United Soccer League and players association ratify new collective bargaining agreements
The Guardian Sport • 2 min read • Latest: Sep 4, 2026, 9:37 PM
Last updated Sep 4, 2026
The United Soccer League and the USL Players Association reached an agreement on new collective bargaining pacts on Friday. These contracts cover two levels of the organization’s professional pyramid and remain in effect through the 2030 season. The deal introduces mandatory 12-month contracts for players, shifting away from the previous standard of 10-month agreements. Under the new terms, USL Championship base compensation will increase from $31,000 to $42,000 for the 2026 season. Additionally, the agreement establishes the first collective bargaining contract for the USL Premier, a new first-division league scheduled to launch in 2028. That inaugural agreement includes a base pay floor of $67,500 with annual salary growth built into the structure of the deal.
- •The new contracts for the USL Championship and USL Premier run through the 2030 season.
- •USL Championship base pay increases to $42,000 this year.
- •The agreement introduces 12-month contracts for players across both leagues.
- •The USL Premier begins with a $67,500 base salary in 2028.
- •The 12-month terms replace previous industry standards of 10-month contracts.
- 9:37 PMThe Guardian Sport — USL and players ratify new CBAs, raising salaries and introducing 12-month deals
"New pacts include CBA for first-division USL Premier Base pay for Championship grows from $31k to $42k Agreements run through the 2030 season The United Soccer League and USL Players Association announced the ratification of new collective bargaining agreements for two levels of the organization’s pyramid on Friday, with fresh terms taking effect immediately and running through 2030. The new pacts include a second agreement for the second-division USL Championship as well as the first CBA for the upcoming USL Premier, a first-division sanctioned league scheduled to kick off in 2028. Among the headline items of the deals is the introduction of 12-month contracts for players, a codified first in the US lower divisions. The first USL CBAs worked to standardize 10-month contracts; before then, clubs varied in their commitment to players. Championship players will earn a base compensation (which includes housing) of $42,000 in 2026 – up from $31,000 – with that floor increasing annually over the term of the agreement. The USL Premier will also launch with 12-month contracts and a compensation floor of $67,500 in 2028 with annual increases worked into the CBA. Continue reading...
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