USL League Two

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"USL2" redirects here. For the league that existed from 1995 to 2010, see USL Second Division.

USL League Two
Organizing bodyUnited Soccer League
Founded1995; 30 years ago (1995)
(as PDL) (1995–2025)
First season1995
CountryUnited States
ConfederationU.S. Soccer
Divisions19 divisions in 4 conferences
Number of clubs144
Domestic cup(s)U.S. Open Cup
Current champion(s)Vermont Green (1st title)
(2025)
Most championshipsFlint City Bucks (4 titles)
Broadcaster(s)SportsEngine Play
YouTube
Websiteuslleaguetwo.com
Current: 2025 USL League Two season

USL League Two (USL2), formerly the Premier Development League (PDL), is a semi-professional soccer league sponsored by United Soccer Leagues in the United States, forming part of the United States soccer league system. The league will feature 144 teams for the 2025 season, split into nineteen regional divisions across four conferences. USL League Two is headquartered in Tampa, Florida.[1]

The Vermont Green FC are the current champions, having defeated Ballard FC 2–1 in full time to win the 2025 USL League Two Championship final on August 2, 2025.[2]

Competition format

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USL League Two is divided into 4 conferences (Eastern, Central, Southern, and Western), comprising 19 divisions. The league season runs from May through July, with the playoffs decided through July and August. All teams play a regular season schedule of 12-14 games, up to seven home and seven away, within their division, depending on the size of the division.

Playoffs

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The USL2 playoffs see division winners and each conference's best second-place finishers advance to the conference quarter finals. All matches in the playoffs are played in single match elimination format, with each conference winner hosting a four-team conference championship weekend. The four conference champions advance to national semi-finals and the league Championship, both played at the home of the higher seed.

History

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1990s

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In 1995, the United States Interregional Soccer League (USISL) changed its name to the United States International Soccer League, and split into two leagues, one professional (the 'Professional League', which ultimately became the USL Second Division) and one amateur (the Premier League). The purpose for the split was to expand into and improve the soccer capabilities of many urban areas throughout the United States and Canada, while offering current college soccer players the opportunity to continue playing during the summer months without losing their college eligibility. The inaugural season of the new USISL Premier League featured 27 teams, and the Richmond Kickers won the first title, beating the Cocoa Expos 3–1 in the championship game.[3] Gabe Jones of the Austin Lone Stars was the league's top scorer and MVP.

The United States International Soccer League changed its name again in 1996, to the United Systems of Independent Soccer Leagues, and before the season, there was substantial movement of teams between the Pro League, the Premier League and the newly created Select League (which would later merge with the A-League, and eventually become the USL First Division). The Premier League grew to 34 teams in its second year, with the Central Coast Roadrunners from San Luis Obispo, California, beating the San Francisco Bay Seals in the championship game to take the title.[4] Pasi Kinturi of the Nashville Metros was the league's top scorer and MVP.

Brian Ching, the PDL Rookie of the Year in 1998

The Premier League renamed itself the Premier Development Soccer League (PDSL) in 1997, and the Central Coast Roadrunners repeated as national champions, the first team to do so, beating the Cocoa Expos in the PDSL championship game.[5] Lester Felicia of the Jackson Chargers was the league's MVP, while Rodrigo Costa of the Detroit Dynamite was the leading scorer and the league's Rookie of the Year, tallying 21 goals and 2 assists for 44 points. In 1998 the PDSL took to the field with 33 teams, including four associate members from the Pacific Coast Soccer League who played shortened schedules after their PCSL season was over. In the championship game the San Gabriel Valley Highlanders upset regular season champions Jackson Chargers 3–2, taking the trophy to California for the third straight year. Rodrigo Costa of the Detroit Dynamite was the league MVP, Boniventure Manati of the Jackson Chargers was the league's top scorer, and a young striker by the name of Brian Ching from the Spokane Shadow was named Rookie of the Year.[6]

In 1999 the umbrella USISL changed its name to the United Soccer Leagues, and the Premier Development Soccer League dropped the 'soccer' part of its name and became known as the USL Premier Development League, or PDL. The league took in several teams from the D3 Pro league, expanding to 42 teams in six divisions. Expansion franchise Chicago Sockers ultimately won the league, beating Spokane Shadow 3–1 for the title in a tight championship game. Fabio Eidenwein of the Sioux City Breeze was named League MVP and was the top scorer, with 20 goals.[7]

2000s

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The PDL expanded by a further eight franchises in 2000, and the Chicago Sockers won their second straight title, beating the Mid-Michigan Bucks in a close 1–0 championship game. The single goal was scored by Rodrigo Costa who, having received a pass from teammate Hamid Mehreioskouei, chipped Bucks goalkeeper Eric Pogue from 18 yards through a crowded penalty area. Fernando Salazar of the Los Angeles-based San Fernando Valley Heroes was the league's MVP, while his teammate Arshak Abyanli took the honors as top goalscorer.[8]

