Eastern Conference (USL Championship)

Eastern Conference
LeagueUSL Championship
SportSoccer
FoundedJanuary 21, 2015
No. of teams12
Most recent
champion(s)		Rhode Island FC (2024)
(1st title)
Most titlesLouisville City FC
(4 titles)

The Eastern Conference is one of two conferences in USL Championship soccer.[1]

Current standings

Pos Team
 Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Louisville City FC (S) 34 24 6 4 86 43 +43 76 Playoffs
2 Charleston Battery 34 18 6 10 68 35 +33 64
3 Detroit City FC 34 15 8 11 46 32 +14 56
4 Indy Eleven 34 14 11 9 49 50 −1 51
5 Rhode Island FC 34 12 7 15 56 41 +15 51
6 Tampa Bay Rowdies 34 14 12 8 55 46 +9 50
7 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC 34 12 10 12 41 28 +13 48
8 North Carolina FC 34 13 12 9 54 43 +11 48
9 Birmingham Legion FC 34 13 15 6 44 51 −7 45
10 Hartford Athletic 34 12 14 8 39 52 −13 44
11 Loudoun United FC 34 11 14 9 44 39 +5 42
12 Miami FC 34 3 29 2 26 89 −63 11
Source: USL Championship Standings
Rules for classification: 1) head-to-head points; 2) head-to-head goal differential; 3) points-per game within conference; 4) total wins; 5) total goal differential; 6) total goals scored; 7) points earned against top four Conference finishers; 8) disciplinary points; 9) coin toss or drawing of lots
(S) Players' Shield winner

Members

Current

Club City Stadium
Birmingham Legion FC Birmingham, Alabama Protective Stadium
Charleston Battery Charleston, South Carolina Patriots Point Soccer Complex
Detroit City FC Hamtramack, Michigan Keyworth Stadium
Hartford Athletic Hartford, Connecticut Trinity Health Stadium
Indy Eleven Indianapolis, Indiana IU Michael A. Carroll Track & Soccer Stadium
Loudoun United FC Leesburg, Virginia Segra Field
Louisville City FC Louisville, Kentucky Lynn Family Stadium
Miami FC Miami, Florida Riccardo Silva Stadium
North Carolina FC Cary, North Carolina WakeMed Soccer Park
Pittsburgh Riverhounds Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Highmark Stadium
Rhode Island FC Smithfield, Rhode Island Beirne Stadium
Tampa Bay Rowdies St. Petersburg, Florida Al Lang Stadium
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Locations of teams for the 2024 USL Championship season

Conference Lineups

Clubs timeline

Rhode Island FCDetroit City FCFC TulsaOKC Energy FCMemphis 901 FCLoudoun United FCHartford AthleticBirmingham Legion FCNorth Carolina FCNorth Carolina FCNashville SCIndy ElevenAtlanta United 2Miami FCOttawa Fury FCTampa Bay RowdiesOrlando City BPhiladelphia Union IIBethlehem Steel FC (USL)FC Cincinnati (2016–18)Wilmington Hammerheads FCToronto FC IISporting Kansas City IISwope Park RangersWestern Conference (USL)Saint Louis FCRochester RhinosRichmond KickersPittsburgh RiverhoundsNew York Red Bulls IILouisville City FCFC MontrealPenn FCHarrisburg City IslandersCharlotte IndependenceCharleston Battery

Conference Member   Club moved to Western Conference   Former clubs   Club playing in different league

‡Orlando City B & Rochester Rhinos went on hiatus after the 2017 season.[2][3] OKC Energy FC went and has been on hiatus since the 2021 season, and looks to be on hiatus until the 2027 season.[4]

2015 (12 teams)

Changes from 2014: USL Pro expanded and was rebranded as simply USL; the round robin table was split into two conferences: Eastern and Western.

2016 (14 teams)

Changes from 2015: Bethlehem Steel FC, FC Cincinnati and Orlando City B were added as expansion franchises;[5] St. Louis FC moved out to the Western Conference.

2017 (15 teams)

Changes from 2016: Ottawa Fury FC and the Tampa Bay Rowdies moved in from the North American Soccer League; FC Montreal was disbanded; Saint Louis FC moved back in from the Western Conference;[6] Wilmington Hammerheads FC moved out to the Premier Development League (now USL League Two).

2018 (16 teams)

Changes from 2017: USL was divided into three divisions: Championship, League One and League Two; Atlanta United 2 was added as an expansion franchise; the Indy Eleven and North Carolina FC moved in from the North American Soccer League; the Harrisburg City Islanders were renamed Penn FC; Orlando City B and the Rochester Rhinos went on hiatus; Saint Louis FC moved out back to the Western Conference.[7]

2019 (18 teams)

Changes from 2018: FC Cincinnati disbanded to make way for the MLS franchise;[8] Birmingham Legion FC, Hartford Athletic, Loudoun United FC and Memphis 901 FC were added as expansion franchises; Saint Louis FC and the Swope Park Rangers moved in from the Western Conference; Orlando City B, the Richmond Kickers and Toronto FC II moved out to USL League One; Penn FC and the Rochester Rhinos went on hiatus. They will move to USL League One in 2020.

