2023 USL Championship Season
The 2023 USL Championship season was the 13th season of the USL Championship and the seventh season under Division II sanctioning. The 2023 season had 24 teams participating in two conferences during the regular season. San Antonio FC were the defending champions. Teams Changes from 2022 Joined MLS Next Pro * Atlanta United 2 * LA Galaxy II * New York Red Bulls II Stadiums and locations Personnel and sponsorships Managerial changes Regular season Format The teams will play a balanced 34-game schedule. Each team will play their conference opponents twice, and play one game each with the teams in the opposite conference. The top 8 teams in each conference will make the playoffs. Eastern Conference Western Conference Results table Playoffs Bracket Schedule Conference Quarterfinals Conference Semifinals Conference Finals USL Championship Final Championship Game MVP: Rocco Ríos Novo ( PHX) Regular season statistical leaders ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Phoenix Rising FC
Phoenix Rising Football Club is an American professional soccer team based in Phoenix, Arizona. Founded in 2014 as Arizona United Soccer Club, the team is a member of the USL Championship. They won the league championship in 2023, defeating the Charleston Battery 3–2 on penalty kicks after a 1–1 draw in regulation time. History On March 13, 2014, Kyle Eng, owner of an advertising agency, launched the franchise and named it Arizona United SC. It took the place of Phoenix FC, which folded the previous day, in the USL Pro league. 2014 season In just 178 days after the franchise was awarded by the USL Pro, Arizona United hired a front office staff and coach, put together a roster, secured a stadium, played 28 regular season games, reached the fourth round of the US Open Cup and was in contention for a playoff spot until the next-to-last week of the season. University of Maryland Assistant Coach Michael Dellorusso was named head coach on March 28, 2014. United lost their fir ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Austin Bold FC
Austin Bold FC (ABFC) was an American professional association football, soccer team located in Austin, Texas. Founded in 2017, the team made its debut in the USL Championship in 2019. In 2021, Austin Bold FC announced it would be moving to Fort Worth, Texas leaving Circuit of the Americas at the end of the season but may have to wait until 2023, depending on the construction of their stadium. the team remains inactive. Stadium The club played at Bold Stadium on the grounds of the Circuit of the Americas race track, located between the amphitheater and the grand plaza. The first goal in the stadium was scored by Kléber Giacomazzi de Souza Freitas, Kleber Giacomazzi in a 1–0 win against San Antonio FC on March 30, 2019. Ownership Bobby Epstein, chairman of the Circuit of the Americas, has led the ownership group after becoming majority owner in 2017. He became involved in a public relations battle with Anthony Precourt, the primary owner of Austin FC, who had been sanctione ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Rio Grande Valley FC Toros
Rio Grande Valley FC, also known as RGVFC or Rio Grande Valley FC Toros, was an American professional soccer team based in Edinburg, Texas, Edinburg, Texas operated by Lone Star, LLC. They joined the USL Championship in the 2016 season. The team served as a hybrid affiliate of the Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer. Chris Canetti, Houston Dynamo president, called the relationship "an important and necessary step." The hybrid affiliation, a first for the USL, meant that the Dynamo would be responsible for the soccer operation of the club, selecting players and coaching staff. The ownership group, Lone Star, was responsible for operations and day-to-day management of the club. History In September 2014, Dynamo officials met with USL officials about creating a USL team and announced their intention to have a USL team in place for the 2016 season. In March 2015, Bert Garcia announced that the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA Development League, NBA D-league had been awarded a ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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OKC Energy FC
Oklahoma City Energy Football Club, or simply Energy FC, is an American professional Association football, soccer club based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The club is a member of the USL Championship, the second division of the American soccer league system. Although having not officially ceased operations, the club is currently on a hiatus, having canceled their seasons until a planned 2027 return. The club cites its inability to meet league requirements for field conditions. With their operations to field a team, the organization is currently undergoing a name change initiative using a Name The Team contest for fans to vote. History Oklahoma City businessman Robert "Bob" Funk, Jr., was awarded a United Soccer League franchise on July 2, 2013, and in November, the club announced its name would be Oklahoma City Energy FC. The ownership group, Prodigal LLC, formerly Express sports, which operated the Oklahoma City Barons of the American Hockey League and formerly oversaw the Oklahom ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Oakland Roots SC
Oakland Roots Sports Club is an American professional Association football, soccer club based in Oakland, California. The club competes in the USL Championship (USLC) as a member of the Western Conference (USL Championship), Western Conference. Founded in 2018 by Edreece Arghandiwal and Benno Nagel, the club began play in the 2019–20 National Independent Soccer Association season, 2019–20 season in the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA) before joining the USL Championship in 2021. The club plays its home matches at the Oakland Coliseum History Soccer in Oakland Oakland’s soccer history dates back to the late 19th century, with early activity in Northern California spurred by amateur clubs and the formation of the California State Football Association in 1902. The early 1900s also saw matches played by British ship crews in the Bay Area, further popularizing the sport. Professional soccer arrived in Oakland in 1967 with the Oakland Clippers of the National Profess ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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New Mexico United
