GOAL takes a look at the upcoming USL Championship season, with five key storylines to watch
The 2024 USL season was an exhilarating campaign that saw an unexpected champion arise from the smoke in Colorado Switchbacks FC. They defeated expansion side Rhode Island FC in the 2024 final, dominating the newcomers 3-0 to lift the title.
It arrived after Louisville City dominated the regular season, winning the 2024 Players' Shield with a staggering 76 points. For comparison's sake, the Switchbacks ended their campaign with 52. However, in the postseason, City were upset by Rhode Island en route to their Cinderella playoff run to the final as the No. 5 seed.
It was also a record-setting season for the USL, as they saw Charleston Battery attacker Nick Markanich depart for second division Spanish side CD Castellon in a historic six-figure transfer.
All in all, it was a historic year for the growth of the league.
Now, though, heading into 2025 — the USL is looking to push further, break more barriers, and establish themselves even more in the soccer landscape in the United States. They'll have another expansion team joining them in Lexington SC as they look to do so, while the Championship prepares for another blockbuster campaign.
GOAL takes a look at five of the major emerging storylines around the league, days out from the start of the 2025 season.
Colorado Springs SwitchbacksCan Colorado run it back?
The Switchbacks seized a historic title in front of their faithful fans at Weidner Field in 2024, claiming the first title as a program in the USL Championship.
"It's massive," Colorado Springs manager James Chambers said of the team's first title after the match. "At 10 o'clock in the morning, and we walked out and this place was on wheels. That's what we want. [The fans] were unbelievable today. And honestly, I think they have found it a little bit [of a boost] because really proud of everybody coming out this morning and just giving the players as much energy as possible."
Now, heading into 2025, they're going to be looking to make sure it was no fluke of a playoff run.
The Switchbacks will look to make a run towards the Western Conference title once again, while earning the No. 1 seed in the West for the postseason, as well. In 2024, they finished the regular season second in the West, trailing New Mexico United's 59 points by seven, with 52 of their own.
Yet, they'll have some questions ahead — including goalscoring. Last season, they were spearheaded by a 14-goal season from attacker Ronaldo Damus. However, with Damus no longer on their books after his loan ended, they'll need to re-evaluate their attack ahead of 2025.
They'll also look to shore up their defense, as they only held a +8 goal-differential by the end of the season, in comparison to regular season title winners Louisville City FC, who had a +43.
With their first match of the campaign against El Paso Locomotive FC, they'll look to begin the season with three points on the road as they defend their USL title.
AdvertisementIMGANWill Louisville overcome playoff struggles?
Winners of the USL Shield in 2024 and runners-up in 2022, Louisville City has been a dominant force in the Eastern Conference in recent seasons. Last year, they were widely expected to make a deep playoff run and contend for the championship. However, their postseason ended in disappointment as they suffered a shocking upset against Rhode Island, an all-too-familiar feeling for the club in recent years.
A perennial contender, Louisville won back-to-back USL Cups in 2017 and 2018 and finished as runners-up in 2019 and 2022. Yet, the past two seasons have fallen short of expectations, with consecutive semifinal exits.
Despite an impressive regular season in 2024, their playoff performance left much to be desired. They were dismantled 3-0 at home by a team they had beaten 5-2 and drawn 0-0 against earlier in the season. Louisville had been shut out just twice all year—the other being a 1-0 loss to Oakland Roots—suggesting their attack simply didn't click on the day in what was an uncharacteristic showing
As they head into 2025, one of their key priorities will be finding a way to translate regular-season dominance into postseason success. Manager Danny Cruz will be tasked with guiding Louisville back to the USL Championship final—a stage where a club of their stature belongs.
USLWas Rhode Island's fairytale run just that?
For an expansion team to make a splash like Rhode Island did in the 2024 season was nothing short of remarkable. They were instantly one of the league's most competitive sides, and come the playoffs, they knocked out the No. 1 overall seed and stormed their way to USL Cup in their debut season; it was historic, and something truly incredible for the program.
Now, in 2025 though, they cannot afford to take a step back.
Competing for the Eastern Conference title, the USL Shield and the USL Cup will all be targets for the club, along with their participation in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The expectation would be that they compete in every category, and ideally, leave the season with at least one piece of silverware.
Led by attacker pairing J.J. Williams and Albert Dikwa, who both bagged 11 goals last season, Rhode Island will look to avoid the sophomore slump and immediately begin things on a high note when they take on the Charleston Battery on the road in their opening match of the season Saturday evening.
Ben Clemens/Charleston BatteryCan USL develop another Markanich?
When Markanich officially left the U.S. for Spain on Jan. 1, it was a really big deal for the league. It was a sign that they could develop and ship talent overseas, and not just be a development league for potential MLS players.
What his move does mean, though, is that USL cannot afford for him to be a one-off transfer.
Going forward as the USL grows and broadens its ambitions as a footballing organization, more priority will need to be put on young domestic players that are brought up from around the league. Others, like Jonathan Gomez, Joshua Wynder, Ronaldo Damus (before coming back for a second stint), and Ethan Kohl have all made their way to Europe, too, but it needs to become a regular trend in every single transfer window going forward.
Whether it's young U.S. prospects like Wynder and Gomez, or established playmakers like Markanich who have outgrown the USL level after thriving in it, 2025 needs to be a year where the league takes another step forward in producing top-tier exports to foreign leagues.
