It’s time for a new season of the United Soccer League with new teams, new players, and changes all around. Following a time when FC Tulsa went from 10th in the league to a place in the USL Championship Final, where they fell to the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, who saw Rob Vincent become the youngest coach to ever win a league title, the league returns with its delightful brand of unpredictable chaos. That’s all while Louisville City again won the Players’ Shield for having the best regular season, but couldn’t follow it up with a league title.
It all goes to show that it can be impossible to try to predict a league with so much movement, but that’s just what makes USL play fascinating, so let’s take a look at some things to look out for ahead of the new season, which kicks off on Friday.
Rob Vincent gets a full season
This is now fully Rob Vincent’s team in Pittsburgh after he took over as an interim manager following manager Bob Lilley being placed on administrative leave. With Lilley’s contract being up at the end of the season, the Riverhounds have now turned the page to Vincent, who will lead a team with high expectations after winning the first Championship in club history. It’s hard to go back-to-back in any league, but especially in USL, where no team has won consecutive championships since Louisville City in 2017 and 2018. Returning the key players on their roster, this stout defense will be ready to perform again, but with improved teams and new faces in the Eastern Conference, it won’t be an easy road.
New kids on the block in USL
A new season means new teams as Brooklyn FC and Sporting Jax will play their inaugural seasons in 2026. Backed by Tim Weah and with a respected coach in Marlon LeBlanc, Brooklyn will look to follow the expansion blueprint that was so successful for Rhode Island FC. In true New York fashion, they’ll start off playing at a baseball stadium at Maimonides Park in Coney Island. Tommy McNamara will also be a key fixture for the club in their inaugural season.
In Jacksonville, where the Armada used to play, Sporting Jax will look to add to the Florida teams in the league, joining Miami FC and the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Goalkeeper Jake McGuire will have a chance to anchor the defense in their inaugural season as the team looks to gel quickly while they look to get off to a strong start facing Hartford Athletic.
Taylor Calheira is gone, time to see if Tulsa can keep up
When a team makes it to a league championship, they attract attention from others around the United States, and the Wolves and FC Tulsa were no different. Star forward Talor Calheria has now departed for Sporting Kansas City after scoring 21 goals in all competitions, a club record. He now joins a well-worn path of strong USL attackers getting moves to Major League Soccer, which is a good thing, with clubs being compensated for their talent. But now, facing Sacramento Republic, Tulsa will need to answer the question that no club likes to have coming into a new season: Where will the goals come from? Most of the team is still intact, but without their talisman, it could take time to get going this season.
CBA issues
While USL play will start as normal, there is still uncertainty hanging over the league, as there is no agreement between the USL and the USL Players Association on a new bargaining agreement. The current agreement expired at the end of December in 2025, and the Player’s Association has voted to authorize a call for a strike if needed. At this time, a strike isn’t anticipated to happen while the two sides are still negootiating, but the longer that this goes without an agreement being reached, the more uncertainty will presist.
No matter what, a new agreement would need to be reached ahead of 2028 when the USL is planning to implement promotion and relegation, but that only makes this negotiation more critical for both sides. The Players association is pushing for pro standards ahead of promotion and relegation, and they rejected the most recent offer by the league, which included an increase of minimum compensation to $40,000, elimination of in-season buyouts, as well as protections related to team contracts and additional protections and bonuses. Those were not up to the standards that the Players’ association are asking for, especially falling short on housing and medical care. At that time, they released the following statement:
“With one week until kickoff of the 2026 season, United Soccer League Players Association players remain without a new collective bargaining agreement following 547 days of negotiations with the United Soccer League and its USL Championship clubs,” the USLPA said.
“This week, around 90% of the player pool participated in a vote on the League’s latest proposal. Approximately 90% of the players rejected it and authorized the player-led bargaining committee to take all necessary steps, including calling a strike if negotiations fail to produce a satisfactory agreement.”
“Players are preparing for the start of the Championship season while continuing to push for an agreement that reflects true professional standards. Players are unified in their demand for a fair deal that guarantees basic protections, safe working conditions, and standards that professional athletes deserve.”
With South Georgia Tormenta in USL League One folding ahead of the season with no prior notice, but still having the intent to push for inclusion in the top division when it is formed in 2028, questions have mounted about what protections players have. There was a plan that was reportedly approved to honor players’ contracts in full, which then disappeared, showing the need for an updated CBA. Starting the season without one is unusual, but for now, negotiations continue.
USL Championship schedule
All times Eastern.
Friday, March 6
- Lexington SC vs. Louisville City FC, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 7
- Charleston Battery vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, 6 p.m. (CBS Sports Golazo Network)
- Sporting Jax vs. Hartford Athletic, 7:30 p.m.
- Birmingham Legion FC vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies, 8 p.m.
- San Antonio FC v.s Phoenix Rising FC, 8:30 p.m.
- El Paso Locomotive FC vs. Colorado Springs Switchbacks, 9 p.m.
- Sacramento Republic FC vs. FC Tulsa, 10 p.m. (CBS Sports Golazo Network)
- Monterey Bay FC vs. Oakland Roots SC, 10 p.m.
- Orange County SC vs. Las Vegas Lights, 10 p.m.
Sunday, March 8
- Brooklyn FC vs Indy Eleven, 3 p.m.
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