The United Soccer League will soon launch a new USL Academy League with plans to kick off for the 2020/21 youth season.



According to a fact sheet distributed to league owners at Wednesday’s Board of Governors meeting in Orlando, Florida and acquired by The Athletic. Clubs from all three USL leagues (the Championship, League One, and League Two) will have the option of participating in the new Academy League.



The fact sheet also outlines the expectations for participants in the new league. Rather than setting up age-specific groups, each academy team will consist of players from the U-15 to U-19 levels. The factsheet offers two benefits of such an arrangement: it gives a chance for the older players to stand out as regulars while pushing younger players to raise their level, and also serves as a frugal way to build up one team of 18 or more players instead of three or four teams combining for more than 50.



The cost of these academy squads...