USL W League

The USL W League is a women's amateur soccer league in the United States planning to begin play in May 2022. It was announced on June 8, 2021 by the United Soccer League with eight founding clubs. It follows the USL W-League, a similar league that existed from 1995 to 2015.[1] At launch, the USL said the inaugural season would include at least 30 teams.[2]

This article is about the league beginning in 2022. For the former league, see USL W-League (1995–2015).

USL W League
Organizing bodyUnited Soccer League
FoundedJune 8, 2021 (2021-06-08)
First season2022
CountryUnited States
ConfederationCONCACAF
Divisions6 divisions
Number of teams44
Level on pyramid4 (effective)
Websitewww.uslwleague.com
United Soccer League divisions
Men's leagues
Women's leagues
Youth leagues

History

The league was originally announced with eight clubs, six of which would be women's sides for existing men's USL teams, and two of which would be entirely new franchises.[3] The inaugural season will begin on May 6, 2022 with 44 teams.[4]

Teams
Team City Stadium Capacity Founded Joining Head coach Affiliate team
Metropolitan Division
AC Connecticut women Newtown, Connecticut Dillon Stadium 5,500 2011 2022 vacant[5] AC Connecticut
Hartford Athletic
Cedar Stars Academy women Teaneck, New Jersey Capelli Sport Complex 500 2021 2022 vacant[6] Cedar Stars Rush
FA Euro women Brooklyn, New York Poly Prep Country Day School 1,500 2013 2022 vacant[7] FA Euro New York
Long Island Rough Riders Garden City, New York Hofstra University Soccer Stadium 1,600 1995 2022 vacant[8] Long Island Rough Riders
Manhattan SC women New York, New York TBD 2021 2022 vacant[9] Manhattan SC
Morris Elite SC women[10] Union, New Jersey Union High School unknown 2021 2022 Stephanie Savino[11] Morris Elite SC
Queensboro FC women Queens, New York New stadium at York College 7,500 2021 2022 Nadia Caballero[12] Queensboro FC
Westchester Flames women New Rochelle, New York TBD 1999 2022 vacant[13] Westchester Flames
Mid Atlantic Division
Christos FC women Baltimore, Maryland TBD 1997 2022 vacant[14] Christos FC
Eagle FC women Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania TBD 1976 2022 vacant[15] Eagle FC
McLean Soccer women McLean, Virginia TBD 1980s 2022 Vacant[16] McLean Soccer
Northern Virginia FC women Leesburg, Virginia Evergreen Sportsplex 1,500 2021 2022 Vacant[17] Northern Virginia FC
Patuxent Football Athletics women Patuxent, Maryland TBD 2018 2022 vacant[18] Patuxent Football Athletics
South Atlantic Division
Asheville City SC women[19] Asheville, North Carolina Greenwood Field 3,000 2021 2022 vacant Asheville City SC
Charlotte Independence women Charlotte, North Carolina TBD 2014 2022 vacant[20] Charlotte Independence
Greenville Liberty Greenville, South Carolina Legacy Early College Field 4,000 2021 2022 vacant Greenville Triumph SC
North Carolina Courage U23 Cary, North Carolina WakeMed Soccer Park 2022 2022 vacant[21] North Carolina Courage
North Carolina Fusion U23 women Browns Summit, North Carolina Macpherson Stadium 3,000 2018 2022 vacant[22] North Carolina Fusion U23
