Tension is bubbling to the surface, experts are sounding alarms, and the future of America’s biggest soccer league hangs in the balance. While that is going on under the radar, a much bigger time bomb is simmering in the cities that you may not imagine: Louisville, Sacramento, and San Antonio.

Over the years, the United Soccer League (USL) was buried in the shadow of the Major League Soccer (MLS). It had huge local fanbases but was neglected at the national level. However, that’s about to change.

The moment that changed everything

Tony Scholes, the Chief Football Officer of the Premier League, yes, that Premier League, is crossing the Atlantic. He’s taking charge as President of the USL’s new Division I men’s league, set to launch before the decade turns. That’s not just an ordinary hire; bringing in one of the brains behind the most-watched sports league globally is a major statement of intent. So, what does it mean for the USL?

What Tony Scholes brings:

• Worldwide respect and credibility due to his experience in the Premier League.
• Extensive experience in youth management, competition requirements, and league workings.
• History of the construction of sustainable football structures.

And now, Scholes will join the league by 2026. He might completely change the league by planning everything strategically, molding the norms, and helping oversee a change in American soccer that fans have always craved for: promotion and relegation, just like in the European leagues.

This planning and plotting started earlier this year, and in March, a supermajority of club owners voted in favor of a promotion/relegation system, which will comprise a three-tiered league structure where the top teams get promoted to the next league and the worst-performing teams get relegated based on their overall performance each season.

The goal?

• Launch the Division I league by 2028 with official U.S. Soccer sanctioning.
• Possibly begin promotion and relegation as early as 2027 between the USL Championship and League One.

For more than half a century, American soccer has been in a fixed-franchise world. No danger, no doom, none of that joy or despair at seeing your favorite club move up a league or down. The USL hopes to transform that to reinvigorate soccer in America. And Scholes knows how. Consequence brings passion – the heartbeat of any sport.

USL: The next big disruptor in American sports

If USL pulls this off, it will operate a complete three-level pyramid (Division I→ Championship→ League One) bound by relegation and promotion. This would be the first such system ever in any large pro sports league in the U.S. At the same time, MLS remains loyal to its closed franchise system: there is no promotion and no relegation. The open-tier structure of USL is different and changes everything:

For clubs:

• Smaller market teams now have a way to the top.
• Investors will purchase as well as create value.
• Improved stadiums and a stronger connection with the community.

For fans:

• More meaningful games.
• Better and fiercer rivalries
• Popularity/fame.

The goal is to turn spectators into die die-hard fans But that’s not a bigger picture of growth.

The bigger picture

With Tony Scholes, the USL aims to become larger, more stable, and much more aligned with global soccer leagues. And with it come sponsors that really want to invest. And that confidence is already building.

In contrast to the centralized model of MLS, the USL clubs operate their own show:

• Local sponsorships, youth programs, and community partnerships remain under the control of the club.
• The revenue is more direct to the city and to the team, and will result in real economic impact.
• MLS teams are expensive to sponsor, which local brands can not afford. Whereas, with USL, local brands can sponsor or own a team at a lower cost.

But these are not the only positives.

As the clubs start to develop, they expand into different cities. And of course, it brings local employment, tourism, and match day revenues. But let’s not forget, the league is already building. 

Here is the average attendance of 2025:

• Sacramento Republic FC: 9,801
• Louisville City FC: 9,751
• San Antonio FC: 6,366
• FC Tulsa and El Paso: around 5,000
• New Mexico United: 9,436 in 2025

Behind those figures, there is a greater change:

• A six-year deal with Sportradar
• Name rights in the Gainbridge Super League for women’s soccer
• BellTower Partners, the former Carlyle CEO, Kewsong Lee, has made a strategic investment.
• Blinkfire analytics and sponsorships.

Even league even claimed to have surpassed 2 million fans in the 2025 season and predicts that the total attendance will be higher than in 2024. However, paper successes do not translate into anything until they shake the system over them.

Why the USL is a threat to MLS

Yes, USL is not a mere theoretical threat, but in the playbook of history. Whenever a dominant league was too complacent, there emerged a disruptor underneath it. And that is where the USL finds itself at the moment.

