The
United States soccer pyramid is a term used in soccer to describe the structure of the
league systemA league system is a hierarchy of leagues in a sport, usually with a system of promotion and relegation between consecutive levels of the hierarchy. They are often called pyramids due to their tendency to split into an increasing number of regional divisions the further down the pyramid one descends...
in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The country's governing body for the sport, the
United States Soccer FederationThe United States Soccer Federation is the official governing body of the sport of soccer in the United States. Its headquarters are located in Chicago, Illinois. It is a member of FIFA and is responsible for governing amateur and professional soccer, including the men's, women's, youth, futsal...
(also known as the USSF or US Soccer), oversees the system but does not operate any of its component leagues—with one temporary exception noted below. For practical and historical reasons, some teams from
Antigua and BarbudaAntigua and Barbuda is a twin-island nation lying between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. It consists of two major inhabited islands, Antigua and Barbuda, and a number of smaller islands...
,
BermudaBermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
,
CanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and
Puerto RicoPuerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
(considered a separate country for sporting purposes) also compete, but they are not eligible for the
Lamar Hunt U.S. Open CupThe Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is a knockout tournament in American soccer. The tournament is the oldest ongoing American soccer competition and is presently open to all United States Soccer Federation affiliated teams, from amateur adult club teams to the professional clubs of Major League...
, which is open only to teams affiliated with US Soccer.
Major League SoccerMajor League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
has a fixed number of teams, with no merit-based promotion possible from the North American Soccer League (NASL), the second-level league. It also had no merit-based promotion from the third-level league, the
USL ProThe USL Professional Division, commonly known as USL Pro , is a professional men's soccer league in the United States that began its inaugural season in 2011....
, which is operated by the
United Soccer Leagues (USL)The United Soccer Leagues is the organizer of several soccer leagues with teams in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. It includes men's and women's leagues, both professional and amateur. Leagues currently organized are the USL Pro, the USL Premier Development League, the W-League, and...
. The closed league system is also used for the fourth tier, the
USL Premier Development LeagueThe USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid...
, as well as the
National Premier Soccer LeagueThe National Premier Soccer League is a United States soccer league recognized by the United States Soccer Federation and FIFA as a Division IV league...
, which both have fourth-tier sanctioning from the USSF. The fifth tier, the United States Adult Soccer Association, encompasses tiers five to nine, use an open league model for their leagues under the merit of
promotion and relegationIn many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
. However, a fifth tier USASA team cannot earn promotion to NPSL nor PDL.
Structure
For the 2011 season, the second tier of U.S. soccer is the NASL, a league that was formed in 2009 but did not debut until 2011 following the controversial 2010 season which saw neither the
USL First DivisionThe United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
or the NASL receive Division 2 sanctioning from the USSF (resulting in the temporary USSF Division 2 Pro League). The third tier of professional soccer is the newly-formed USL Pro, which is the result of the organization's merger of the USL First Division and the
USL Second DivisionThe United Soccer Leagues Second Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, part of the United Soccer Leagues league pyramid...
.
Before the USL–NASL conflict, there was no merit-based promotion between the USL First and USL Second divisions, and although a promotion system had been established, it was largely unused. Several franchises had been voluntarily relegated from the First Division to the Second, and occasionally from the professional ranks to the
PDLThe USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid...
, usually to reduce operating costs or to re-structure the organization of the franchise in question. Similarly, some franchises have been given the opportunity to move up to a higher level having found success in the lower divisions—most recently USL2 champions
Cleveland City StarsCleveland City Stars was an American professional soccer team based in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. Founded in 2006, the team played in the USL First Division , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid until 2009...
moving to USL1 in 2009—but this is not a regular occurrence.
According to Tim Holt, vice president of the USL, relegation between the USL and MLS is difficult to implement because the teams are franchises awarded by the leagues, not autonomous teams. The franchise gives the owner certain rights and obligations that make it difficult to move a team from one league to the other. United States Adult Soccer Association ("USASA") affiliated leagues each have their own system of promotion and relegation, if they have any at all.
The
USL Premier Development LeagueThe USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid...
is the top amateur league in the country. As PDL seasons take place during the summer months, the player pool is drawn mainly from elite
NCAAThe National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
college soccerCollege soccer is a term used to describe association football played by teams who are operated by colleges and universities as opposed to a professional league operated for exclusively financial purposes...
players seeking to continue playing high level soccer during their summer break, which they can do while still maintaining their college eligibility.