Wake FC women[23] Holly Springs, North Carolina Ting Stadium 1,800 2021 2022 vacant Wake FC
Deep South Division
Chattanooga Red Wolves SC women Chattanooga, Tennessee CHI Memorial Stadium 5,500 2019 2022 Luke Winter Chattanooga Red Wolves SC
Peachtree City MOBA women Peachtree City, Georgia MOBA Soccer Stadium 1,000 2021 2022 Gene Smith[24] Peachtree City MOBA
South Carolina United FC Columbia, South Carolina Southeastern Freight Lines Soccer Center 2,000 2012 2022 vacant[25] SC United Bantams
South Georgia Tormenta FC women Statesboro, Georgia Eagle Field at Erk Russell Park 3,500 2021 2022 Jim Robbins Tormenta FC
Southern Soccer Academy women[26] Marietta, Georgia Marathon Soccer Park 1,000 2021 2022 vacant Southern Soccer Academy
Tennessee SC women Franklin, Tennessee TBD 2012 2022 vacant[27] Tennessee SC
Southeast Division
Caledonia SC women Lakeland, Florida TBD 2022 2022 vacant[28] Caledonia SC
Florida Elite Soccer Academy women St. Johns, Florida Mandarin High School Stadium 1,000 2014 2022 vacant[29] Florida Elite Soccer Academy
Miami AC women Miami, Florida TBD 2021 2022 vacant[30] Miami AC
FC Miami City women Lauderhill, Florida TBD 2022 2022 vacant[31] FC Miami City
Tampa Bay United SC women Tampa Bay, Florida Ed Radice Sports Complex 1,000 2011 2022 vacant[32] Tampa Bay United SC
Great Lakes Division
AFC Ann Arbor women Ann Arbor, Michigan Concordia University Ann Arbor 1,300 2014 2022 vacant[33] AFC Ann Arbor
Detroit City FC women Hamtramck, Michigan Keyworth Stadium 7,933 2012 2022 Sam Piraine[34] Detroit City FC
Flint City AFC Flint, Michigan Atwood Stadium 11,000 2022 2022 Aaron Roy Flint City Bucks
Indy Eleven women[35] Indianapolis, Indiana Grand Park 2013 2022 Paul Dolinsky[36] Indy Eleven
Kalamazoo FC women Kalamazoo, Michigan TBD 2016 2022 vacant[37] Kalamazoo FC
Kings Hammer FC women Cincinnati, Ohio TBD 2021 2022 vacant[38] Kings Hammer FC
Midwest United FC Grand Rapids, Michigan Aquinas College 1,500 2016 2022 vacant[39] Midwest United FC
Racing Louisville FC Academy Louisville, Kentucky Lynn Family Sports Vision & Training Center 2020 2022 vacant[40] Racing Louisville FC
Heartland Division
Chicago City SC women Chicago, Illinois TBD 2013 2022 vacant[41] Chicago City SC
Chicago Dutch Lions FC women Lisle, Illinois Benedictine University Stadium 3,000 2020 2022 vacant[42] Chicago Dutch Lions FC
Green Bay Glory women[43] Green Bay, Wisconsin Aldo Santaga Stadium 500 2019 2022 Linda Moynihan Vance[44] Green Bay Glory
Kaw Valley FC women Lawrence & Topeka, Kansas Rock Chalk Park & Hummer Sports Park 2,500 & 2,000 2021 2022 vacant Kaw Valley FC
Minnesota Aurora[45] Eagan, Minnesota TCO Stadium 5,500 2021 2022 Nicole Lukic
St. Louis Lions SC women St. Louis, Missouri Tony Glavin Soccer Park 500 2005 2022 vacant[46] St. Louis Lions SC
Expansion Teams
unnamed Spokane team[47] Spokane, Washington New downtown stadium 5,000 2021 2024 vacant unnamed USL1 expansion side

[48]

Location map
USL W League clubs
Independent club; MLS-affiliate; USLC-affiliate; USL1-affiliate; USL2-affiliate; (Future clubs in italics)

