The
United States Soccer Federation (also referred to as the
USSF or
U.S. Soccer) is the official
governing bodyA sport governing body is a sports organization that has a regulatory or sanctioning function. Sport governing bodies come in various forms, and have a variety of regulatory functions. Examples of this can include disciplinary action for rule infractions and deciding on rule changes in the sport...
of the sport of soccer in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Its headquarters are located in
ChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
,
IllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. It is a member of
FIFAThe Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
and is responsible for governing
amateurAn amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science, without pay and often without formal training....
and
professionalA professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...
soccer, including the
men'sThe United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
,
women'sThe United States women's national soccer team represents the United States in international soccer competition and is controlled by U.S. Soccer. The U.S. team won the first ever Women's World Cup in 1991, and has since been a superpower in women's soccer. It is currently ranked first in the world...
, youth,
futsalFutsal is a variant of association football that is played on a smaller pitch and mainly played indoors. Its name is a portmanteau of the Portuguese futebol de salão and the Spanish fútbol de salón , which can be translated as "hall football" or "indoor football"...
and
ParalympicThe United States men's Paralympic soccer team is operated by the United States Soccer Federation. The team is currently training for the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games at Beijing, China. Their coach is Jay Hoffman, former head coach of the United Soccer Leagues Virginia Beach Mariners, and...
national teams. U.S. Soccer is also responsible for sanctioning referees and soccer tournaments for most soccer leagues in the United States.
History
U.S. Soccer was originally known as the
United States of America Football Association. It formed on April 5, 1913 and on August 15 of that year was accepted as one of the earliest member organizations of FIFA and the first from North and Central America. The affiliation was temporary and at the following year's FIFA Congress in 1914, the USFA, as it was abbreviated at the time, was accepted as a full FIFA member along with the Spanish federation. The governing body of the sport in the United States did not have the word
soccer in its name until 1945, when it became the
United States Soccer Football Association. It did not drop the word
football from its name until 1974, when it became the
United States Soccer Federation.
The most popular professional soccer team to start in the U.S. was known as the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League (NASL), with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984. The legendary Pelé was credited for starting major interest in the league after coming out of semi-retirement to sign with the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League (NASL).
Pelé single handedly was credited for the sudden world wide popularity & public awareness in soccer in the United States.The New York Cosmos were the 1st professional soccer team that was televised in the United States on ABC's Wide World of Sports. Pelé led the Cosmos to the 1977 NASL championship, in his third and final season with the club.[53]
On 1 October 1977, Pelé retired in an exhibition match between his first and only Brazilian club called Santos vs the New York Cosmos. The game was televised in the United States on ABC's Wide World of Sports.Muhammad Ali and many other stars attended such as Bobby Moore.[54] Pelé scored his final goal on a direct free kick in the first half. He did not play in the second half. Pelé's number 10 was retired.
U.S. Soccer had the honor of hosting the
FIFA World CupThe FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
in
1994The 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988...
, the
FIFA Women's World CupThe FIFA Women's World Cup is an international association football competition contested by the senior women's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body. The championship has been awarded every four years since the...
in
1999-Teams:16 teams participated in the final tournament. The teams were:-Squads:For a list of all squads that played in the final tournament, see 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup squads.-Match officials:...
and
2003The FIFA Women's World Cup 2003 was held in the United States and won by Germany. The tournament was originally scheduled for China. On May 3, 2003 the tournament was abruptly moved to the United States, as a result of the 2003 SARS outbreak in China...
, and the
Summer OlympicsAssociation football, usually known simply as football or soccer, has been included in every Olympiad except 1896 and 1932 as a men's competition sport. Women's football was added to the official programme in 1996.-Early history:...
in
1984The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
and
1996The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
. The women's national team has also had the distinction of winning two Women's World Cups in
1991The 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup was the first ever edition of the FIFA Women's World Cup. It was held in Guangdong, China and won by the United States. It was originally called the Women's World Championship.-Venues:-Teams:...
and 1999 (placing third in
1995The FIFA Women's World Cup 1995 was held in Sweden and won by Norway.-Venues:-Teams:As in the previous edition of the FIFA Women's World cup, held in 1991, 12 teams participated in the final tournament...
