (September 8, 2012). "Charleston Claims USL PRO Title". USL. Archived from the original on September 12, 2012. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ USL PRO News Release (September 7, 2013). "Orlando City Claims Championship". USL Pro. Archived from the original on September 11, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ USL PRO Game Report (September 27, 2014). "United Soccer Leagues (USL)". USL Pro. Archived from the original on October 18, 2014. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ LA Galaxy Communications (October 16, 2015). "Match Report: LA Galaxy II fall in USL Championship match against the Rochester Rhinos, 2-1 | LA Galaxy". lagalaxy. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ "2016 USL Cup Final". www.uslchampionship.com. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ "Louisville 1-0 SPKC II (Nov 13, 2017) Game Analysis". ESPN. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ "Louisville 1-0 Phoenix (Nov 8, 2018) Final Score". ESPN. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ "Real Monarchs 3-1 Louisville (Nov 17, 2019) Final Score". ESPN. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ Carlisle, Jeff (October 31, 2020). "USL final canceled after positive COVID-19 tests". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ "Orange County 3-1 Tampa Bay (Nov 28, 2021) Final Score". ESPN. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ "San Antonio 3-1 Louisville (Nov 13, 2022) Final Score". ESPN. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ "Phoenix 1-1 Charleston (Nov 12, 2023) Final Score". ESPN. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- ^ "Colorado 3-0 Rhode Island (Nov 23, 2024) Final Score". ESPN. Retrieved November 24, 2024.