The United States Soccer Federation (USSF), commonly referred to as U.S. Soccer, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the official governing body of the sport of soccer in the United States. Headquartered in Chicago, the federation is a full member of FIFA and governs American soccer at the international, professional, and amateur levels, including: the men's and women's national teams, Major League Soccer, National Women's Soccer League, youth organizations, beach soccer, futsal, Paralympic, and deaf national teams. U.S. Soccer sanctions referees and soccer tournaments for most soccer leagues in the United States. The U.S. Soccer Federation also administers and operates the U.S. Open Cup and the SheBelieves Cup.
USL League Two (USL2), formerly the Premier Development League (PDL), is a semi-professional soccer league sponsored by United Soccer Leagues in the United States and Canada, forming part of the United States soccer league system. The league featured 122 teams for 2023, split into eighteen regional divisions across four conferences. USL League Two is headquartered in Tampa, Florida.
The Vancouver Whitecaps FC women was a Canadian soccer club based in Vancouver, British Columbia that played in the USL W-League, the second tier of women's soccer in the United States and Canada. The team was formed in 2001 under the name Vancouver Breakers following a merger of the Vancouver Lady 86ers and Vancouver Angels. In 2003, they changed their name to the Whitecaps to match the men's team.
North Carolina FC is an American professional soccer team in Cary, North Carolina, a suburb of Raleigh, and member of the USL Championship. Founded in 2006, the team previously was named the Carolina Railhawks.
Sound Football Club is an American women's soccer team in the Women's Premier Soccer League. Sound FC play its home games at Starfire Sports Stadium in Tukwila, Washington, six miles south of downtown Seattle.
The history of Vancouver Whitecaps FC, a professional soccer team based in Vancouver, Canada, spans over four decades. The first team to use the "Whitecaps" name was the Vancouver Whitecaps of the now-defunct North American Soccer League, playing from 1974 to 1984. After two years while the core of the players were focused on preparations for the 1986 World Cup, a second version of the club was founded in 1986 as the Vancouver 86ers. This team bought back the Whitecaps name in 2000 and has operated continuously in various leagues since 1986. A Whitecaps FC team began play in Major League Soccer starting in 2011 making it the first time since 1984 that a "Whitecaps" team played in the top tier of soccer in the United States and Canada.
Justi Michelle Baumgardt-Yamada is an American soccer coach and retired player who was a member of the United States women's national soccer team, where she played as a midfielder.
Phoenix Rising Football Club is an American professional soccer team based in Phoenix, Arizona. Founded in 2014 as Arizona United Soccer Club, the team is a member of the USL Championship. They won the league championship in 2023, defeating the Charleston Battery 3–2 on penalty kicks after a 1–1 draw in regulation time.
AFC Ann Arbor is an American soccer club based in Ann Arbor, Michigan with a men's team that has played in USL League Two since 2020 and a women's team that has played in USL W League since 2020. The men's team played in the National Premier Soccer League from 2016 to 2019, and the women's team played in the United Women's Soccer during its inaugural 2019 season.
Tacoma Defiance, formerly Seattle Sounders FC 2, is an American professional soccer team based in Puget Sound region in Tukwila, Washington, U.S. that competes in the MLS Next Pro, the third tier of the United States soccer league system, as the reserve team of Seattle Sounders FC. Formerly, 20 percent of the club was fan-owned through the non-profit Sounders Community Trust.
Deklan Terrence Wynne is a New Zealand footballer who plays as a left-back for EFL League One club Port Vale. A New Zealand international, he played in the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup. However, as he was born in South Africa he was judged to be ineligible to represent New Zealand in the Olympics and as a result, New Zealand were excluded from competing in football at the 2016 Olympic Games.
FC Cincinnati is an American professional soccer club based in Cincinnati. The club plays in the Eastern Conference of Major League Soccer (MLS). The team was first announced on August 12, 2015 as a United Soccer League (USL) franchise which played from 2016 to 2018. On May 29, 2018, the club's ownership was awarded an MLS franchise, and the team began MLS play on March 2, 2019. The club's ownership group is led by Carl Lindner III with Jeff Berding serving as co-CEO. Currently, the role of general manager is held by Chris Albright.
Oakland Roots Sports Club is an American professional soccer team based in Oakland, California. The club was formed in 2018 by a group of Oakland natives, and began play in the National Independent Soccer Association in the fall of 2019. In 2021, the club joined the second division USL Championship.
Trey Muse is an American professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Major League Soccer club Portland Timbers.
Benjamin Willis is an American soccer player and coach who is currently the head coach of Oly Town FC's USL W League side and an assistant for the University of Puget Sound Loggers women's team.
The USL W League (USLW) is a pre-professional women's soccer league in the United States which began play in May 2022. It follows the USL W-League, a similar league that existed from 1995 to 2015.
Leigh Veidman is an English professional football coach and former player who is the head coach of USL League One club Spokane Velocity.
Ballard FC is an American soccer club based in Seattle, Washington, competing in the Northwest Division of USL League Two. They began play in the 2022 season and won their first league championship in 2023. The team's home venue for the 2024 season is Memorial Stadium at the Seattle Center.
FC Olympia, formerly Oly Town Artesians FC, is an American soccer club from Olympia, Washington. It has a men's outdoor team in USL League Two, a men's indoor team in the Western Indoor Soccer League, a women's outdoor side in the USL W League, and a women's indoor side in the Northwest Premier League.
The 2024 USL League Two season will be the 30th season of USL League Two, a semi-professional soccer league in the United States and Canada.