, 2003, and 2007); the Olympic Gold Medal in 1996, 2004, and 2008; and seven
Algarve CupThe Algarve Cup is a global invitational tournament for national teams in women's football . Held annually in the Algarve region of Portugal since 1994, it is one of the most prestigious women's football events, alongside the Women's World Cup and Women's Olympic Football...
s and six
CONCACAF Women's Gold CupThe CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup is a football competition sponsored by CONCACAF, and serves as a qualifying competition to the Women's World Cup. It is played every four years since it replaced the CONCACAF's Women's Championship, a tournament that was held in the 1990s, which sometimes included...
s.
The men's national team has had a less stellar history. It was invited to the inaugural World Cup in
1930The 1930 FIFA World Cup was the inaugural FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in Uruguay from 13 July to 30 July 1930...
and qualified for the World Cup in
1934The 1934 FIFA World Cup was the second FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in Italy from 27 May to 10 June 1934....
, finishing a respectable Third Place in 1930 out of 13 teams participating. In
1950The 1950 FIFA World Cup, held in Brazil from 24 June to 16 July, was the fourth FIFA World Cup. It was the first World Cup since 1938, the planned 1942 and 1946 competitions having been canceled owing to World War II...
the United States scored one of its most surprising victories with a
1–0 winOn 29 June 1950, at the 1950 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, the United States defeated England 1–0 in a group match. This unexpected result has led to the match being described as the "Miracle on Grass", in reference to the 1980 Miracle on Ice, in which the US ice hockey team beat the Soviet Union. The...
over heavily favored
EnglandThe England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
, who were amongst the world's best sides at the time. The United States failed to reach another World Cup until an upstart team qualified for the
1990 FIFA World CupThe 1990 FIFA World Cup was the 14th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 8 June to 8 July 1990 in Italy, the second country to host the event twice. Teams representing 116 national football associations from all six populated...
with the "goal heard around the world" scored by
Paul CaligiuriPaul David Caligiuri is a retired American soccer player.Caliguiri's professional career spanned 16 years, during which he played for numerous teams in the United States and Germany, and for the U.S. national team...
against
Trinidad and TobagoThe Trinidad and Tobago national football team, nicknamed The Soca Warriors, is the national team of Trinidad and Tobago and is run by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation. It reached the first round of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Finals...
, which started the modern era of soccer in the United States. The 1990 men's national team was quickly disposed of at the World Cup, but nonetheless had qualified for its first World Cup in 40 years. The
FIFA Women's World CupThe FIFA Women's World Cup is an international association football competition contested by the senior women's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body. The championship has been awarded every four years since the...
was inaugurated in
1991The 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup was the first ever edition of the FIFA Women's World Cup. It was held in Guangdong, China and won by the United States. It was originally called the Women's World Championship.-Venues:-Teams:...
, and the women's national team became the first team to win the prize after beating
NorwayThe Norway women's national football team represents Norway in international women's football. The team, controlled by the Football Association of Norway, are former European, World and Olympic champions and thus one of the most successful national teams...
in the final. That tournament helped demonstrate the high caliber of play in women's soccer. It also set the stage for the United States to host the
1994 FIFA World CupThe 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988...
, setting total and average attendance records that still stand, including drawing 94,194 fans to the
1994 FIFA World Cup FinalThe 1994 FIFA World Cup Final took place in Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California, United States. Brazil won the World Cup against Italy on a penalty shootout after the score was 0–0. This was Brazil's fourth World Cup title. It was also the first ever World Cup final to be decided by a penalty...
. The United States made a surprising run to the second round with a shocking victory over
ColombiaThe Colombian national football team represents Colombia in international football competitions and is controlled by the Colombian Football Federation. It is a member of the CONMEBOL...
which saw
Andrés EscobarAndrés Escobar Saldarriaga , nicknamed "The Gentleman of Football", was a Colombian footballer who was shot and killed in Medellín. It is widely believed that he was murdered due to his own goal in the 1994 FIFA World Cup, which supposedly would have caused gambling losses to several powerful drug...
, the player responsible for the United States' first goal (an own goal), later shot to death in his homeland.
1998The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
saw another disappointing addition to the history of the men's national team as it finished 32nd out of the 32 teams that qualified for the World Cup. This embarrassment, which included a total collapse of team chemistry and leadership, led to the firing of manager
Steve SampsonSteve Sampson is a soccer coach and the former head coach of the United States men's national team and the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer...
and the hiring of
Bruce ArenaBruce Arena is a former coach of the United States men's national soccer team as well as a former professional soccer and lacrosse player...