The league grew from 41 to 44 teams in 2001 through the usual mix of relegation from D3Pro, teams folding and new franchises being added. In the semi-finals, the Westchester Flames defeated Sioux Falls Spitfire 5–1 and Calgary Storm defeated Des Moines Menace 2–1; in the final, Westchester defeated Calgary 3–1 to take their first league title.[9] Des Moines and Chicago Fire Reserves dominated the 2002 regular season, but both teams stuttered in the playoffs; the PDL final saw the Cape Cod Crusaders defeating the Boulder Rapids Reserve 2–1 to bring the title to the Northeast for the second year in a row. 2002 also saw the debut of the soon-to-be PDL legend, Tomas Boltnar of Des Moines Menace, who secured an unprecedented triple-crown of PDL MVP, Top Scorer and Rookie of the Year.[10]

The mid-2000s was a period of steady growth and consolidation for the PDL. A TV agreement with Fox Soccer Channel saw the PDL Championship game being broadcast live on national television in North America for the first time, and professional teams began investing in the league by adding U-23 development sides as an addition to their senior rosters. Cape Cod repeated as PDL champs in 2003, beating the Chicago Fire Reserves in the final[11] (and despite the presence of Jürgen Klinsmann playing for Orange County Blue Star), while 2004 saw the title head to Florida for the first time as the Central Florida Kraze overcame perennial bridesmaids Boulder Rapids Reserve.[12]

Des Moines Menace took the PDL Championship trophy back to Iowa in 2005 after beating the El Paso Patriots 6–5 on penalty kicks, following a 0–0 draw in the PDL Championship game.[13][14] 2006 saw the beginning of two seasons of dominance for two teams: the Michigan Bucks and the Laredo Heat. Both teams made the PDL Final in 2006 and 2007, with the Bucks emerging victorious in '06 with a 2–1 win thanks to goals by Kenny Uzoigwe and Ty Shipalane,[15][16] only for Laredo to get their revenge the following year with an epic penalty kicks win after a 0–0 tie in regulation time.

Laredo became the first team to make three consecutive PDL championship games in 2008, but fell at the final hurdle to Thunder Bay Chill, who became the first ever Canadian side to win the PDL following their 4–1 penalty shootout victory.[17] The PDL had grown to 68 teams by 2009, and to reflect their growing reputation, introduced a new scheme called PDL-Pro, whereby certain teams would be allowed to act as professional clubs, paying players, while still adhering to NCAA collegiate eligibility rules, and the USL's own age restriction policy. Ventura County Fusion returned the PDL title to Southern California for the first time in over a decade with a stoppage-time victory over Chicago Fire Premier, and in doing so became the lowest-seeded team to claim the national title.[18]

2010s

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  1. ^ "CONTACT". USL PDL. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  2. ^ "Vermont Green FC wins national soccer championship". vtdigger.org. VTDigger. August 2, 2025. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  3. ^ "United Soccer Leagues, Part 2 (1994–1996)". Homepages.sover.net. February 13, 2010. Archived from the original on July 13, 2013. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
  4. ^ "The Year in American Soccer, 1996". Homepages.sover.net. Archived from the original on August 2, 2018. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
  5. ^ "United Soccer Leagues, Part 3 (1997–1999)". Homepages.sover.net. February 13, 2010. Archived from the original on November 21, 2014. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
  6. ^ "The Year in American Soccer, 1998". Homepages.sover.net. Archived from the original on November 5, 2015. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
  7. ^ "The Year in American Soccer, 1999". Homepages.sover.net. Archived from the original on February 6, 2019. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
  8. ^ "United Soccer Leagues, Part 4 (2000–2003)". Homepages.sover.net. February 14, 2010. Archived from the original on January 8, 2015. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
  9. ^ "United Soccer Leagues, Part 4 (2000–2003)". Homepages.sover.net. February 14, 2010. Archived from the original on January 8, 2015. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
  10. ^ "United Soccer Leagues, Part 4 (2000–2003)". Homepages.sover.net. February 14, 2010. Archived from the original on January 8, 2015. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
  11. ^ "Cape Cod repeats as champion with 1–0 shutout of Chicago". Soccertimes.com. August 9, 2003. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
  12. ^ "Cook scores late to send Central Florida past Rapids Reserve for title". Soccertimes.com. August 7, 2004. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
  13. ^ "Des Moines captures PDL title in seven rounds of penalties". Pdl.uslsoccer.com. August 13, 2005. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
  14. ^ "Gruenebaum, Frieberg lead Menace past El Paso for title in penalty kicks". Soccertimes.com. August 13, 2005. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
  15. ^ "Uzoigwe, Shipalane power Michigan to first championship 2–1 over Heat". Soccertimes.com. August 12, 2006. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
  16. ^ Demosphere International, Inc. (August 12, 2006). "United Soccer Leagues (USL)". Uslsoccer.com. Archived from the original on March 13, 2012. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
  17. ^ "Chill stay cool to win PDL title". Uslsoccer.com. August 9, 2008. Archived from the original on March 13, 2012. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
  18. ^ "Fusion overcome Fire for PDL title". Uslsoccer.com. Archived from the original on September 14, 2012. Retrieved February 28, 2012.