Jeff KassoufJun 5, 2026, 12:38 PM ETCloseJeff Kassouf covers women's soccer for ESPN, focusing on the USWNT and NWSL. In 2009, he founded The Equalizer, a women's soccer news outlet, and he previously won a Sports Emmy at NBC Sports and Olympics.
The USL Super League will flip its calendar to begin play in the spring and end its season in the fall beginning in 2027, which will align the Super League with the NWSL. Both leagues are sanctioned by U.S. Soccer as first divisions.
USL Super League president Amanda Vandervort told ESPN that the change is being made to be more collaborative and better align with other North American leagues, particularly with the 2031 World Cup expected to be hosted by the United States.
"I think it's the marketplace that's shifted and we want to be part of that," Vandervort said. "We want to be a leader within that space. Our strategy has always been to be a leader in global soccer, but for us, with the World Cup coming to the United States, and with the changes in the ecosystem domestically, that means being on this calendar."
The Super League launched in August 2024 as a fall-to-spring league, a major differentiator from the NWSL that Vandervort said at the time would align with global transfers and international tournaments. Its second season wrapped up last weekend with Lexington SC winning the final in extra time.
The Super League will stage an abbreviated 2026 fall season to transition to the new calendar.
News of the change comes less than two months after ESPN first reported that the NWSL was considering changing its calendar in the reverse direction. The NWSL Board of Governors ultimately called off a vote on the topic following intense player pushback, and the league announced it was committed to its current spring-to-fall schedule footprint through at least 2030.
Alignment with the NWSL could have significant benefits for the USL Super League.
ESPN reported in May that U.S. Soccer has held discussions with leaders from the NWSL, the USL and the forthcoming WPSL Pro second division about the prospect of an inter-league cup competition that would begin as early as 2028.
That prospective competition could also serve as a pathway to qualification for the Concacaf W Champions Cup, a regional competition in which the Super League wants its teams to take part.
Concacaf recently announced a reformatting of that competition to also have each edition take place across a single calendar year beginning in 2027. U.S. Soccer ultimately works with Concacaf to decide how teams qualify for that competition. No decision has been made yet about which teams will compete in the delayed 2027 edition.
U.S. Soccer leadership, including CEO JT Batson and president Cindy Parlow Cone, was also involved in recent broader discussions about creating alignment within the U.S. women's soccer ecosystem, Vandervort said.
"U.S. Soccer has been about collaboration in this space," she said. "In fact, they have even brought us together and talk about: How do we collaborate? And how do we build the best women's soccer in the United States going forward?
"That's also been a big piece of this. How do we collaborate with the federation to make sure that we are helping shape the future of women's soccer in the United States in a collaborative way?"
Vandervort said that ultimately, the Super League's calendar change was about the USL and not the NWSL.
As multiple sources noted, however, alignment with the NWSL will reduce friction over loan deals between teams. College players will also be able to sign with teams at the beginning of the season, rather than halfway through.
"The mission remains more soccer in more communities," Vandervort said. "We really are about creating these opportunities for women in cities and communities that haven't had access."
In a statement to ESPN, the USL Players' Association acknowledged its part in discussions over the calendar as part of talks around the collective bargaining agreement.
"The USLPA and the League have been engaged in regular collective bargaining discussions since December 2025, working toward an agreement that supports the long-term success of all parties. In recent weeks, negotiations have intensified to align with the League's scheduling plans and establish a contract before the start of the fall sprint season," it said.
"The USLPA remains committed to securing the professional standards players need to thrive in Super League, both now and in the future, and looks forward to working with the League to bring negotiations to a successful conclusion."
Eight teams will compete in the USL Super League's abbreviated fall season, which will being on Aug.15 and end with a championship game on Dec. 12.
Spokane Zephyr FC folded in late May after two seasons of play. The same ownership group will continue to operate its USL men's team.
Vandervort said she could not yet comment on potential expansion for 2027. The USL previously announced several potential Super League expansion teams, most of which were pending the approval of stadium projects.
"I think collectively, our clubs, our ownership groups, they're committed to continuing to grow and develop the league," Vandervort said. "They're excited about the future, they're excited about the Olympics in 2028, the runway ahead of us, and the growth of women's soccer. They know that they're part of the growth of the game."
Source: https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/48976144/usl-super-league-flip-calendar-nwsl