See also

References
  1. "About the W League". USL W League. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
  2. "USL announces return of the W League from 2022". June 15, 2021.
  3. "Teams". USL W League. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
  4. "USL W League kicks off 254-match regular season on May 6 in Indianapolis". www.uslwleague.com. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
  5. "United Soccer League Welcomes AC Connecticut to the W League". USL W League. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  6. "Cedar Stars to Compete in Inaugural USL W League Season". USL W League. January 10, 2022.
  7. USL W League Staff. "FA Euro New York Becomes 16th Club to Join USL W League". USL W League. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  8. "Long Island Rough Riders Join USL W League". USL W League. January 31, 2022.
  9. "USL W League Announces Manhattan SC as the Newest Members of the League". USL W League. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
  10. USL W League Staff. "Morris Elite SC Set to Join USL W League Ahead of 2022 Season". USL W League. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
  11. "Morris Elite SC hires first head coach in new USL W League". morriselitesoccer.com. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  12. "QUEENSBORO FC IS FOUNDING MEMBER OF NEW USL WOMEN'S LEAGUE". Queensboro FC Staff. June 8, 2021. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  13. "Westchester Flames to Compete in Inaugural USL W League Season". USL W League. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  14. "Christos FC Set to Join USL W League for 2022 Season". USL W League. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  15. "USL W League Welcomes Eagle F.C. as Newest Club". USL W League. January 19, 2022.
  16. "Patuxent USL W League Welcomes McLean Soccer as the 44th and Final Club for Inaugural Season". USL W League. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
  17. "NOVAFC - About!". NOVAFC. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
  18. "Patuxent Football Athletics to Join USL W League and USL League Two for 2022 Season". USL W League. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  19. "Asheville City SC Joins USL W League". Asheville City SC. August 5, 2021. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  20. USL W League Staff. "Charlotte Independence Announced as Newest Member of USL W League". USL W League. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
  21. "USL Welcomes NC Courage U23's to W League". USL W League. January 27, 2022.
  22. USL W League Staff. "United Soccer League Welcomes North Carolina Fusion to the W League". USL W League. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  23. USL W League Staff. "Wake FC Announced as Newest Club to Join USL W League". USL W League. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  24. Staff. "USL W". MOBA Soccer Academy. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  25. USL W League Staff. "United Soccer League Welcomes North Carolina Fusion to the W League". USL W League. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  26. "Southern Soccer Academy Becomes Newest Club to Join USL W League". USL W League. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  27. "Tennessee Soccer Club joins USL's League Two and W League in 2022 Season". USL W League. December 14, 2021.
  28. "Caledonia SC joins USL W League and USL League Two for 2022". USL W League. January 12, 2022.
  29. USL W League Staff. "Florida Elite Soccer Academy to Compete in Inaugural W League Season". USL W League. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
  30. "Miami AC Expands Its Programming to the USL W League and USL League Two". USL W League. December 22, 2021.
  31. "FC Miami City joins USL W League". USL W League. January 14, 2022.
  32. USL W League Staff. "Tampa Bay United to Join USL W League for the 2022 Season". USL W League. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
  33. USL W League Staff. "AFC Ann Arbor Joins USL W League and USL League Two for the 2022 Season". USL W League. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  34. "United Soccer League Welcomes Detroit City FC to USL W League" (Press release). USL W League. December 1, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  35. USL W League Staff. "Indy Eleven Announced as Newest Member of USL W League". USL W League. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
  36. Indy Eleven Staff. "Indy Eleven Announces Coaching Hires for Women's Senior Team Hitting the Field in 2022". Indy Eleven. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  37. "United Soccer League Welcomes Kalamazoo FC to the USL W League". USL W League. January 6, 2022.
  38. "Kings Hammer FC Announced as Newest Member of USL W League". USL W League. December 23, 2021.
  39. "Midwest United FC to Compete in Inaugural USL W League Season". USL W League. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  40. "Racing Louisville FC joins USL W League". USL W League. January 18, 2022.
  41. USL W League Staff. "United Soccer League Welcomes North Carolina Fusion to the W League". USL W League. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  42. "Chicago Dutch Lions FC to Join USL W League and USL League Two for 2022 Season". USL League Two. December 2, 2021.
  43. "United Soccer League Welcomes Green Bay Glory to the USL W League". USL W League. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  44. "Linda Moynihan Vance Head Coach". Green Bay Glory. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  45. "Minnesota Women's Soccer reveals new team name, Minnesota Aurora FC". USL W League. KARE11. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  46. USL W League Staff. "St. Louis Lions SC to Compete in USL W League in the 2022 Season". USL W League. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  47. Hunt, Mia. "United Soccer League announces plans to bring a women's team to Spokane as early as 2022". krem.com. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
  48. "USL W League Announces Inaugural Season Division Alignment". USLWLeague.com Staff. January 31, 2022. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
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