Soccer fans all across Northeast Florida are excited for the arrival of their very own United Soccer League club, but what is this league that will be JAXUSL’s home?
The USL is based out of Tampa, Florida, and sanctioned by the US Soccer Federation. It is home to an interconnected system of six leagues, including professional and pre-professional soccer for men’s, women’s and youth divisions. Through the league headquarters, clubs are provided with unparalleled support with a growing team of more than 50 professionals across 17 departments, ranging from operations to marketing, communications, and sponsorship.
The USL Championship, which JAXUSL plans to join in 2025, is the foremost of the USL’s leagues. The league currently consists of 24 teams and serves as the second-tier of American men’s professional soccer. The Championship has a national media partnership with ESPN, wherein all league matches are broadcast on ESPN+ and across linear channels. New Mexico United and Louisville City FC, two of the league’s better-known teams, each average over 10,000 fans per match.
This isn’t all that the USL has to offer, though. The USL Super League will soon serve as a new home for top-flight women’s professional soccer. Furthering the USL’s commitment to advancing the women’s game, unifying communities, and fueling the growth of the sport, the USL Super League aims to double the number of professional women’s soccer teams in the United States by its inaugural season. USL as a whole has placed great importance on female representation in the sport, saying that it “strives to use women’s soccer as a force for societal good by creating a national platform to increase opportunity, gender equity, and career development,” according to the USL.
The USL women’s pathway now includes the Super Y League, the USL Academy, the pre-professional USL W League which kicks off in 2022, and the professional USL Super League.
As a new organization, one may wonder whether rivalries will naturally form. There’s no need to fear, though, as both of these league structures will enable fun-filled derbies to form based on geography and competition alike.
Who are the opponents?
The men’s USL Championship side will be pinned in a southeastern corridor, also occupied by teams in neighboring states. To the south, JAXUSL will square off with in-state foes Miami FC and the Tampa Bay Rowdies.
JAXUSL’s squads may not be taking to the pitch this season, but that doesn’t mean you can’t stay up to date with all of the USL action. Each USL Championship match is available to watch on ESPN+.
JAXUSL hosts a multitude of watch parties, so come on out, meet fellow Jacksonville soccer fans and keep up with the exciting world of USL competition!
