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USL W has seen increased numbers across the board during for first four campaigns
TAMPA, Fla. – The USL W League is getting bigger.
Much bigger.
The USL W League is gearing up for its fourth season in 2025, which kicks off in less than three months, and the league has expanded and will feature a record 93 teams across 15 divisions, another record.
In its debut season in 2022, the USL W League started with 44 total clubs and have continued to expand each year.
In 2023, the league added 26 new teams, lost five to attrition and featured 65 total franchises.
The expansion continued in 2024, as the USL W League increased to 80 total teams, losing eight clubs but picking up 23 new teams.
During the offseason between the 2024 and 2025 seasons, the USL W League has established three new divisions – the SoCal Division, the Great Forest Division and the Chesapeake Division. Five clubs will compete in the SoCal and Chesapeake divisions, while six clubs will make up the Great Forest Division.
The 2025 season will feature 28 expansion clubs with at least one new club in 13 of the 15 divisions. The league lost 15 teams but saw another increase in total teams from 80 to 93 for this upcoming 2025 season.
The league has not announced if it will expand the postseason to more teams or hold it at a 16-team field for the 2025 playoffs. There were 16 teams that qualified for both the 2023 and 2024 postseason, while the 2022 campaign saw an eight-team bracket in the postseason.
Last year there were 12 total divisions spread over four conferences. There was a total of 2,162 total goals scored throughout the 2024 campaign, good for a combined 4.52 goals-per-game average over 468 total matches contested.
The 2023 campaign saw 375 matches played, with 1,464 total goals being scored and with a 3.90 goals-per-game-average.
The inaugural 2022 season saw 254 matches being completed with 935 total goals and a 3.68 goals-per-game average.
A year ago, it was the North Carolina Courage that ruled supreme with a 3-2 victory over first-time finalist Colorado Storm in the championship match, capping a four-win postseason where the Courage outscored the opposition 12-3. The Courage also reached the title game in 2023 where Indy Eleven prevailed with a 2-1triumph, while the inaugural finals in 2022 saw the South Georgia Tormenta FC gain the first crown with a 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Aurora FC.
Each team will play either 10 or 12 matches against divisional opponents over the course of the regular season. Upon the start of playoffs, conferences will be used to regionalize match ups with player welfare in mind. More information of the W League playoffs will be released prior to season kickoff.
The W League will release its full 2025 season schedule on Tuesday, Feb. 18:
USL W LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH RESULTS:
2022: South Georgia Tormenta FC 2, Minnesota Aurora FC 1
2023: Indy Eleven 2, North Carolina Courage FC 1
2024: North Carolina Courage FC 3, Colorado Storm 2
2024 POSTSEASON AWARDS
Best Player/MVP: Anna Haddock, Tennessee SC
Top Goal Scorer/Golden Boot: Luciana Setteductate, Long Island Rough Riders
Best Goalkeeper: Gabrielle Schriver, Detroit City FC
Biggest Home Win: Tennessee SC 15, Athens United 0
Biggest Away Win: Colorado Storm 14, CISA 0
Highest Scoring Game-Combined: Tennessee SC 15, Athens United 0
Longest Win Streak: North Carolina Courage FC, 14 games
Longest Unbeaten Streak: North Carolina Courage FC, 16 games
Longest Winless Streak (tie): Fayetteville Fury (12), Patuxent Football Athletics (12)
Longest Losing Streak (tie): Fayetteville Fury (12), Patuxent Football Athletics (12), CISA (12)
USL W LEAGUE EXPANSION TEAMS 2025
SC Blue Heat
Nona FC
Pittsburgh Riveters SC
Salmon Bay FC
WS Rhodies FC
Capistrano FC
Bigfoot FC
Annapolis Blues FC
Toledo Villa FC
FC Buffalo
Flower City 1872
Hudson Valley Crusaders
AMSG Futbol Club
Steel City FC
Union FC Macomb
San Juan SC
Sioux Falls City FC
Utah United
Southern California Dutch Lions FC
Dayton Dutch Lions FC
Virginia Beach United
Erie Sports Center
Lonestar San Antonio
NJ Copa FC
2025 USL W LEAGUE NEW DIVISIONAL ALIGNMENTS
(Note: An asterisk* denotes a new expansion team)
CENTRAL CONFERENCE
GREAT FOREST DIVISON:
Cleveland Force SC
Erie Sports Center*
FC Buffalo*
Flower City 1872*
Pittsburgh Riveters SC*
Steel City FC*
GREAT LAKES DIVISION:
AFC Ann Arbor
Detroit City FC
Kalamazoo FC
Midwest United FC
Toledo Villa FC*
Union FC Macomb*
HEARTLAND DIVISON:
Chicago City Dutch Lions FC
Minnesota Aurora FC
RKC Third Coast
River Light FC
Rochester FC
Sioux Falls City FC*
VALLEY DIVISION:
Dayton Dutch Lions FC*
Indy Eleven
Kings Hammer FC Cincinnati
Lexington SC
Racing Louisville FC
EASTERN CONFERENCE
CHESAPEAKE DIVISION:
Annapolis Blues FC*
Charlottesville Blues FC
Richmond Ivy SC
USL Norfolk*
Virginia Beach United FC*
METROPOLITAN DIVISION:
AC Connecticut
Cedar Stars
Hudson Valley Crusaders*
Long Island Rough Riders
Manhattan SC
Morris Elite SC
NJ Copa FC*
Paisley Athletic FC
SOUTH ATLANTIC DIVISION:
Carolina Ascent FC
Charlotte Eagles
NC Courage U23
North Carolina Fusion
South Carolina United Bantams
South Georgia Tormenta FC
Wake FC
MID-ATLANTIC DIVISION:
Eagle FC
Lancaster Inferno
Northern Virginia FC
Patuxent Football Athletics
Virginia Marauders FC
SOUTHERN CONFERENCE
LONE STAR DIVISION:
Eagle FC
Lancaster Inferno
Northern Virginia FC
Patuxent Football Athletics
Virginia Marauders FC
SOUTH CENTRAL DIVISION:
Asheville City SC
Birmingham Legion WFC
Chattanooga Red Wolves SC
Greenville Liberty SC
Southern Soccer Academy
Tennessee SC
USL Knoxville*
SOUTHEAST DIVISION:
Brevard Riptide
Brooke House FC
FC Miami City*
Fort Lauderdale United FC*
Kings Hammer FC Sun City
Miami AC
Sporting JAX
TLH Reckoning
SOUTHEAST DIVISION:
Brevard Riptide
Brooke House FC
FC Miami City*
Fort Lauderdale United FC*
Kings Hammer FC Sun City
Miami AC
Sporting JAX
TLH Reckoning
WESTERN CONFERENCE
MOUNTAIN DIVISION:
Albion SC Colorado
CISA
Colorado Storm
Flatirons FC
Utah United*
NORCAL DIVISION:
Academica SC
California Storm
Marin FC
Oakland Soul SC
Olympic Club
Pleasanton RAGE
San Francisco Glens SC
San Juan SC*
Stockton Cargo SC
NORTHWEST DIVISION:
Bigfoot FC*
FC Olympia
Lane United FC
Salmon Bay FC*
Tacoma Galaxy
West Seattle Rhodies FC*
SOCAL DIVISION:
AMSG FC*
Capo FC*
Santa Clarita Blue Heat FC*
Southern California Dutch Lions FC*
Additional club to be announced soon*
The USL W League will expand to a record 93 teams for the 2025 season.
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