TAMPA, Fla. – The United Soccer League today announced the alignment, regular season and playoff format for the 2016 USL Season, with 29 teams set to compete in the league’s sixth season in pursuit of the USL Cup.
Six new teams will join the USL in 2016, as Bethlehem Steel FC, FC Cincinnati, Orlando City B, Rio Grande Valley FC, the Swope Park Rangers and San Antonio are all set to compete in the new season.
The USL will continue in a two-conference format, with 14 teams making up the Eastern Conference and 15 teams making up the Western Conference. The 30-game regular season will be conducted over 27 weeks, which will kick off on March 25 and conclude on September 25.
Eastern Conference
Bethlehem Steel FC
Charleston Battery
Charlotte Independence
FC Cincinnati
Harrisburg City Islanders
Louisville City FC
FC Montreal
New York Red Bulls II
Orlando City B
Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Richmond Kickers
Rochester Rhinos
Toronto FC II
Wilmington Hammerheads FC
Western Conference
Arizona United SC
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
LA Galaxy II
OKC Energy FC
Orange County Blues FC
Portland Timbers 2
Real Monarchs SLC
Rio Grande Valley FC
Sacramento Republic FC
Saint Louis FC
San Antonio
Seattle Sounders FC 2
Swope Park Rangers
Tulsa Roughnecks FC
Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2
The team with the best record across both conferences will earn the 2016 USL Regular Season Title. The top eight teams in each conference will then advance to the 2016 USL Playoffs, which will see a single-elimination bracket crown two conference champions. The two conference champions will advance to the 2016 USL Championship.
USL
The USL is the strongest U.S. men’s professional soccer league below Major League Soccer (MLS). The USL featured 24 teams in 2015 across the United States and Canada, with six new clubs already announced for 2016. Through aggressive and strategic growth, the USL has built a stable, national professional soccer league. In addition to league play, USL teams compete in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup as well as various domestic and international exhibitions. The USL is the longest-standing professional affiliate member of U.S. Soccer.
USL PR – Nicholas Murray / Charlie Corr – Tampa, FL – 813.963.3909 Twitter – @USL