The
National Premier Soccer LeagueThe National Premier Soccer League is a United States soccer league recognized by the United States Soccer Federation and FIFA as a Division IV league...
is on par with the USL Premier Development League and also attracts top amateur talent from around the United States. The NPSL does not have any age limits or restrictions thus incorporating both college players and former professional players alike.
Following a comprehensive review of elite player development in the United States and around the world, U.S. Soccer created the Development Academy in 2007 to improve the everyday environment for the elite youth player. The Development Academy is a partnership between U.S. Soccer and the top youth clubs around the country to provide the best youth players in the U.S. with an every day environment designed to produce the next generation of National Team players. The Academy’s programming philosophy of increased training, fewer total games and more competitive games is based on U.S. Soccer’s Best Practices utilized by the U-17 U.S. National Team Residency program.
The
National Premier Soccer LeagueThe National Premier Soccer League is a United States soccer league recognized by the United States Soccer Federation and FIFA as a Division IV league...
and the
Pacific Coast Soccer LeagueThe Pacific Coast Soccer League is a soccer league featuring teams from British Columbia, although the league has also featured teams from Washington in the past as well...
are run by completely separate entities from both MLS and USL, but they all defer to the
United States Soccer FederationThe United States Soccer Federation is the official governing body of the sport of soccer in the United States. Its headquarters are located in Chicago, Illinois. It is a member of FIFA and is responsible for governing amateur and professional soccer, including the men's, women's, youth, futsal...
, the national governing body, in terms of setting game rules and player development.
Cup eligibility
There are two national cups in American soccer.
US Open Cup: Levels 1-5
George F. Donnelly CupThe George F. Donnelly Cup is an annual amateur soccer competition organized by the United States Adult Soccer Association. It is named after George F. Donnelly, president of the former National Soccer League and prominent figure in promoting soccer in the United States.The competition includes a...
: Level 5
Men
In the United States, professional soccer leagues are ranked by the
United States Soccer FederationThe United States Soccer Federation is the official governing body of the sport of soccer in the United States. Its headquarters are located in Chicago, Illinois. It is a member of FIFA and is responsible for governing amateur and professional soccer, including the men's, women's, youth, futsal...
into one of three divisions. Amateur soccer organizations are also recognized by the USSF, but individual amateur leagues are not. Amateur leagues are sometimes ranked into additional levels of the soccer pyramid, but these rankings have no official standing and meaningful comparisons cannot be made between leagues run by different organizations based on them. Currently the only adult amateur soccer organization recognized by U.S. Soccer is the USASA, although several other leagues operate independently under the USASA's umbrella, including the Premier Development League, the amateur division run by the USL organization that also ran the First Division and Second Division leagues.
Some or all of these leagues and organizations are also recognized by the
Canadian Soccer AssociationThe Canadian Soccer Association is the governing body of soccer in Canada. It is a national organization that oversees the Canadian men's and women's national teams for international play, as well as the respective junior sides...
or another governing body; however, the list below reflects the USSF designation.
Tier |
League(s)/Division(s) |
1 |
Major League SoccerMajor League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
(MLS)
16 US clubs (3 Canadian clubs)
Eastern Conference
Western Conference |
2 |
North American Soccer League (NASL)
6 US clubs (1 Canadian club, 1 Puerto Rican club) |
3 |
United Soccer LeaguesThe United Soccer Leagues is the organizer of several soccer leagues with teams in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. It includes men's and women's leagues, both professional and amateur. Leagues currently organized are the USL Pro, the USL Premier Development League, the W-League, and...
Professional DivisionThe USL Professional Division, commonly known as USL Pro , is a professional men's soccer league in the United States that began its inaugural season in 2011....
(USL Pro)
11 US clubs (1 Antiguan club) |
4 |
United Soccer LeaguesThe United Soccer Leagues is the organizer of several soccer leagues with teams in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. It includes men's and women's leagues, both professional and amateur. Leagues currently organized are the USL Pro, the USL Premier Development League, the W-League, and...
Premier Development LeagueThe USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid...
