USL League One

USL League One, or USL1, is a professional men’s soccer league in the USA. The competition was founded in 2017 but held its inaugural season in 2019. Managed by the United Soccer League (USL), it operates at Division III of the United States Soccer League system, positioned below Major League Soccer (Division I) and the USL Championship (Division II) but alongside MLS Next Pro and the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA).

The league follows a spring-to-fall schedule, with the regular season starting in March or April and concluding in October. USL League One began with ten teams but expanded to 12 by 2021, with further growth expected in the following seasons. At the end of the USL1 regular season, the top teams advance to the playoffs, concluding in November. This knockout round, including the USL League One final, follows a single-elimination format to determine the champion. Meanwhile, the team with the most points during the regular season is awarded the Players' Shield, equivalent to Major League Soccer’s Supporters’ Shield.

All USL League One teams participate in the USL Cup and are granted a pathway to the U.S. Open Cup. This championship used to host Major League Soccer (MLS) reserve teams until the formation of MLS Next Pro in 2021. The inaugural USL1 title went to North Texas SC who beat Greenville Triumph SC 1-0 in the final. The South Carolina-based outfit made amends for that 2019 defeat by lifting the 2020 crown, though the final was not contested due to the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing them to win on a points-per-game basis. 2022 was the first year the USL1 title and Players’ Shield were won by two different clubs, with those silverware going to South Georgia Tormenta FC and Richmond Kickers, respectively.