, who had won the first two
MLS CupThe MLS Cup is the championship match of Major League Soccer, the highest tier of professional soccer in the United States and Canada. As the final match of the MLS Cup playoffs, the winner is crowned the season champion in the same manner as other North American sports leagues...
s in
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...
history, and who went on to become the most successful United States men's national team manager in history.
The next year-Teams:16 teams participated in the final tournament. The teams were:-Squads:For a list of all squads that played in the final tournament, see 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup squads.-Match officials:...
, the United States hosted the
FIFA Women's World CupThe FIFA Women's World Cup is an international association football competition contested by the senior women's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body. The championship has been awarded every four years since the...
for the first time. During their tournament run, the women's national team established a new level of popularity for the women's game, culminating in a final against
ChinaThe China women's national football team represents the People's Republic of China in international women's football.- Records :China had held the record of going for 442 minutes without conceding a World Cup goal, until it was broken by Germany on September 26, 2007, when Germany beat Norway 3-0...
that drew 90,185 fans, an all-time attendance record for a women's sports event, to a sold-out
Rose BowlThe Rose Bowl is an outdoor athletic stadium in Pasadena, California, U.S., in Los Angeles County. The stadium is the site of the annual college football bowl game, the Rose Bowl, held on New Year's Day. In 1982, it became the home field of the UCLA Bruins college football team of the Pac-12...
. After neither team scored in regulation or extra time, the final went to a
penalty shootoutA penalty shoot-out, referred to as kicks from the penalty mark in the Laws of the Game, is the FIFA official term for a method used in association football to decide which team progresses to the next stage of a tournament following a tied game...
, which the United States won 5–4. The
celebrationIn football, a goal celebration is the practice of celebrating the scoring of a goal. The celebration may be performed by the goalscorer , his or her teammates, the manager or coaching staff and/or the supporters of the team...
by
Brandi ChastainBrandi Denise Chastain is a professional American soccer defender and midfielder who plays for the team California Storm of Women's Premier Soccer League and is a former member of the United States women's national soccer team....
after she converted the winning penalty, in which she took off her shirt, revealing her sports bra in the process, is one of the most famous images in the history of women's sports.
In
2002The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
Bruce Arena led a mix of veterans and MLS-seasoned youth to a quarterfinal appearance, dispatching contenders
PortugalThe Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
in group play and archrivals
MexicoThe Mexican national football team represents Mexico in association football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation , the governing body for football in Mexico. Mexico's home stadium is the Estadio Azteca and their head coach is José Manuel de la Torre...
in the Round of 16, before losing a closely fought game with eventual Runners-Up
GermanyThe Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
in the quarterfinal. Bruce Arena looked to match or surpass that feat in
2006The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
; however, the U.S. team was drawn into a
group of deathA group of death in a multi-stage tournament is a group which is unusually competitive, because the number of strong competitors in the group is greater than the number of qualifying places available for the next phase of the tournament...
with eventual Winners
ItalyThe Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
and two other highly regarded teams in the
Czech RepublicThe Czech Republic national football team represents the Czech Republic in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic, the governing body for football in the Czech Republic. Their current head coach is Michal Bílek...
and
GhanaThe Ghana national football team, popularly known as the Black Stars, is the national association football team of Ghana and is controlled by the Ghana Football Association...
. The United States lost to the Czech Republic 3–0 in their opening game, drew Italy 1–1 in their second game (a match that saw two U.S. players and an Italian player red carded), and lost to Ghana 2–1. The United States did not advance out of the group, and in the wake of the team's disappointing performance, Arena's contract was not renewed.
Bob BradleyRobert "Bob" Bradley is an American soccer coach and the current manager of the Egypt national football team, taking over in September 2011. He previously managed the United States men's national soccer team...
,
Chivas USAClub Deportivo Chivas USA is an American professional soccer club based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California that competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada....
manager and Arena's assistant manager with the men's national team, eventually succeeded Arena in 2007.
The U.S. Men's National Team qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, by virtue of its 3-2 road victory against CONCACAF rival Honduras on October 10, 2009.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=279519&cc=5901
In the 2010 World Cup, America advanced from their group by way of defeating Algeria 1-0 on a stoppage time goal by Landon Donavan. The Americans also tied England 1-1 and Slovenia 2-2. In the Round of 16, the United States played Ghana, and fell 2-1 in extra time.
