The #USL has been granted Division 2 status by @ussoccer starting in 2017 #WeAreUnitedhttps://t.co/coP1XoOZUDpic.twitter.com/6JNwXsspYT
— USL (@USL) January 7, 2017
CARSON, Calif. – The U.S. Soccer Board of Directors voted on Friday to grant provisional Division II Status to both the United Soccer League and the North American Soccer League for the upcoming 2017 season.
Both leagues submitted applications for review, and while neither met all Division II standards set by U.S. Soccer, the board opted to grant provisional Division II status to each league with an eye toward full accreditation. USSF’s board also determined that the leagues will be required to meet the additional standards to reach full Division II status.
"After an exhaustive process working with both leagues, in the best interest of the sport the U.S. Soccer Board of Directors has decided to grant provisional Division II status to the NASL and USL," said U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati in a statement. "U.S. Soccer will create an internal working group that will work with each league to set a pathway to meet the full requirements for Division II and allow for the larger goal of creating a sustainable future. We look forward to another productive year for professional soccer in this country."
In their release, U.S. Soccer stated that they will determine additional requirements and a timeline for completion in the coming weeks.
"We would like to thank U.S. Soccer for taking the time to work through this process and provide us with provisional sanctioning for Division II in 2017,” said USL CEO Alec Papadakis. “We welcome the opportunity to work closely with U.S. Soccer to meet all the Division II standards in the near future and continue to be part of the impressive growth of the sport in the United States."