2020 (17 teams)

Group E (4 teams)

Group F (5 teams)

Group G (4 teams)

Group H (4 teams)

Changes from 2019: Nashville SC moved out to Major League Soccer; Bethlehem Steel FC was renamed Philadelphia Union II; the Swope Park Rangers were renamed Sporting Kansas City II; Ottawa Fury FC was not sanctioned by U.S. Soccer and had their franchise rights sold to Miami FC; Penn FC was disbanded. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic the conference was split into four groups. Three groups of four and one group of five.[9]

2021 (16 teams)

Atlantic Division (8 teams)

Central Division (8 teams)

Changes from 2020: The conference was divided into two divisions, Atlantic and Central; the OKC Energy FC and FC Tulsa moved in from the Western Conference; North Carolina FC moved out to USL League One; Philadelphia Union II was withdrawn by its MLS parent club; Saint Louis FC was disbanded.[10]

2022 (14 teams)

Changes from 2021: The Atlantic and Central divisions were dropped; OKC Energy FC went on hiatus; Charlotte Independence moved to USL League One; Detroit City FC joined from NISA; Sporting Kansas City II was withdrawn by its MLS parent club and moved to MLS Next Pro.[11]

2023 (12 teams)

Changes from 2022: Atlanta United 2 and New York Red Bulls II were withdrawn by its MLS parent club and moved to MLS Next Pro.[12]

2024 (12 teams)

Changes from 2023: North Carolina FC returned from USL League One.[13] Rhode Island FC was added as an expansion franchise.[14] Memphis 901 FC and FC Tulsa were moved to the Western Conference.[15]

Eastern Conference Playoff champions by year

Bold USL Champions
Season Champions Score Runners Up
2015 Rochester Rhinos 1–0 Louisville City FC
2016 New York Red Bulls II 1–1 (4–3 PK) Louisville City FC
2017 Louisville City FC 1–1 (4–3 PK) New York Red Bulls II
2018 Louisville City FC 5–1 New York Red Bulls II
2019 Louisville City FC 3–1 (AET) Indy Eleven
2020[a] Tampa Bay Rowdies 2–1 Louisville City FC
2021 Tampa Bay Rowdies 3–2 (AET) Louisville City FC
2022 Louisville City FC 1–0 (AET) Tampa Bay Rowdies
2023 Charleston Battery 2–1 Louisville City FC
2024 Rhode Island FC 2–1 Charleston Battery
  1. ^ USL Championship game canceled due to COVID-19 outbreak in the Rowdies camp.[16]

Eastern Conference regular season champions by year

Bold Players' Shield Champions
Season Team Record Playoffs result
2015 Rochester Rhinos 17–1–10 (+25) Won USL Championship
2016 New York Red Bulls II 21–3–6 (+40) Won USL Championship
2017 Louisville City FC 18–6–8 (+27) Won USL Championship
2018 FC Cincinnati 23–3–8 (+38) Lost Conference semifinals
2019 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC 19-4-11 (+28) Lost Conference semifinals
2020 Louisville City FC 11-3-2 (+16) Lost Conference Final
2021 Tampa Bay Rowdies 23–7–2 (+32) Lost Championship final
2022 Louisville City FC 22–6–6 (+37) Lost Championship final
2023 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC 19–5–10 (+21) Lost Conference quarterfinals
2024 Louisville City FC 24–6–4 (+43) Lost Conference semifinals

See also

References

  1. ^ "Expanded USL Unveils 2015 Format". United Soccer League (USL). January 21, 2015. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
  2. ^ Tsujimoto, Ben (November 30, 2017). "Rochester Rhinos to take hiatus from United Soccer League". Buffalo, NY: Buffalo News. Retrieved December 2, 2017.
  3. ^ "Orlando City B Elects to Forgo 2018 USL Division II Season". Orlando City SC. January 12, 2018. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
  4. ^ "OKC Energy FC Takes One-Year Hiatus from USL Championship Play Due to Stadium Renovations". uslchampionship.com. 13 December 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  5. ^ "2016 USL Alignment and Format Announced". United Soccer League (USL). January 20, 2016. Archived from the original on January 27, 2016. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
  6. ^ "USL Announces 2017 Conference Alignment". www.uslsoccer.com. United Soccer League (USL). January 9, 2017. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  7. ^ "USL Announces 2018 Conference Alignment". soccerstadiumdigest.com. Soccer Stadium Digest. January 12, 2018. Archived from the original on November 8, 2022. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  8. ^ "USL Championship Unveils 2019 Conference Alignment". United Soccer League (USL). December 13, 2018. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  9. ^ Lenard, John (June 26, 2020). "USL Championship announces Eastern Conference groups". 3rddegree.net. 3rd Degree. Archived from the original on November 8, 2022. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  10. ^ "USL Championship Releases 2021 League Alignment, Republic FC in Pacific Division". www.sacrepublicfc.com. Sacramento Republic FC. March 2, 2021. Archived from the original on November 7, 2022. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  11. ^ Krysinsky, John (December 21, 2021). "USL Championship releases 2022 schedule format and conference realignment". pittsburghsoccernow.com. Pittsburgh, PA: PGH Soccer Now. Archived from the original on November 7, 2022. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  12. ^ "USL sets Championship's 2023 conference alignment, season format". www.loucity.com. Louisville, KY: Louisville City FC. December 20, 2022. Archived from the original on December 20, 2022. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  13. ^ "North Carolina FC to rejoin USL Championship in 2024". North Carolina FC. August 7, 2023.
  14. ^ "Rhode Island Unveils 7,500-Seat Soccer-Specific Stadium Anchored by USL Championship Club". USL Championship. December 2, 2019. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  15. ^ "USL Championship Unveils 2024 Regular Season Schedule". USL Championship. USL Championship Staff. December 18, 2023. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
  16. ^ Carlisle, Jeff (2020-10-31). "USL final between Tampa Bay and Phoenix canceled after COVID-19 positives". www.espn.com. ESPN. Archived from the original on 2022-11-07. Retrieved 2022-11-06. The USL Championship final between the Tampa Bay Rowdies and Phoenix Rising has been canceled after multiple Tampa Bay players tested positive for COVID-19, the league announced on Saturday.