Affiliations
USL is directly affiliated with the United States Soccer Federation (USSF), United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA), the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA), the Puerto Rican Football Federation (PRFF) and the Bermudan Football Association (BFA).
Rosters
USL rosters may consist of a maximum of 26 players, with 18 designated for each game. In the PDL and W-League, at least three(3)players in a full 26-player roster must be under 19, in accordance with guidelines set by the USASA and USSF. In the PDL, a maximum of eight (8) players may be over the age of 23. In USL-1 and USL-2, each team is permitted a maximum of five (5) foreign players on its active game-day roster and a maximum of seven (7) foreign players on its master roster. The PDL is permitted a maximum of six (6) on both rosters and the W-League is permitted a maximum of seven (7) on both rosters.
Roster Freeze
Each USL league has a Roster Freeze Date after which no team may register any new players. For 2004, those dates are:
W-League: July 11
PDL: July 18
USL Second Division: July 23
USL First Division: July 30
TRANSFER WINDOWS
From the 2007 season and until further notice, FIFA will not register player transfers that take place outside of the following transfer windows:
Transfer Windows
- January 15 until April 15 (the “primary window”)
- June 15 until August 15 (the “secondary window”)
Amateur Player Definition
An amateur player is defined by the following: A player who does not receive payment for playing soccer and who has signed an amateur registration form with U.S. Soccer or Canadian Soccer Association. Amateur players may be reimbursed for certain expenses as allowed by USSF / CSA / NCAA rules.
Point System
The standard FIFA (3-1-0) system awards three points for a regulation or overtime victory. In the case of a tie, each team will be awarded one point.
Game clock
All games are comprised of 90 minutes (two 45-minute halves). No overtime is utilized.
LAWS OF THE GAME
USL adheres to all the Laws of the Game as dictated by FIFA, soccer’s international governing body.
Substitutions
Five (5) substitutions are allowed per league game with no re-entry permitted in the USL professional leagues. Six (6) will be allowed in the PDL and W-League.
Standings tiebreakers
The breaking of ties in the final league standings, playoffs and finals is accomplished by applying the following criteria, listed in order of importance:
1) Head-to-head record based on total points in League games.*
2) Total wins in League games
3) Goal difference in League games.
4) Goals scored in League games.
5) Total points within smallest grouping. If number of games is unequal, then point percentage will be used.
6) Ranking based on points earned against top four group finishers. This tiebreaker will not be used if four or less teams comprise the group. If number of games is unequal, then point percentage applies.
7) Point percentage outside/smallest division or conference in League games
8) Total points in all regular season and Open Cup Qualifying games combined. If number of games is unequal, then point percentage applies.
9) FIFA Fair Play – Team with fewest disciplinary points in League games. (If number of games is unequal, points will be divided by games played to arrive at a common basis for comparison.)
10) Lottery conducted by USL at League office.
League games: refers solely to games that count towards the regular season standings. Open Cup qualifying specific games are NOT “League games” when it comes to determining placement in the League standings. (When utilizing these criteria to determine tiebreakers for Open Cup groups, “League games” should be interpreted as all games that count toward the Open Cup group standings.)
* Should more than two teams involved have played each other an UNEQUAL number of times, this tiebreaker will be skipped.
Group: term used to describe the primary unit in which a team competes (i.e. PDL – Southwest Division)
Point Percentage: number of total points earned / maximum possible points (3 per game)
SCHEDULES
USL First Division: Each USL FIrst Division team plays 28 games during the regular season. Each team will face everyone in the league home and away with additional matches versus regional rivals.
USL Second Division: Each team plays 20 games during the regular season. Each team will face everyone in the league home and away with additional matches versus regional rivals.
USL PDL: Each team plays 16 games during the regular season.
W-League: Each team plays 12 or 14 games during the regular season.
PLAYOFFS
Each league in USL has its own distinct playoff system that will determine the league champion.
USL First Division: The top eight teams enter the playoffs with the top seed playing the bottom seed, etc. The Quarterfinal series are September 14 and 16 and the Semifinal series are September 21 and 23. Both series are two-leg, aggregate score series. The USL First Division Championship will be held September 29 and will be broadcast on Fox Soccer Channel.
USL Second Division: The top four teams enter the playoffs with single-game Semifinals August 16-20. The USL Second Division Championship will be held August 25 and will be broadcast on Fox Soccer Channel.
USL PDL: The conference playoffs, featuring the top two clubs from each division will take place July 27-29. The league semifinals will occur the weekend of August 2-5 with the championship Saturday, August 11. The PDL Championship will be broadcast on Fox Soccer Channel.
W-League: The Rochester Rhinos receive an automatic berth to the semifinals as host of the W-League Championship tournament. To determine the three conference champions to join the Rhinos in the semifinals, the three conferences will use the following systems:
Central Conference: The top two teams in each of the divisions will play in a four-team conference championship tournament that will be hosted by the pre-determined team, who will not receive an automatic berth.
Eastern Conference: The Eastern Conference regular season champion will play host to the four-team conference championship tournament consisting of the host, the other regular season division champion and two First Round playoff winners. The First Round divisional match-ups, to be played midweek, will feature the third-place clubs visiting the second-place sides for a chance to advance to the conference tournament. The Conference Champion will advance to the W-League Championship tournament.
Western Conference: The top two teams will play for the conference championship.
The W-League Championship will be held in Rochester with the Semifinals August 3 and the W-League Championship August 5. The Championship will be broadcast on Fox Soccer Channel.
Single playoff matches
During postseason play, single games tied after regulation will be followed by two 15-minute overtime periods played in their entirety. If still tied, FIFA penalty kicks are used to determine the winner.
Two-leg, aggregate score series
Playoffs: Each team will host a regulation 90-minute match. If the series score is tied at the conclusion of the second game (180 minutes total), two 15-minute overtime periods are played in their entirety to determine the series winner. If neither team scores, the series is then decided via FIFA penalty kicks. Rules governing the play of overtime and penalty kicks are extended from the second match.