Headquarters and National Training Center
U.S. Soccer House is located at 1801 S. Prairie Ave in
ChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
,
IllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, and serves as the headquarters for the federation.
In 2003, U.S. Soccer opened their National Training Center at
The Home Depot CenterThe Home Depot Center is a multiple-use sports complex located on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills in Carson, California. It is located approximately 10 miles south of Downtown Los Angeles. Its title sponsor is hardware retailer The Home Depot. The $150 million complex was...
in
CarsonCarson is a city in Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, Carson had a total population of 91,714. Located south of downtown Los Angeles and approximately 14 miles away from the Los Angeles International Airport, it is known as a suburb of the city....
,
CaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The $130 million facility includes a
soccer-specific stadiumSoccer-specific stadium is a term used mainly in the United States, Canada, Australia and South Korea coined by Lamar Hunt, to refer to a sports stadium either purpose built or fundamentally redesigned for soccer and whose primary function is to host soccer matches, as opposed to a multipurpose...
, home to the MLS teams
Los Angeles GalaxyThe Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second...
and
Chivas USAClub Deportivo Chivas USA is an American professional soccer club based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California that competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada....
. The facility is equipped with five full soccer fields (four grass and one artificial) for use by the MLS teams and U.S. Soccer. Both the senior and youth men's and women's United States National Teams hold camps at The Home Depot Center regularly.
Professional leagues
The professional first-division league in the United States is
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...
, which as of the upcoming 2011 season has 16 teams in the U.S. and two in Canada, with the addition of a third Canadian team (
Montreal ImpactMontreal Impact was a Canadian professional soccer club based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1992, the team played in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid until the 2011 season. The owner Joey Saputo now operates the MLS team Montreal ImpactThe...
) planned to bring the league to 19 by 2012. The
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...
(USL) are a collection of five leagues spanning the lower divisions of men's professional soccer, as well as women's soccer and youth soccer. Starting in 2011, the second-level league will be a new incarnation of the
North American Soccer LeagueThe North American Soccer League is a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico which began league play on April 9, 2011. It has been provisionally sanctioned as the second tier of soccer in the United States soccer pyramid, behind Major League Soccer in the...
(NASL). It will launch with five teams on the U.S. mainland, two in Canada, and one in
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...
(a U.S. possession with its own national federation). Previously, the
USL First DivisionThe United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
operated as the professional second-division league in the United States. However, a dispute among its teams and ownership led to the creation of the NASL, which applied for second division status. A compromise league, the
USSF Division 2 Professional LeagueUSSF Division 2 Professional League was a temporary professional soccer league created by the United States Soccer Federation in 2010 to last just one season. The twelve-team league was formed as a compromise between the feuding United Soccer Leagues and the North American Soccer League...
operated in 2010 while the dispute was resolved. After the 2010 season, the USL folded its former First and
Second DivisionsThe United Soccer Leagues Second Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, part of the United Soccer Leagues league pyramid...
into a new professional third-division league,
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....
. This league will launch in 2011 with 15 teams in all—11 on the U.S. mainland, three in Puerto Rico, and one in the
CaribbeanThe Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
country of
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...
. The fourth-division league in the United States is 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...
, which has 57 U.S. teams, eight Canadian teams, and one Bermudan team. Though the PDL does have some paid players, it also has many teams that are made up entirely or almost entirely of
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 who use the league as an opportunity to play competitive soccer in front of professional scouts during the summer, while retaining amateur status and NCAA eligibility. In addition to MLS and the USL, the United States Adult Soccer Association governs amateur soccer competition for adults throughout the United States, which is effectively the amateur fifth-division of soccer in the United States. The USASA sanctions regional tournaments that allow entry into 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...
, the oldest continuous soccer competition in the United States. Since 1914, the competition has been open to all U.S. Soccer affiliated clubs, and currently pits teams from all five levels of the
American soccer pyramidThe United States soccer pyramid is a term used in soccer to describe the structure of the league system in the United States. The country's governing body for the sport, the United States Soccer Federation , oversees the system but does not operate any of its component leagues—with one temporary...
against each other each year, similarly to England's
FA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
.
Women's soccer in the United States is also played at the professional level. The professional first-division women's soccer league in the U.S. is
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...
