Midwest Premier League
 | The topic of this article may not meet Wikipedia's notability guideline for sports and athletics. (May 2020) |
 | |
| Founded | 2019 |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Confederation | CONCACAF |
| Divisions | 2 |
| Number of teams | 20 |
| Level on pyramid | 5 |
| Domestic cup(s) | U.S. Open Cup (via qualifying tournament & NAC) National Amateur Cup (via USASA Region II) |
| International cup(s) | CONCACAF Champions League (via U.S. Open Cup) |
| Current champions | Detroit City U23 (East), Milwaukee Bavarian SC (West) (2021 season) |
| Most championships | Detroit City U23 and Milwaukee Bavarian SC (1 division title each) |
| Website | http://midwestpl.com/ |
| Current: 2021 MWPL season | |
The Midwest Premier League is an American amateur and semi-professional soccer league. The league spans primarily the eastern and central portions of the Midwestern United States.
History[]
The league was founded by four clubs which were all previously members of the United Premier Soccer League Midwest Conference.[1] Following the 2019 UPSL season, the clubs decided that they could create a stable league that would focus on sustainability of the member clubs by sharing ideas, keeping league costs to a minimum, and maximizing the opportunities for all clubs to compete by limiting end-of-season playoffs that often shorten the season for many teams.
The league announced as its first member on September 18, 2019, with the other three founding members being announced in the subsequent weeks. After a period with no expansion news, of Normal, Illinois was announced as a new participant, with expansion side being unveiled shortly thereafter.
The league was set to kickoff in Spring 2020, however the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.[2]
On July 27, 2020, the league announced from Lansing, Michigan as a new member club.[3][4]
On September 3, 2020, the MWPL entered a partnership agreement with the National Independent Soccer Association, a USSF Division 3 professional league, which includes pathways for both players and clubs to go fully pro.[5][6]
Current teams[]
West Michigan
West Division
East Division
| Team | City | Stadium | Founded | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Division | |||||||
| Berber City FC | Chicago, IL | Lions for Hope Sports Complex | 2013 | ||||
| Cedar Rapids Inferno[7] | Fairfax, IA | Fairfax Sports & Park Complex | 2019 | ||||
| Chicago Athletic FC | Bensenville, IL | Redmond Recreational Complex | |||||
| Chicago Mustangs | Crystal Lake, IL | MAC Athletic Complex | 2012 | ||||
| DeKalb County United | DeKalb, IL | NIU Soccer and Track & Field Complex | 2017 | ||||
| FC Diablos | Bloomington, IL | Tucci Stadium | 2019 | ||||
| Edgewater Castle FC | Chicago, IL | CIBC Fire Pitch | 2017 | ||||
| Milwaukee Bavarian SC | Glendale, WI | Heartland Value Fund Stadium | 1929 | ||||
| RWB Adria | Chicago, IL | Hales Franciscan High School | 1959 | ||||
| Rockford FC | Rockford, IL | Auburn High School | 2019 | ||||
| Steel City FC | Joliet, IL | DuPage Medical Group Field | 2020 | ||||
| Union Dubuque FC | Dubuque, IA | Dubuque Soccer Complex | 2017 | ||||
| East Division | |||||||
| BiH Grand Rapids | Grand Rapids, MI | Midwest United Complex | 2018 | ||||
| Detroit City FC U23 | Hamtramck, MI | Keyworth Stadium | 2020 | ||||
| Inter Detroit | Auburn Hills, MI | Evolution Sportsplex | 2017 | ||||
| Lansing Common FC | Lansing, MI | Eastern High School Stadium | 2020 | ||||
| Livonia City FC | Livonia, MI | Schoolcraft College | 2015 | ||||
| LK St. Clair | Mount Clemens, MI | Mount Clemens High School | 2017 | ||||
| Michigan Stars U23 | Washington Township, MI | Michigan Stars Sports Center | 1982 | ||||
| West Michigan Bearings | Byron Center, MI | South Christian High School | 2020 | ||||
| Team | City | Founded | Join | ||||
| Future | |||||||
| Grand Haven Admirals | Grand Haven, MI | 2019 | 2022 | ||||
Seasons[]
East Division
| Season | Winner | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Detroit City U23 | Lansing Common |
West Division
| Season | Winner | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Milwaukee Bavarian SC | RWB Adria |
Notable former players[]
, - 2020, signed in 2021 by Chicago House AC ()- , RWB Adria - 2020, signed in 2021 by Chicago House AC ()
- , RWB Adria - 2020, signed in 2021 by Chicago House AC ()
References[]
- ^ Erik Long, "Sustainability and Responsible Growth, Protagonist USA, 9 October 2019
- ^ O'Connor, Larry. "Midwest Premier League cancels 2020 soccer season". The Detroit News. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
- ^ Friend, Phil. "How a group of fans created Lansing Common Football Club, a team owned by its supporters". Lansing State Journal. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
- ^ Saliby, Sophia. "A Year After Lansing Ignite Folded, Lansing Common FC To Step In As Community-Run Team". www.wkar.org. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
- ^ "NISA Grows Amateur Affiliations in Partnership with Newly-Minted Midwest Premier League". www.nisasoccer.com. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
- ^ "MWPL Joins Forces with NISA". Midwest Premier League. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
- ^ Douglas Miles, "Cedar Rapids Inferno Joins New Midwest Premier League", Cedar Rapids Gazette, 9 October 2019
- Soccer leagues in the United States
- 2019 establishments in the United States
- Sports leagues established in 2019
- Soccer in Iowa
- Soccer in Wisconsin
- Soccer in Illinois
- Soccer in Michigan