On Feb. 9, 2024, at their annual general body meeting, the U.S. Soccer Federation granted sanction to the USL Super League as a Division I league, making them the second professional women’s soccer league in the U.S. alongside the NWSL.
“The USL Super League is looking to grow the women’s game and to expand the opportunities at the highest professional level, ” Cindy Parlow Cone, the president of U.S. Soccer, noted on the sanction. ”We look forward to collaborating with the USL Super League and extend our best wishes to the clubs as they gear up for the upcoming season.”
After the news was announced, the NWSL congratulated the USL Super League and welcomed the new opportunities they will provide for women’s soccer at the professional level.
”As we have seen from our record attendance, viewership, sponsorship revenue and expansion fees, the NWSL is growing at an exceptional pace, and we’re excited about our future,” said the NWSL in a statement. “As the most competitive women’s league in the world, there are limited roster spots available in the NWSL. More opportunities to compete professionally is a good thing, and we’re interested to see how a new league might contribute to the continued growth of our game.”
The USL Super League was first announced as a potential league in 2021 with plans to obtain a Division II sanction. However, they decided to pursue a Division I status last year, which was granted.
Amanda Vandervort, the current president of the league, revealed their plan to become a global leader in women’s soccer on and off the field and to provide more opportunities for women looking to pursue soccer as a career.
“This is a tremendous moment for the USL Super League and for women’s sports,” she remarked in a statement. “Receiving Division I sanctioning further showcases the work that our ownership groups, our clubs, and the league are doing to create a professional environment for top-level talent to compete. This is a crucial step toward realizing our vision to be a global leader in women’s soccer on and off the field. We cannot wait to see our clubs take the field when we kick off in August 2024.”
The inaugural season is kicking off in August with eight teams: USL Brooklyn, USL Carolina, USL Dallas/Fort Worth, USL Fort Lauderdale, USL Lexington, Spokane Zephyr FC and Tampa Bay Sun FC, with more to be added in future seasons. The USL Super League has already laid a foundation with the W League, an amateur league that provides opportunities for collegiate women’s soccer players and girls in the USL’s academy, and they hope to build on it. The Super League will not be conducting a college draft. Instead, each team can negotiate with potential players who can sign contracts of various lengths. The season’s schedule, to be released soon along with media rights and commercial partners, will follow a “fall-to-summer” schedule from August to June with international breaks and a mid-season winter break.