, which began in 2009. The WPS inaugural season champion was
Sky Blue FCSky Blue FC is an American professional soccer club based in Piscataway Township, New Jersey which participates in Women's Professional Soccer....
, out of the New York–New Jersey area. They defeated the Los Angeles Sol 1–0 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California. WPS launched with seven teams, all based in the United States. The Sol folded after the league's inaugural season, and two new teams joined for 2010, bringing WPS to eight teams. However, the 2010 season saw considerable instability, with another charter team, Saint Louis Athletica, folding during the season, and two other teams, champions
FC Gold PrideFC Gold Pride was an American professional soccer club based in Santa Clara, California which participated in Women's Professional Soccer. The club replaced the San Jose CyberRays of the defunct Women's United Soccer Association as the top-level women's soccer team in the San Francisco Bay Area...
and the
Chicago Red StarsThe Chicago Red Stars are a American professional soccer club that is based in the Chicago suburb of Lisle, Illinois that participates in the Women's Premier Soccer League. From 2009-2010, the Red Stars played their home games at Toyota Park in the Womens Professional Soccer...
, folding after the season. With the addition of a new team for 2011, WPS will be a six-team league operating entirely along the
East CoastThe East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
. The USL's
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....
is currently the women's semi-professional second-division league, which contains 30 U.S.-based teams and seven Canadian-based teams. This league serves roughly the same purpose for women's soccer as the USL's PDL serves for men's soccer, in that it allows collegiate players to maintain NCAA eligibility while continuing to develop their game against quality opponents. There is no equivalent to the U.S. Open Cup in the women's game currently.
Despite the growth of men's and women's professional soccer in the United States in the last few decades, by far the largest category of soccer in the United States, at least in terms of participation, is boys and girls youth soccer. Though organized locally by organizations all over the United States, there are two main youth soccer organizations working nationwide through affiliated local associations. The
United States Youth Soccer AssociationThe United States Youth Soccer Association is the youth affiliate and largest member of U.S. Soccer, the governing body for soccer in the United States. US Youth Soccer includes 55 state youth soccer associations, one per state except for California, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas, which...
boasts over three million players between the ages of five and 19, while
American Youth Soccer OrganizationThe American Youth Soccer Organization is a non-profit soccer organization in the United States for children aged 4 through 19. Headquartered in Torrance, California, AYSO has local programs known as "regions" in all 50 states, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Trinidad and Tobago...
has more than 300,000 players between the ages of four and 19. This makes soccer one of the most played sports by children in the United States.
Adult level
- United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
- United States women's national soccer team
The United States women's national soccer team represents the United States in international soccer competition and is controlled by U.S. Soccer. The U.S. team won the first ever Women's World Cup in 1991, and has since been a superpower in women's soccer. It is currently ranked first in the world...
- US National Soccer Team Players Association
The US National Soccer Team Players Association is the players union for the members of the United States men's national soccer team. Though the organization has existed since 1996, they rose to prominence within American soccer in late 2004 when their collective bargaining negotiations with the...
Youth teams
- United States U-23 men's national soccer team
- United States U-20 men's national soccer team
The United States U-20 men's national soccer team is the national under-20 soccer team of the United States of America and is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation. The highest level of competition in which the team competes is the FIFA U-20 World Cup, which is held every two years.The...
- United States U-18 men's national soccer team
The United States U-18 Men's National Soccer team is the national under-18 association football team of the United States and is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation....
- United States U-17 men's national soccer team
The United States U-17 men's national soccer team is the national under-17 association football team of the United States and is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation...
- United States U-23 women's national soccer team
- United States U-20 women's national soccer team
The United States U-20 women's national soccer team is a youth soccer team operated under the auspices of U.S. Soccer. Its primary role is the development of players in preparation for the full Women's National Team. The team's most recent major tournament was the 2008 FIFA U-20 Women's World...
- United States U-17 women's national soccer team
The United States U-17 women's national soccer team is a youth soccer team operated under the auspices of U.S. Soccer. Its primary role is the development of players in preparation for the full Women's National Team. The team's most recent major tournament was the 2008 FIFA U-17 Women's World...
Leagues and organizations
- Major League Soccer
Major 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...
- North American Soccer League
The North American Soccer League is a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico which began league play on April 9, 2011. It has been provisionally sanctioned as the second tier of soccer in the United States soccer pyramid, behind Major League Soccer in the...