(PDL)
64 clubs (in 4 conferences) (9 Canadian clubs, 1 Bermudian club)
Central Conference
Eastern Conference
Southern Conference
Western Conference |
National Premier Soccer LeagueThe National Premier Soccer League is a United States soccer league recognized by the United States Soccer Federation and FIFA as a Division IV league...
(NPSL)
37 clubs (in 5 conferences)
Northeastern Atlantic Conference
Northeastern Keystone Conference
Southeast Conference
Midwest Conference
Western Conference
|
5 |
United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA)
55 state associations in 4 regions
See List of USASA affiliated leagues for complete list
Region I
Region II
Region III
Region IV
|
US Club SoccerUnited States Club Soccer is a national organization and sanctioning body for amateur soccer in the United States. It represents one part of the fifth and lowest tier in the American Soccer Pyramid, alongside the United States Adult Soccer Association .US Club Soccer was founded in early 2000 as...
(USCS)
39 leagues in 4 regions
East Region
Midwest Region
South Region
West Region
|
Women
The
Women's United Soccer AssociationThe Women's United Soccer Association, often abbreviated to the WUSA, was the world's first women's soccer league in which all the players were paid as professionals. Founded in February 2000, the league began its first season in April 2001 with eight teams in the United States...
suspended operations in 2003 and was replaced in 2009 with
Women's Professional SoccerWomen's Professional Soccer is the top level professional women's soccer league in the United States. It began play on March 29, 2009. The league was composed of seven teams for its first two seasons and fielded 6 teams for the 2011 season, with continued plans for future expansion...
.
Tier |
League(s)/Division(s) |
1 |
Women's Professional SoccerWomen's Professional Soccer is the top level professional women's soccer league in the United States. It began play on March 29, 2009. The league was composed of seven teams for its first two seasons and fielded 6 teams for the 2011 season, with continued plans for future expansion...
(WPS)
5 clubs |
2 |
W-LeagueThe USL W-League is a national women's soccer league in the United States on the 2nd level of women's soccer in the United States soccer pyramid, alongside the Women's Premier Soccer League and below Women's Professional Soccer....
(W-L)
27 clubs (in 3 conferences) (8 Canadian clubs) |
Women's Premier Soccer LeagueThe Women's Premier Soccer League is a national women's soccer league in the United States and Puerto Rico, and is on the 2nd level of women's soccer in the United States soccer pyramid, alongside the W-League and below Women's Professional Soccer....
(WPSL)
64 clubs (in 10 conferences) |
3 |
United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA)
55 state associations in 4 regions
See List of USASA affiliated leagues for complete list
Region I
Region II
Region III
Region IV |
Indoor soccer
Though not officially organized by USSF, this is the generally accepted organization for
indoor soccerIndoor soccer or arena soccer, or six-a-side football in the United Kingdom, is a game derived from association football adapted for play in an indoor arena such as a turf-covered hockey arena or skating rink. The most important difference in play is that the indoor field is surrounded by a wall...
in the United States by the United States Indoor Soccer Association.
Tier |
League(s)/Division(s) |
1 |
Major Indoor Soccer League
(MISL)
7 clubs |
Professional Arena Soccer LeagueThe Professional Arena Soccer League is an North American indoor soccer league recognized by FIFRA ....
(PASL)
11 US clubs (1 Mexican Club) |
2 |
Premier Arena Soccer LeagueThe Premier Arena Soccer League is an Indoor Soccer league with amateur and semi-professional teams. PASL-Premier currently has 38 teams in 6 divisions across the USA and Mexico. PASL-Premier is the official developmental league of the Professional Arena Soccer League .Teams play in regional...
(PASL-Premier)
35 US clubs (1 Mexican Club) |
External links
- Major League Soccer (MLS) - http://www.mlssoccer.com/
- North American Soccer League (NASL) - http://www.nasl.com/
- United Soccer Leagues (USL Pro and PDL) - http://www.uslsoccer.com
- National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) - http://www.npsl.info/
- WPS - http://www.womensprosoccer.com/
- USL W-League - http://wleague.uslsoccer.com/
- WPSL - http://www.wpsl.info
- Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) - http://misl.uslsoccer.com/
- Professional Arena Soccer League (PASL) - http://www.paslsoccer.com/
- Premier Arena Soccer League (PASL-Premier) - http://www.arenaleague.com/