The American Soccer Pyramid is a term used in soccer to describe the structure of the league system in the United States. For practical and historical reasons, some teams from Canada and Puerto Rico also compete. Football (soccer) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ...

The league structure in the United States is radically different from that used in much of the world (but like most other sports league systems in North America) in one key respect: promotion and relegation does not regularly occur between any two levels. This is because the teams are generally franchises awarded by the leagues, not theoretically autonomous clubs. World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ... In most sports leagues around the world (with the North American professional leagues as the most important exception), relegation (or demotion) means the mandated transfer of the worst team(s) of a higher division into a lower division at the end of the season. ...

Major League Soccer has a fixed number of franchises (currently 13), with no merit-based promotion possible from the USL First Division, which is run by a completely separate entity, the United Soccer Leagues (USL). Economic-based promotion to MLS can be considered should a club meet MLS requirements, namely to have a purpose-built stadium, an owner willing to foot the costs of competing in MLS, and acceptance of the league's various sponsorship deals. So far, no club has shown interest in meeting all of MLS criteria. Major League Soccer (MLS) is a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada. ... The United Soccer Leagues First Division (often referred to as simply, USL-1) is a professional mens soccer league in North America. ... The United Soccer Leagues (USL) is directly affiliated with the United States Soccer Federation (USSF), United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) and the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA). ...

The USL manages many leagues including the USL First and Second Divisions. There is no system of relegation, as of 2006, between the USL First and USL Second divisions. A promotion system has been established, but has largely been unused. Several franchises have voluntarily dropped from the First Division to the Second, usually to cut costs. The United Soccer Leagues First Division (often referred to as simply, USL-1) is a professional mens soccer league in North America. ... The United Soccer Leagues Second Division (often referred to as simply, USL-2) is a professional mens soccer league in North America, part of the United Soccer Leagues (USL) league pyramid. ... 2006 is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Men

The premier league in the United States is Major League Soccer. Under that would be the United Soccer Leagues (USL). The United States Adult Soccer Association is a group of local leagues at the amateur level. Major League Soccer (MLS) is a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada. ... The United Soccer Leagues (USL) is directly affiliated with the United States Soccer Federation (USSF), United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) and the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA). ... USASA is the United States Adult Soccer Association. ...

Women

At the moment, the Women's United Soccer Association is on hiatus, leaving the Women's Premier Soccer League WPSL and the USL's W-League as the top flight in American women's soccer. WUSA logo The Womens United Soccer Association formed in 2001 as a soccer league for women in the United States. ... WPSL re-directs here; an alternate meaning is WPSL (AM) The Womens Premier Soccer League (WPSL) is a national amateur womens soccer league. ... The W-League is the first modern womens soccer league in the United States pyramid. ...

• W-League
• WPSL
• PCSL: Women's Division

The W-League is the first modern womens soccer league in the United States pyramid. ... WPSL re-directs here; an alternate meaning is WPSL (AM) The Womens Premier Soccer League (WPSL) is a national amateur womens soccer league. ... The Pacific Coast Soccer League (PCSL) is a soccer league for men and women based out of the Pacific Northwest. ...

See also

• English football league system