- United Soccer Leagues
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...
- United States Adult Soccer Association
- US Club Soccer
United 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...
- Women's Professional Soccer
Women'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...
Youth level
- U.S. Soccer Development Academy
The United States Soccer Development Academy is the top tier of youth soccer in the United States. Formed in 2009, the league features youth academies and youth clubs from various organizations, including Major League Soccer, North American Soccer League and the United Soccer Leagues...
- Super-20 League
The United Soccer Leagues Super-20 League is an American-Canadian soccer league for players 17 to 20 years of age. Introduced in 2006 it took the place of the U-19 age bracket in the Super Y-League....
- Super Y-League
The Super Y-League is the highest form of American and Canadian youth soccer. It consists of over 100 teams, many of which are operated by clubs from MLS to PDL.- Age groups :The Super Y-League has these following age groups:*U-12*U-13*U-14*U-15...
- United States Youth Soccer Association
The United States Youth Soccer Association is the youth affiliate and largest member of U.S. Soccer, the governing body for soccer in the United States. US Youth Soccer includes 55 state youth soccer associations, one per state except for California, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas, which...
- US Club Soccer
United 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...
- American Youth Soccer Organization
The American Youth Soccer Organization is a non-profit soccer organization in the United States for children aged 4 through 19. Headquartered in Torrance, California, AYSO has local programs known as "regions" in all 50 states, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Trinidad and Tobago...
Differently abled soccer
- United States Power Soccer Association
The United States Power Soccer Association is the governing body of power soccer in the United States.It was formally established in July 2006 as the US affiliate member of FIPFA. It was accepted as an affiliate member of the United States Soccer Federation on February 19 2008.-External links:**...
(USPSA) The newest affiliate of USSF - for athletes who use powered wheelchairs to play power soccerFor the online multiplayer game, see Power ChallengePowerchair Football, also known as Power Soccer is a competitive team sport for people with disabilities who use power wheelchairs. The game is played in a gymnasium on a regulation basketball court...
Competitions
The U.S. Soccer Federation also administers and operates 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 was first held in 1914.
Men's
| Level |
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Notes |
| Senior |
 Germany Jürgen KlinsmannJürgen Klinsmann is a German football manager and former player who is currently the coach of the United States Men's National Team. As a player, Klinsmann played for several prominent clubs in Europe and was part of the West German team that won the 1990 FIFA World Cup and the German one that...
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| Under-23 |
 United States Caleb PorterCaleb Porter is an American soccer coach who is currently the head coach of the United States U-23 team and the men's soccer team at the University of Akron...
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| Under-20 |
United States Tab Ramos Tabaré Ramos Ricciardi, known as Tab Ramos is a retired U.S. Olympic Team and National Team soccer midfielder. He played professionally for 13 seasons in Spain, Mexico and the United States. Ramos was the first player to sign with Major League Soccer, where he played seven years with the MetroStars...
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United States Richie WilliamsRichie Williams is an American former professional soccer player and coach.Known for his diminutive height and his dogged tackling, Williams spent the vast majority of his playing career in the United States, playing one season in the National Professional Soccer League, two in USISL, two in the...
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| Under-17 |
 Colombia Wilmer CabreraWílmer Cabrera Linares is a retired football defender, he works currently as the head coach of the United States Under-17 national team.-Career:...
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| Under-15 |
United States Tony Lepore |
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| Under-14 |
Germany Manny Schellscheidt Manfred "Manny" Schellscheidt is a German-American soccer coach and former player. Born in Solingen in the Prussian Rhine Province, he emigrated to the United States in the 1970s. He spent three seasons in the North American Soccer League and one in the American Soccer League. He won two U.S...
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Women's
Technical Staff
See also
- United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
- United States women's national soccer team
The United States women's national soccer team represents the United States in international soccer competition and is controlled by U.S. Soccer. The U.S. team won the first ever Women's World Cup in 1991, and has since been a superpower in women's soccer. It is currently ranked first in the world...
- U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year
The U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year is given by the United States Soccer Federation to the American soccer players judged best in the calendar year. It is the longest running major American soccer award...
- American Football Association
American Football Association was the first attempt in the United States to form an organizing soccer body. It is best known for being the second oldest sports league to form, behind Major League Baseball in 1876, as well as being the oldest soccer league in the United States. The Association was...
External links