North Carolina FC will begin play in the United Soccer League (USL) in 2018. The new league will bring some changes in the way of regular-season scheduling and format, playoff structure and regional opponents.
Conference and Playoff Alignment:
One of the biggest differences NCFC fans will see in 2018 is the league format and schedule. The USL is currently split into Eastern and Western Conferences, highlighting regional rivalries for the club. NCFC is slated to play 34 matches in 2018, which will primarily consist of matches against opponents from the USL’s Eastern Conference.
NCFC will no longer play in a split Fall and Spring schedule, but instead battle for playoff positions in a single season with the top eight finishers in each conference advancing to face off in the 16-team USL Cup Playoffs.
The playoffs will feature single-elimination games. In the final, the Eastern Conference Champion will meet the Western Conference Champion to face off for the USL Cup. Louisville City FC claimed the 2017 USL Cup with a 1-0 victory against the Swope Park Rangers.
Fellow Expansions Teams:
NCFC is part of an exciting 2018 expansion class for the USL. The Eastern Conference will expand to add Nashville SC and an Atlanta United-operated USL side. Las Vegas Lights FC and Fresno FC are set to join the league’s Western Conference for 2018.
NCFC Renews Regional Rivalries:
Professional soccer rivalries between teams from North Carolina, Richmond, Charleston and Charlotte date back to the 1990s when the Raleigh Flyers were representing North Carolina and facing off against the Richmond Kickers and Charleston Battery – the two oldest, continuous professional soccer clubs in U.S. history. NCFC has faced the teams annually in preseason matches throughout the years, but will now add exciting regular-season contests against the storied clubs.
North Carolina FC’s annual battle with the Charlotte Independence will also expand to regular meetings in the USL regular season. Additionally, Nashville SC and an Atlanta-region USL team will add more regional rivalries to the mix for the club.
ABOUT USL
The USL is one of the most prominent Division II professional soccer leagues in the world, with 30 markets in 20 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces for the 2017 season. In total, the USL reaches a population of 75 million people, fueling the growth of professional soccer across North America.
In 2016, more than $100 million were invested league-wide into stadium infrastructure to create venues that deliver an unforgettable fan and competitor experience. The USL has national media partnerships with ESPN and SiriusXM, and recently invested $10 million to create USL Productions – which includes a state-of-the-art facility that will produce and distribute nearly 500 league matches and more than 1,000 hours of original content to national partners, local affiliates, USL’s Match Center and international markets.
A growing league, the USL has more than doubled in size since 2014, with Ottawa Fury FC, Reno 1868 FC and the Tampa Bay Rowdies debuting in 2017. Nashville SC, Fresno FC, Las Vegas Lights FC, North Carolina FC and a new club operated by Atlanta United of Major League Soccer are set to join the league for 2018, with Birmingham, Alabama, Austin, Texas and Memphis, Tennessee set to join the league in 2019. Beyond league play, the USL regularly features international exhibitions against leading Premier League, Liga MX, and Bundesliga clubs, among others.
Headquartered in Tampa, Fla., the USL provides unparalleled club support with a growing team of more than 50 professionals across 17 departments, ranging from operations to marketing, communications and sponsorship. Follow the USL at USLSoccer.com, the USL Match Center, and on social media via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
North Carolina FC will begin play in the United Soccer League (USL) in 2018. The new league will bring some changes in the way of regular-season scheduling and format, playoff structure and regional opponents.
Conference and Playoff Alignment:
One of the biggest differences NCFC fans will see in 2018 is the league format and schedule. The USL is currently split into Eastern and Western Conferences, highlighting regional rivalries for the club. NCFC is slated to play 34 matches in 2018, which will primarily consist of matches against opponents from the USL’s Eastern Conference.
NCFC will no longer play in a split Fall and Spring schedule, but instead battle for playoff positions in a single season with the top eight finishers in each conference advancing to face off in the 16-team USL Cup Playoffs.
The playoffs will feature single-elimination games. In the final, the Eastern Conference Champion will meet the Western Conference Champion to face off for the USL Cup. Louisville City FC claimed the 2017 USL Cup with a 1-0 victory against the Swope Park Rangers.
Fellow Expansions Teams:
NCFC is part of an exciting 2018 expansion class for the USL. The Eastern Conference will expand to add Nashville SC and an Atlanta United-operated USL side. Las Vegas Lights FC and Fresno FC are set to join the league’s Western Conference for 2018.
NCFC Renews Regional Rivalries:
Professional soccer rivalries between teams from North Carolina, Richmond, Charleston and Charlotte date back to the 1990s when the Raleigh Flyers were representing North Carolina and facing off against the Richmond Kickers and Charleston Battery – the two oldest, continuous professional soccer clubs in U.S. history. NCFC has faced the teams annually in preseason matches throughout the years, but will now add exciting regular-season contests against the storied clubs.
North Carolina FC’s annual battle with the Charlotte Independence will also expand to regular meetings in the USL regular season. Additionally, Nashville SC and an Atlanta-region USL team will add more regional rivalries to the mix for the club.
ABOUT USL
The USL is one of the most prominent Division II professional soccer leagues in the world, with 30 markets in 20 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces for the 2017 season. In total, the USL reaches a population of 75 million people, fueling the growth of professional soccer across North America.
In 2016, more than $100 million were invested league-wide into stadium infrastructure to create venues that deliver an unforgettable fan and competitor experience. The USL has national media partnerships with ESPN and SiriusXM, and recently invested $10 million to create USL Productions – which includes a state-of-the-art facility that will produce and distribute nearly 500 league matches and more than 1,000 hours of original content to national partners, local affiliates, USL’s Match Center and international markets.
A growing league, the USL has more than doubled in size since 2014, with Ottawa Fury FC, Reno 1868 FC and the Tampa Bay Rowdies debuting in 2017. Nashville SC, Fresno FC, Las Vegas Lights FC, North Carolina FC and a new club operated by Atlanta United of Major League Soccer are set to join the league for 2018, with Birmingham, Alabama, Austin, Texas and Memphis, Tennessee set to join the league in 2019. Beyond league play, the USL regularly features international exhibitions against leading Premier League, Liga MX, and Bundesliga clubs, among others.
Headquartered in Tampa, Fla., the USL provides unparalleled club support with a growing team of more than 50 professionals across 17 departments, ranging from operations to marketing, communications and sponsorship. Follow the USL at USLSoccer.com, the USL Match Center, and on social media via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
