USL Championship and League One Announces Promotion Regulation

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USL1 Spokane Velocity FC

USL Championship and League One Announces Promotion Regulation

March 19, 2025 - United Soccer League One (USL1)
Spokane Velocity FC News Release


This morning, Spokane Velocity FC, along with a supermajority of owners from both the USL Championship and League One, announced their approval of a promotion-relegation system set to launch in 2028. Last month's announcement that the USL will pursue a U.S. Soccer Federation-sanctioned Division I men's league paved the way for this historic move. The new system will establish promotion and relegation across the three USL men's professional leagues-the first of its kind in the United States.

"Aequus Sports, LLC-through our Spokane Velocity FC team competing in USL League One-is excited to support the implementation of promotion and relegation in U.S. soccer," said Ryan Harnetiaux, Managing Partner. "This system mirrors the global standard, where teams rise or fall based on sporting merit, adding a level of consequence to each match that has long been missing in American soccer. There's nothing quite like the intensity of a promotion race-or the pressure of relegation. Promotion-relegation brings unmatched drama to live sports, and its introduction will elevate the game, grow fan engagement, and drive significant investment across the U.S. soccer ecosystem."

The USL becomes the first professional sports league in the U.S. to adopt this global system, 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 raises the stakes of every match, drives fan engagement, and elevates the overall competition of the game.

"Promotion and relegation transforms the competitive landscape of American soccer," said Paul McDonough, President and Chief Soccer Officer of the USL. "With the 2026 World Cup and other major international events approaching, we have a unique opportunity to build on that momentum and create a sustainable future for the sport in the U.S. Fans and stakeholders have been clear-they want something different. They're drawn to the intensity of high-stakes competition, where more matches have real consequences-just like we see in European leagues. This shift challenges the status quo and brings a level of excitement and relevance that can elevate the game across the country."

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