The 21 Best USL Championship Teams of All Time

From fan-owned clubs with cult followings to perennial playoff machines, this lineup spans the league's biggest markets and its scrappiest underdogs. Who tops your table?

1. 1
   Louisville City FC

   A back-to-back USL Championship title winner (2017, 2018) and one of the league's most consistently dominant clubs.
   1000pts
2. 2
   El Paso Locomotive FC

   A border-city club known for high-altitude away trips and a dedicated fan base.
   622pts
3. 3
   Birmingham Legion FC

   A rapidly rising Southern club that has become a regular playoff threat since joining the league.
   551pts
4. 4
   Sacramento Republic FC

   Won the 2014 USL Pro title in its debut season and has drawn some of the biggest crowds in American second-division soccer ever since.
   466pts
5. 5
   Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC

   Colorado Springs' high-altitude club won its first USL Championship title in 2024, beating Rhode Island FC 3-0 in the final at home.
   466pts
6. 6
   Charleston Battery

   The league's oldest continuously operating club, founded in 1993 with a long playoff pedigree.
   466pts
7. 7
   Rhode Island FC

   A new-era club that reached the USL Championship final in its debut 2024 season and immediately drew some of the league's largest crowds.
   363pts
8. 8
   Phoenix Rising FC

   Won the 2023 USL Championship final on penalties at Charleston after finishing runner-up in 2018, when a star-studded roster featured Didier Drogba.
   363pts
9. 9
   Detroit City FC

   A fan-owned club famous for its Corktown atmosphere, one of the most talked-about supporter cultures in American soccer.
   363pts
10. 10
    Tampa Bay Rowdies

    A historic soccer name dating back to the original NASL, now a USL Championship mainstay.
    0pts
11. 11
    Indy Eleven

    An Indianapolis club known for its passionate supporters' section and multiple deep playoff runs.
    0pts
12. 12
    San Antonio FC

    San Antonio's club won the 2022 USL Championship, beating Louisville City 3-1 in the final after topping the Western Conference regular season.
    0pts
13. 13
    Memphis 901 FC

    A club named for the city's area code that has built a loyal downtown fanbase.
    0pts
14. 14
    Orlando City SC

    The USL Pro powerhouse that won the 2011 and 2013 league titles and three regular-season crowns before stepping up to MLS in 2015.
15. 15
    Rochester Rhinos

    Rochester's storied club won the 2015 USL title in extra time against LA Galaxy II, adding to the Rhinos' tradition of second-division championships.
16. 16
    New York Red Bulls II

    The MLS reserve side that won the 2016 USL Cup with a 5-1 rout of Swope Park Rangers in the final at Red Bull Arena.
17. 17
    Real Monarchs

    Real Salt Lake's reserve team that stunned the league to win the 2019 USL Championship final 3-1 away at Louisville City.
18. 18
    Orange County SC

    The Southern California club that won the 2021 USL Championship title, beating the Tampa Bay Rowdies 3-1 in the final.
19. 19
    Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

    Won the 2023 Players' Shield and then the 2025 USL Championship, the first champion to go through an entire postseason without conceding a goal.
20. 20
    FC Cincinnati

    Drew record USL crowds and won the 2018 regular-season title with a then-record points total before moving up to Major League Soccer in 2019.
21. 21
    FC Tulsa

    Oklahoma's club reached the 2025 USL Championship final, losing only on penalties to Pittsburgh after a scoreless 120 minutes.

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