Soccer leagues in the United States currently do not operate in a promotion and relegation system like most other mature leagues around the world. There are plenty of reasons for this, the biggest of which is that the leagues are simply too young. There is also a massive difference between the leagues when it comes to facilities. As in, many lower tier clubs do not even have stadiums, and could not properly host higher tier clubs. And of course, USL League Two is not a fully professional league.
So until the leagues reach a certain point of maturity where pro/rel does not threaten investments, and establish basic standards on facilities and compensation, it isn’t happening.
But let’s say the USL did have a pro/rel system right now between its two professional leagues, USL Championship and USL League One. What would that look like after the 2022 season? For the sake of argument, we’ll base it on the English system of three clubs promoted and relegated each season.
Relegated From USL Championship
This would be an open question that would need to be resolved by league rules, since the USL Championship league has two divisions. Would the last place from the respective divisions be relegated, with the next lowest point club? Or would it be the bottom three across the divisions? We’ll go with the latter here.
2022 is a wild card with USL Championship, as several clubs are moving to MLS Next Pro in 2023. Coincidentally, this includes the bottom two clubs, Atlanta United 2 and NY Red Bulls II. So let’s set those clubs aside.
Relegated: Charleston Battery, Loudon United, Orange County
Promoted from USL League One
We will ignore the playoffs and assume an open system.
Promoted: Richmond Kickers, Greenville Triumph, South Georgia Tormenta FC
Sure, pro/rel isn’t happening any time soon in the United States. But it is interesting to visualize a tiny market club like Tormenta FC (and their brand new regulation stadium) getting a promotion, and historic clubs and former rivals Richmond Kickers and Charleston Battery swapping places.