New Mexico United is an American professional soccer team based in Albuquerque Albuquerque ( ; ), also known as ABQ, Burque, the Duke City, and in the past 'the Q', is the List of municipalities in New Mexico, most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico, and the county seat of Bernalillo County, New Mexico, Bernal ..., New Mexico. Founded June 6, 2018, the team currently plays in the USL Championship, the second division of American soccer. The team is owned by Peter Trevisani, with head coach Dennis Sanchez, and play their home games at Isotopes Park which has a capacity of around 13,500 people. History Former teams The state of New Mexico gained its first professional soccer team in the 1990s, the New Mexico Chiles of the American Professional Soccer League and later the United Soccer Leagues, USISL. The team was runner-up for the league title in 1995 and attracted an average home attendance of 3,854, but was folded by its owners in 1996. The Chiles was replaced ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Miami FC
Miami FC is an American professional association football, soccer team based in Miami, Florida that competes in the USL Championship, the second tier of the American soccer pyramid. The club began play in the North American Soccer League (2011–2017), North American Soccer League (NASL) in the 2016 NASL season, 2016 season. Following the demise of the NASL, the club participated in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) and the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA) before moving to the USL Championship for the 2020 season. The team currently plays its home games at Pitbull Stadium on the campus of Florida International University. History North American Soccer League The club was announced on May 20, 2015, as the 12th North American Soccer League franchise with plans to begin play in the 2016 North American Soccer League season, 2016 season and later confirmed it would play out of Ocean Bank Field at FIU Stadium on the campus of Florida International University ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Louisville City FC
Louisville City Football Club is an American professional soccer club based in Louisville, Kentucky. The team plays in the USL Championship, which is currently the second tier of the American soccer pyramid. The club was founded in 2014 after Orlando City SC, Orlando City's USL team franchise rights were relocated to Louisville and played their first USL season in 2015. After reaching the Eastern Conference finals of the USL playoffs in both its first two seasons, the club went on to win the 2017 USL Championship final, USL Cup in only its third season of existence. In 2018, they repeated as champions, becoming the first team to win back-to-back USL Cup championships. In 2019, they became the first team in USL history to play in three consecutive USL Cup Finals, but they fell just shy of their third championship. History In early 2014, the owners of Orlando City SC (2010-14), Orlando City's USL team, encouraged by minority owner Wayne Estopinal, met with city of Louisville off ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Loudoun United FC
Loudoun United FC is an American professional soccer team based in Leesburg, Virginia. The team was founded in 2018 as the reserve team of D.C. United and made its debut in the USL Championship in 2019. After ownership changes, it ceased being the reserve squad for D.C. in 2023. History On July 18, 2018, the team was officially announced by USL and D.C. United as were the team's name, colors and crest. Loudoun United FC replaced Richmond Kickers as D.C. United's USL affiliate. After the founding of MLS Next Pro in 2022 and the subsequent movement of MLS reserve teams to that league by 2023, Loudoun United remained the only MLS-affiliated reserve side in the USL system; due to a legal agreement for leasing Segra Field, United is required to play in the second division. On February 2, 2023, Loudoun United FC was sold to Attain Sports and Entertainment, which owns minor league baseball teams Bowie Baysox and Frederick Keys. D.C. United will continue to own a minority stake in Lo ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Las Vegas Lights FC
Las Vegas Lights FC is an American professional soccer team based in Las Vegas, Nevada, that plays in the USL Championship. The team made its debut in 2018 and plays its home games at Cashman Field. The team employs neon imagery in its crest and jerseys. It has engaged in unusual promotions to attract fans, including the use of llama mascots and rewarding players with casino chips. The Lights are owned by an investment group led by former Major League Baseball player José Bautista. History The first professional soccer team to be based in Las Vegas was the Las Vegas Quicksilvers of the North American Soccer League, who moved from San Diego after the 1976 season. The team played at Las Vegas Stadium and had an average attendance of 7,092 during the 1977 season, but moved back to San Diego the following year. The Las Vegas Seagulls of the American Soccer League briefly played at Las Vegas Stadium (by then the Las Vegas Silver Bowl) in 1979, but were terminated by the leag ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Indy Eleven
Indy Eleven is an American professional association football, soccer team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Founded in 2013, the team made its debut in the North American Soccer League (2011–2017), North American Soccer League (NASL) in 2014, before moving to the United Soccer League (USL) in 2018. The club also began fielding a women's team in the USL W League beginning in 2022, with plans of eventually moving up to USL Super League. The franchise plays its home games at IU Michael A. Carroll Track & Soccer Stadium with plans for a new stadium at Eleven Park currently in doubt. History Thanks in part to efforts from a grassroots soccer organization known as the #Supporters, Brickyard Battalion, on January 16, 2013, the NASL announced that an Indianapolis expansion team owned by Ersal Ozdemir, CEO of Keystone Group LLC, would join the league in 2014. Ozdemir named Peter Wilt as the team's first president and general manager, after the veteran American soccer executive had serv ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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El Paso Locomotive FC
El Paso Locomotive FC is an American professional soccer team based in El Paso, Texas. Founded in 2018, the team made its debut in the USL Championship in 2019. History First season In February 2018, the United Soccer League announced that El Paso was selected as an expansion team for the 2019 USL Championship season. The club will be run by MountainStar Sports Group. In June 2018, El Paso announced the signing of their first player, Omar Salgado. In July 2018, El Paso announced that their first head coach would be Mark Lowry, who had previously coached NASL's Jacksonville Armada FC. After a 34-game season, El Paso Locomotive FC qualified for the USL Championship play-offs, reaching the Western Conference finals before falling 2–1 to the Real Monarchs. 2020 With COVID-19 shutting down many organizations worldwide, USL followed suit on March 12, 2020, announcing the season would be temporarily suspended. In June 2020, USL Championship announced their return to play would ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |