USL Championship 2024 preview

The USL Championship is the sole second tier league in the US, tracing its roots back to Seattle’s post-NASL endeavours in 1984, through the Western Soccer Association, the third American Soccer League, the American Professional Soccer League, and the United Systems of Independent Soccer Leagues, finally becoming United Soccer Leagues in 1999. It has enjoyed sole division II status since 2017, when the second North American Soccer League folded. Former members of the USL now playing in MLS include FC Cincinnati, Minnesota United, CF Montreal (as Montreal Impact), Nashville SC, Orlando City, Portland Timbers, Seattle Sounders, St Louis City, and Vancouver Whitecaps, although the transfer is never straightforward and often requires closing down the old club and forming a new one. From last year’s crop, we lost Rio Grande Valley Locos and San Diego Loyal, the latter largely because MLS granted expansion rights to a rival group in the city, but have gained USL League One winners North Carolina (although it wasn’t a promotion per se) and expansion side Rhode Island.

The Championship has 24 clubs, split into two regional conferences. Each team plays its conference rivals home and away, with a further game home or away against teams in the other conference. After 34 games, the top eight in each conference make the play-offs, which are again organised regionally until the USL Championship Final. Home advantage in the play-offs, which are all single games, is decided by league position. The team with the best record across the two conferences is named USL Players Shield champions.

Eastern Conference

Birmingham Legion finished in 7th place last season, making the play-offs largely due to the efforts of effervescent midfielder Enzo Martinez and goalkeeper Matt van Oekel, but going out in the Eastern Semi-Finals to eventual runners-up Charleston Battery. They lacked an out and out goalscorer, with Neco Brett’s haul of 12 falling outside the division’s top ten, and Brett has now moved on to Memphis 901. Brett’s fellow striker Juan Agudelo has also departed (for San Antonio), as has centre back Gabriel Alves, who has signed for newcomers Rhode Island. Much of their strengthening has been done in the midfield, recruiting Dawson McCartney from Portland Timbers 2, Grenadian international AJ Paterson from Charleston, and Miguel Perez, who played 15 games for St Louis City in MLS last year. They will look to new arrivals Stefano Pinho (who was scoreless at Indy Eleven last year) and Sierra Leonean international Mohamed Buya Turay (just 1 goal in the Danish topflight) for goals, which could mean a fallow season for the Legion unless Martinez works his magic.

Charleston Battery are one of the US’s oldest professional clubs, having formed in 1993, and have won the second-tier title twice, the last time in 2012. They finished 3rd in the Eastern Conference last season and made it all the way to the USL Championship Final, where they were beaten on home ground by Phoenix Rising. Top scorer Augustine Williams has left for Indy Eleven, one of 8 first-team regulars to depart in the close season, three of whom have moved up to MLS, with wing-back Derek Dodson signing with Minnesota United, goalkeeper Trey Muse stepping up with Portland Timbers, and midfielder Fidel Barajas finding his way to Real Salt Lake. In addition, midfielder Tristan Trager has left for Monterey Bay, loanee Beto Avila has returned to Houston, and AJ Paterson has signed with Birmingham. Nicholas Markanich is still around to grab some goals and coach Ben Pirmann has added strikers Jackson Conway and Diego Gutierrez from Atlanta United and Portland Timbers, respectively, as well as centre-back Nathan Dossantos from Pittsburgh Riverhounds, winger Jake LaCava from Tampa Bay Rowdies, and the Memphis 901 pair of Aaron Molloy and Graham Smith. If Conway and Gutierrez can match Williams’s goals, Charleston should be amongst the contenders again.

Detroit City came to the USL from the National Independent Soccer Association, one of three third-tier leagues currently recognised by US soccer, which they won in both 2020-21 and 2021. They scraped into the play-offs last season but knocked out Players Shield winners Pittsburgh Riverhounds in the first round, before falling to perennial hopefuls Louisville City. They have retained most of their regular side from last season, with only Dario Suárez opting to leave the club, but did struggle for goals last time out. New head coach Danny Dichio has brought in a handful of new players, including Orange County defender Alex Villanueva, midfielder James Murphy from Monterey Bay, Scottish winger Ali Coote (formerly of Bohemians in the League of Ireland), and utility man Matt Sheldon and striker Elvis Amoh from Hartford Athletic, and another mid-table finish looks likely for Le Rouge.

After a terrible 2023 season, which saw them well adrift at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, Hartford Athletic have made wholesale changes that began with the appointment of former Houston Dynamo assistant coach Brendan Burke. Burke took Colorado Springs Switchbacks to the play-offs in 2021 and 2022 and has completely transformed the Athletic side, shipping out all but 4 of last season’s regular starters, leaving just midfielders Beverly Makangila and Danny Barrera, defender Tristan Hodge, and striker Kyle Edwards in situ. Midfielder Conor McGlynn and last year’s top scorer Prince Saydee have joined local rivals Rhode Island, while right-back Antoine Hoppenot has signed for champions Phoenix Rising in an unlikely step up. To replace them, Burke has signed a whole new squad, handing young goalkeeper Greg Monroe the no1 jersey, behind a defence including FC Cincinnati loanee Joey Akpunonu, former Tampa Bay Rowdies and Louisville City man Jordan Scarlett, and Joe Farrell, signed from Pittsburgh Riverhounds. In the midfield, Burke will look to new signings Anderson Asiedu (from Birmingham Legion), former Charleston Battery man Joe Schmidt, and his old Colorado Springs prospect Jay Chapman, and will hope goals will come from former FC Tulsa man Marcus Epps and Romario Williams (who grabbed 15 goals for the Switchbacks last year). With all the changes, Hartford are one of this year’s most interesting stories, and they could finish anywhere from bottom to top.

Indy Eleven are named for the 11th Indiana Volunteer Regiment that fought bravely in the American Civil War, an act of nostalgia-massaging that would make any Brexit voter proud. They formerly competed in the second NASL before switching to the USL in 2016 and enjoy a healthy local(ish) rivalry with Louisville City. New head coach, former Hartlepool and Scunthorpe man Sean McAuley, has made several changes to the squad that finished 6th in the Eastern Conference last time out before losing 5-0 to Charleston in the play-offs. Defensive lynchpin Adrian Diz and top scorers Sebastián Guenzatti and Aodhan Quinn have been retained, but winger Solomon Asante has joined Las Vegas Lights, loanee Harrison Robledo was released by FC Cincinnati, and defender Robert Dambrot has moved on to Loudoun United. Coming in are Scottish youngster Josh O'Brien from Hamilton, prolific goalscorer Augustine Williams from Charleston Battery, Kiwi Elliot Collier from the ashes of San Diego Loyal, and Louisville midfielder Tyler Gibson, and they should be competitive from the off.

Loudoun United began life as MLS club DC United’s reserve side, playing in the USL before MLS Next Pro got off the ground. DC became a minority owner ahead of the 2023 season, allowing Loudoun to take their place in the US Open Cup as an independent club, although there are still close links between the clubs. Loudoun have never qualified for the play-offs in their five-year history but, to be fair, often play the league’s youngest side. The club’s only coach, former DC United academy director Ryan Martin, remains in charge for his sixth season and has managed to hold on to promising young strikers Zach Ryan and Kalil ElMedkhar, but 2023 regulars Aidan Rocha and Houssou Landry have joined Colorado Springs Switchbacks and New Mexico United, respectively, while Jeremy Garay has returned to parent club DC. Martin has addressed the youth issue by bringing in experienced winger Christiano Francois from Rio Grande Valley Toros, French midfielder Florian Valot from Miami, and former DC United midfielder Andrew Skundrich from Colorado Springs Switchbacks, alongside 21-year-old New Zealander Riley Bidois and a pair of signings from Columbus Crew 2 - defenders Jacob Erlandsen and Keegan Hughes (the latter on loan). Again, with so many changes, and a focus on developing young players, Loudoun’s prospects are unknown, but they could sneak a play-off place if Ryan and ElMedkhar continue their development this year.

Celebrating their tenth anniversary this season, Louisville City are the USL’s most successful club, having won the USL Championship title twice, finished runners-up twice, and never fail to make the play-offs. This will be coach Danny Cruz’s fifth season in charge and will again look to defender Sean Totsch, midfielder Dylan Mares, and striker Wilson Harris to form the spine of his team, although the prolific Cameron Lancaster has dropped down a division to Lexington in League One, playmaker Tyler Gibson has crossed the derby divide to Indy Eleven, and goalkeeper Oliver Semmle has moved to MLS side Philadelphia Union. Coming in are MLS Next Pro winning goalkeeper Damian Las (on loan from Austin FC II), defenders Jake Morris and Arturo Ordoñez from Columbus Crew 2 and Pittsburgh Riverhounds, respectively, and striker Adrian Perez from San Diego Loyal. Louisville can never be ruled out at this level and should once again be challenging for honours at season’s end.

The Miami FC – and the definite article is part of their official name – are a curious animal, having formed to compete in the second NASL before moving onto the fourth tier National Professional Soccer League and third tier NISA, joining the USL in 2020 when they bought the Ottawa Fury franchise rights. They play at the cavernous Florida International University Stadium in Miami itself, unlike Inter Miami who play in Fort Lauderdale, an hour to the north, but rarely get crowds of over 2,000 and this year will play some games at FIU’s smaller soccer stadium instead. Former Italian international midfielder Antonio Nocerino is taking charge of the team this year in his first coaching position and has done some major surgery to a squad that missed out on the play-offs on an inferior head-to-read record with Detroit City last season. He has retained just 4 of last year’s regular starters, sending top scorer Joaquin Rivas to El Paso, defender Aedan Stanley to Indy Eleven, striker Kyle Murphy to Memphis 901, and playmaker Christian Sorto to Orange County. To replace them he’s reached into his rolodex and brought in Italian youngsters Manuel Botta, Mattia Gagliardi, and Rocco Genzano. Former Rio Grande Valley Toros striker Frank Lopez, utility man Andrew Booth from Charleston Battery, and Las Vegas Lights defender Alejandro Mitano bring plenty of USL-C experience, while centre-back Samuel Biek from German fourth tier side Rot-Weiß Erfurt and a trio of players from USL-1 shows Nocerino’s commitment to giving youth a chance. Their chances will rely on how well he gets a brand-new squad to gel but it shouldn’t be dull down in Miami this season.

North Carolina were formed 18 years ago as Carolina Railhawks, beginning life in the old second tier USL First Division, and adopted their current name in 2017. They played at that level until 2021, when they dropped down into USL League One to restructure the club and, after two transitional seasons, took the USL-1 title last year, although they’d already confirmed they would move back up to USL-C ahead of their win. Head coach John Bradford has been in charge of the club since that reformation in 2021, having previously been assistant to all four previous coaches. Bradford has retained much of the squad that won “promotion” last year, including goalscoring duo Oalex Anderson and Rafa Mentzingen, but 2023 regulars Gustavo Fernandes, David Garcia, and Christian Young have opted to stay at USL-1 level with new clubs. Coming in to strengthen the side ahead of their new challenge are goalkeeper Jake McGuire and defender Paco Craig from Miami, defensive midfielder Jacori Hayes from San Antonio, Brazilian winger Rodrigo da Costa from Memphis 901, and former San Diego Loyal striker Evan Conway. The club would, I’m sure, be happy with a consolidation season but I can see them springing more than a few surprises in Cary this season.

Having led the Eastern Conference for much of last season, and ending up with the Players Shield, Pittsburgh Riverhounds were strong favourites to win the whole shebang in 2023, but surprisingly exited at the first play-off hurdle, beaten 1-0 at home by Detroit City. It might have been a defeat too many for several of their regular starters, with league MVP Albert Dikwa opting to sign for newcomers Rhode Island in 2024, heading an exodus that also included midfielder Marc Ybarra (also to Rhode Island), goalkeeper Jahmali Waite (El Paso Locomotive), and striker Tola Showunmi and USL-C defender of the year Arturo Ordoñez, both to Louisville City. 2023 USL-C coach of the year Bob Lilley in still in place for his seventh tilt at the USL title, and has at least retained the services of defender Luke Biasi, midfielders Kenardo Forbes and Robbie Mertz, and striker Edward Kizza for the 2024 season, adding in young French defender Pierre Cayet from New England Revolution II, veteran substitute goalkeeper Eric Dick, and lively English striker Kazaiah Sterling from USL-1 side South Georgia Tormenta, but it will take some kind of miracle for them to repeat last year's heroics.

First announced in December 2019, the USL’s expansion side in Rhode Island will finally kick-off this season, having employed former Bermudan international (and Birmingham Legion assistant) Khano Smith as their first head coach. Smith has put together an attractive side to take the field in Smithfield later this month, headed up by USL-C MVP Albert Dikwa, who scored 20 goals for Pittsburgh Riverhounds last season. Dikwa is joined by his former Pittsburgh colleague Marc Ybarra and a whole host of familiar names, headed up by former San Diego Loyal goalkeeper Koke Vegas, prolific goalscorer JJ Williams from Tampa Bay Rowdies, Columbus Crew 2’s Noah Fuson, and defender Stephen Turnbull, who has signed from New York City. If Dikwa, Williams, and Fuson can repeat their form of recent seasons, and Vegas and his former San Diego teammate Grant Stoneman can secure the back line, Rhode Island could well be in with a chance of being in the USL Championship Final come November.

Tampa Bay Rowdies never really recovered from the loss of head coach Neill Collins to Barnsley midway through last season, although they did finish a strong second to Pittsburgh Riverhounds in the Eastern Conference. A meek play-off exit to Birmingham Legion will still play on their minds, though, and new head coach Robbie Neilson, formerly of Hearts and Dundee United, has his work cut out for him. His job has been made more difficult by the off-season losses of striker JJ Williams to Rhode Island and defender Conner Antley to DC United, but top goalscorer Cal Jennings, playmaker Charlie Dennis, and stalwart Mexican defender Aarón Guillén have stuck around. They’re joined by a handful of newcomers, including young midfielder Damian Rivera on loan from New England Revolution, Manuel Arteaga (who scored 15 goals for champions Phoenix Rising last season), veteran defender Danny Crisostomo from Los Angeles FC, and talismanic former San Antonio goalkeeper Jordan Farr. The return of the famous hooped sleeves should also ensure an extra point or two along the line.

Western Conference

Having begun play in 2015, Colorado Springs Switchbacks will play their tenth season this year, having seen their attendances almost triple in that time to almost 8,000 a game. In an open race for the Western Conference title last year, they eventually finished fifth, making the play-offs but being eliminated by 2022 champions San Antonio in the first round. Former assistant James Chambers has taken over as head coach, with incumbent Stephen Hogan promoted to General Manager, but has lost last season’s top scorer Romario Williams – and left-back Patrick Seagrist - to Hartford Athletic over the winter. Still, most of last season’s first choice eleven is still available and they’ve been enhanced by the arrivals of striker Ronaldo Damus, who scored 15 goals for San Diego Loyal last term, and full-back Isaiah Foster, on loan from FC Cincinnati. With almost like-for-like replacements for the departed, it should be another decent season for the Switchbacks.

If El Paso Locomotive could have found a way to repeat their away form at home last season, they might have been contenders for the title. As it was, they limped into the play-offs and were eliminated at the first hurdle by Orange County. Head coach Brian Clarhout is back for another tilt at continuing the club’s impressive record and hopefully winning their first silverware. Several first-team regulars have left in the off-season, including top scorer Luis Solignac (who has signed for Texas rivals San Antonio), goalkeeper Benny Díaz (on loan over the border at Liga MX side Juarez), and Aaron Gómez, who’s opted to drop down a division with Union Omaha. Coming in are San Antonio striker Justin Dhillon, experienced Mexican defender Tony Alfaro from Los Angeles FC, defensive midfielder Brandan Craig (on loan from Philadelphia Union), and a trio of young Mexicans - Ramón Pasquel, Francisco Nevárez, and Gonzalo Pelúa - on loan from Juarez. If they can sort out that poor home form and play their usual attacking football away, El Paso should challenge again this year.

Like Hartford Athletic in the Eastern Conference, Las Vegas Lights needed some serious work over the winter, made possible by the arrival of new owner (and former Toronto Blue Jays MLB star) Jose Bautista. The delay in the purchase meant that new head coach Dennis Sanchez started his teambuilding late and started from scratch, retaining zero players from last year’s squad, with even last year’s top goalscorer Alan Diaz returning to parent club Houston Dynamo after his loan ended. Sanchez will be pinning his hopes on the skills of playmaker Charlie Adams from San Diego Loyal (via FC Tulsa), Edison Azcona (borrowed from Inter Miami), and striker Riki Alba from Norwegian club Fredrikstad, along with the defensive qualities of JC Ngando (on loan from Vancouver Whitecaps), Joe Gyau (recruited from Degerfors in Sweden), and former San Antonio centre-back Fabien Garcia, who will play in front of Swiss goalkeeper Nicholas Ammeter. However this new squad works out, they can’t be worse than last year…

Memphis 901 have switched conferences this season to compensate for the loss of Rio Grande Valley Toros and San Diego Loyal, losing their local rivalry against Birmingham Legion as a result. Still, a new challenge might be just what Stephen Glass’s side needs, having exited on penalties at the first play-off hurdle last year. 8 of the 11 most used players from 2023 have departed over the winter, led by top goalscorer Rodridgo da Costa, who has joined North Carolina, and midfielder Aaron Molloy, now at Charleston Battery. Coming in to join a Brazilian core of Luiz Fernando, Bruno Lapa, and Lucas Turci is their compatriot Marlon Santos (last at Israeli Premier League side Ironi Kiryat Shmona), alongside former Seattle Sounders striker Abdoulaye Cissoko, Neco Brett (top goalscorer at Birmingham last season), and Kyle Murphy from Miami, proving that – if nothing else – Memphis will always look to score more goals than they concede this year.

Two-time MLS-winning coach Frank Yallop has become a fixture at Monterey Bay after moving there with the franchise from Fresno, where he was General Manager. Union narrowly missed out on the play-offs last season but did claim the scalp of Yallop’s former side San Jose Earthquakes in the US Open Cup. It’s pretty much a case of as you were in Northern California as just 5 of last year’s regular squad have left during the off-season, with the biggest loss being left-back Sam Gleadle to Louisville City. Yallop has been frugal with his spending, too, bringing in just 5 new players, led by the former San Diego Loyal pair of Carlos Guzman and Xavi Gnaulati.

New Mexico United are a relatively new club but have done some impressive work in Albuquerque, where they currently play out of baseball stadium Isotopes Park. They averaged over 10,000 fans a game last year and just scraped into the play-offs, where they were knocked out by West Coast powerhouses Sacramento Republic. Coach Eric Quill has kept the core of last year’s side together, although top scorer Amando Moreno has moved to El Paso; former New York City man Chris Gloster, striker Abu Danladi (who scored 16 MLS goals while at Minnesota United and Nashville), and Italian forward Marco Micaletto (who scored in the MLS Next Pro play-off final for Columbus Crew 2 last year) are expected to provide the thrills this time out.

Formed in late 2018, Oakland Roots spent their first season with NISA, winning the Western Conference in the COVID-abridged 2020 season before jumping to the USL for 2021. Coach Noah Delgado has been in charge since midway through the 2022 season and last year saw his Roots narrowly miss out on a play-off berth, a home loss to El Paso Locomotive putting paid to a season of endeavour. Top scorer Johnny Rodriguez has stuck around for 2024, although striking partner Dariusz Formella has moved to champions Phoenix Rising, and Rodriguez will be backed by goalkeeper Paul Blanchette and midfielders Memo Diaz and Lindo Mfeka, all of whom have been with the club throughout its USL history. Newcomers for 2024 include wing-back Justin Rassmussen from Portland Timbers, box-to-box midfielder Camden Riley, latterly with San Diego Loyal, and Georgian centre-back Gagi Margvelashvili. Stuck out at Pioneer Stadium in Hayward, 20 miles south of downtown Oakland, attendances have fallen year-on-year, but Roots definitely have the potential to be one of the USL’s bigger clubs.

Orange County SC can trace their history back to 1998 when amateur club Los Angeles Blues were founded by Iranian businessman Ali Mansouri, but have existed as a professional operation since 2011, when they joined the third-tier USL Pro League. Based at the Championship Soccer Stadium in Irvine, California (which they unhappily shared with LA Galaxy II until earning a 5-year contract to lease the stadium in October 2023), OC are currently coached by Morten Karlsen, who took over midway through last season after Richard Chaplow was fired. Karlsen led a revival that saw his team grab second place in a tightly contested Western Conference, going out in the Western Conference Semi-Finals to eventual winners Phoenix Rising, but only after extra time. Top scorer Milan Iloski has joined Danish side Nordsjaelland, but Karlsen has kept the other 13 of his 14 most regularly used players at the club, including Iloski’s brother Brian. French midfielder Sofiane Djeffal has joined from Austin FC, along with ex-Miami winger Christian Sorto, and former Nashville forward Ethan Zubak have been added to the squad and it will be interesting to see if Karlsen can continue his good works.

Formed in 2014 as Arizona United, and adopting their current name for the 2017 season, Phoenix Rising were the surprise winners of the USL Championship last time out, winning three of their play-off ties away from home to take the trophy on penalties in Charleston. The club moved into the purpose-built Phoenix Rising Soccer Stadium last year and average just over 6,000 a game (with 2023 ironically being their lowest average attendance of the Rising era). When it comes to defending their title, they’ve lost star man Danny Trejo to Polish side Korona Kielce, with striking partner Manny Artega moving to Tampa Bay Rowdies, and will also be without Carlos Harvey (Minnesota United) and Daniel Krutzen (retirement). As replacements, new head coach Danny Stone - title-winning coach Juan Guerra has joined Houston Dynamo as an assistant – has brought in centre-back Laurence Wyke from Nashville, French striker Rémi Cabral (on loan from Colorado Rapids), Italian youngster Giulio Doratiotto from Juventus Next Gen, and college standout Pape Mar Boye, preferring mostly to go with what he knows.

Since their formation in 2012, Sacramento Republic have been one of the USL’s heavyweight clubs. In 2019 they were even accepted as an expansion side by MLS, a scenario which has been postponed indefinitely, but they remain perennial challengers for USL honours. They topped the Western Conference last season and favourites for the title, especially after most of the Eastern Conference powerhouses fell at the first hurdle in the play-offs, but they were undone on home turf by Phoenix Rising, who went on to lift the trophy in South Carolina. Head coach Mark Briggs has been in charge since 2019 and can count on a lean defence in front of goalkeeper Danny Vitiello which conceded just 26 goals last season, twelve less than the next best team in the Western Conference. Top scorer Russel Cicerone is back for another season in Old Glory Red, with only veteran striker Keko absent from his 2023 teammates. The Spaniard’s replacement is Trevor Amann, last season’s top scorer in USL League One, who will be playing his first season at division II level. Few would bet against the Republic to add a second USL Championship title to their 2014 win.

Champions in 2022, San Antonio FC were always there or thereabouts last season without looking like they might repeat their title win. Formed in 2016 (and with the FC proudly standing for "Fútbol Club"), they averaged attendances of around 7,000 at Toyota Field, the soccer-specific stadium northeast of downtown San Antonio that opened in 2013 for the San Antonio Scorpions of the second NASL. Head coach Alen Marcina stepped up from assistant in 2020 and has made the play-offs every year, his sides playing attacking football but built from a strong goalkeeper forwards. For this season, that 'keeper is for Charlotte FC stopper Pablo Sisniega, one of a clutch of new signings that also includes striker Juan Agudelo from Birmingham Legion, former Nashville SC winger Luke Haakenson, and Canadian midfielder Mohammed Omar. Playmaker Jorge Hernandez and defender Mitchell Taintor have stuck around from last year's squad but loan striker Tani Oluwaseyi has returned to Minnesota United.

FC Tulsa spent the last 3 seasons in the Eastern Conference after competing in the Western Conference for the first 6 years of their existence, and their tenth anniversary sees them return to the West as a result of Rio Grande Valley Toros and San Diego Loyal dropping out of the league. Until 2020 they were known as Tulsa Roughnecks, a continuation of the old NASL side which won the Soccer Bowl in 1983 and its successor side which played in the USL from 1993 to 2000. They missed out on the play-offs by 2 points last season and have brought former Racing Louisville assistant Mario Sanchez in to turn around the club’s fortunes having only qualified for the play-offs 3 times in their history. Sanchez can at least count on striker Phillip Goodrum to score goals for him, and will look to new signings Stefan Stojanovic (from Philadelphia Union II), Arthur Rogers (USL-1 Northern Colorado Hailstorm), and Scottish winger Harvey St Clair, at Venezia since leaving Chelsea’s youth set-up in 2018.