The USL Championship Final, formerly the USL Cup, is the post-season championship match of the USL Championship, the second tier of professional men's soccer in the United States. The winner is crowned champion in the same manner as in other North American sports leagues (i.e. via a playoff following a regular season). This differs from other top soccer leagues around the world which consider the club with the most points at the end of the season to be the sole champion. USL honors that achievement with the .
Unlike most soccer league, but much like North American sports leagues, the USL champions does not earn promotion into Major League Soccer, due to the fixed membership structure found in the league.
The original USL Championship dates back to 2005 with the now-defunct USL First Division, which served as a predecessor to the current USL. Today the USL Cup is typically held in mid-November, featuring the winners of the Eastern Conference Championship and Western Conference Championship.
Match decided by a penalty shootout after extra time
*
Match decided in extra time
Records and statistics[]
USL Championship titles[]
As of the 2021 season, 52 teams have competed in USL under its current branding. Twelve of these teams have appeared in a cup final, with six of these teams having won the USL Cup.
2021 USL Championship Playoffs
Soccer in the United States
Soccer in Canada