Here’s why USL’s rise matters:

• Cost: The price of an MLS expansion team can go up to $500 million. USL entry? Around $20 million. More doors open.
• Talent: The players are trained with actual game time and not by bench experience.
• Fans: USL can succeed in the smaller cities where there are strong fan bases, as opposed to the big markets of MLS.
• Broadcasting: USL is localized and audience-centred and is expected to grow its audience by 20% in 2024.  On the other hand, MLS’s exclusive deal with Apple TV has been a mixed bag. Some fans like it, but others aren’t thrilled. Part of the issue is pricing: $14.99 a month (or $99 for the season) for non-subscribers, and $12.99 a month (or $79 for the season) for Apple TV+ users.

And going by what history has taught us, we know that a challenger could elevate itself or fall; however, it would surely put something on the table.

ABA vs. NBA: The whole process began in 1976 when the ABA merged with the NBA.  Initially, the NBA ignored the concept of the ABA. But ABA was later joined by the NBA of four teams, such as the Denver Nuggets, the Indiana Pacers, the New York Nets, and the San Antonio Spurs, and borrowed ABA concepts such as point shot, slam dunk competition, and fast play.

LIV Golf vs. PGA Tour: LIV Golf entered the game like a tornado, with Saudi funding, which alters the traditions by shortening the tournament to 54 holes, team competitions, and giant guaranteed purses. Sure, the PGA Tour survived, but it increased prize money and modernized to keep up.

AAFC vs. NFL: AAFC literally competed with the NFL as it signed the best players and took football to the cities where it was not played before. It later collapsed, though not without altering the map of the game.  Teams such as the Browns and 49ers got absorbed into the NFL, making it the giant it is today.

At this point, it appears that the USL can do the same, compel MLS to change, enter new markets, and re-evaluate its organization. In fact, writer Scott Churchson already sensed the threat. As he shared on X, “MLS should be worried about the USL…USL is growing and making smart moves.”

Moreover, the popular analysis page Tactical Manager echoed that sentiment: “USL is starting to get serious… This is a realistic threat to MLS over the long run.” And when neutral voices are already foretelling change, you know that it has already begun.

The USL is making serious momentum, with Tony Scholes in charge, and new investment coming. It will not replace MLS, at least at this time, but it already is altering the way soccer is being developed in America. And that is the evolution that nobody can prevent.

USL’s toughest test yet

Yes, a climb is not going to be a smooth ride uphill. To become elite, the USL must be granted sanctioning by the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) – the trilogy of legitimacy. And that consent will be the deciding factor on whether the dream will survive or die.

Division I status: The league must meet a number of standards to be granted status as a Division I league by the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF). So, the league must have enough teams; teams must have stadiums with at least 15,000 seats; and they must have financially viable owners. Without these criteria, the league and its sponsors might not be taken seriously by the media.

Risks of promotion and relegation: In theory, it’s exciting to drop a league (down a tier), but U.S. owners are not used to a system can that cost them millions of dollars after a bad season. If mismanaged, less mature teams could become bankrupt, too.

Media and talent issues: Sports today are driven by media money. The current TV contract of the USL with CBS Sports (approximately 100 games a year in 2024-27) is a step in the right direction. However, it remains small in contrast to the billion-dollar deal of MLS with Apple. Unless the quality of play or player recognition improves fast, fans and sponsors might remain with MLS. The USL can hardly feel big league without star players and good broadcast exposure.

Balancing growth without anarchy: Simultaneously, fast growth has its risks. Growing at an improper pace or allocating an excessive number of teams in close markets may water down quality and exhaust resources. Hence, planning and controlled development will be necessary.

Combating the established power of Fighting MLS:  In addition, this is the most effective challenge so far. MLS already enjoys good relationships with the USSF, exclusive television arrangements, and city-loyal fan bases, not to mention decades of brand loyalty.

Earlier leagues, such as the old North American Soccer League (NASL), had attempted to rival MLS and appeared to be losing both their sanctioning and falling apart. But the USL will have to demonstrate that it is not another rebel league. But a lasting solution that delivers actual value to fans and societies.

Nevertheless, the elements are present: culture, capital, and leadership. The USL is not likely to supplant MLS in the near future, yet it is already reinventing the experience of soccer in America.