PHOENIX – As the regular season draws to a close in the coming weeks, the playoffs are not the only thing looming for the USL Championship.
The league’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement, finalized in October of 2021, is slated to expire Dec. 31. Fans of teams in other tiers of the American soccer pyramid need not fret, as the CBA for each level is resolved separately and ends in different years.
The CBA of Major League Soccer, the level directly above the USL Championship and the highest level of professional play in the United States, runs through January of 2028, while USL League One, which is a tier below the USL Championship, has a CBA in place through December of 2027.
Discussions between the USL Players Association and the USL Championship have been bereft of progress, much to the players’ frustration.
“The PA is bargaining with the league, and things haven’t gone the way that players have wanted it to go,” Phoenix Rising FC midfielder JP Scearce said. “I can’t really comment on the specifics, but I can say the players aren’t very happy with how it has been going.”
Members of the USLPA recently turned to social media to voice their displeasure and attempt to spur fans into action on their behalf.
The USPLA released a statement on their social media accounts on Sept. 27, citing over a year of collective bargaining between themselves and the league that has resulted in a lack of progress they describe as “disappointing” and “frustrating.”
“Players are frustrated because professional soccer cannot succeed without professional standards,” the statement reads. “Safe working conditions, fair pay and employer-provided healthcare are not optional – they are fundamental to player welfare, the credibility of the League and increased fan interest and engagement.”
The statement lays out the three main grievances the players hope to alleviate with a new CBA – better conditions, better pay and healthcare provided by their clubs.
Per the current CBA, players make a minimum of $2,600 per month during the 2025 season, a figure which is inclusive of some, but not necessarily all, of salary, bonuses, health benefits and a housing allowance. The players hope the monthly rate will be bumped up in the next CBA.
Noticeably, the compensation does not include healthcare or housing, another point of contention the players have brought to the table in negotiations.
Additionally, there is no uniform policy for USL Championship clubs regarding contract lengths, with some opting for full-year contracts and others only 10-month deals, typically covering only the season and not the offseason. The USLPA is said to be shooting for full-year contracts for all players in the Championship.
Beyond the statement, the USPLA also shared the news that the players will be blocking USL social media accounts across various platforms to further illustrate that the league and its clubs are not taking their concerns seriously.
The USPLA hopes to take this social media demonstration one step further, asking fans to block the league’s accounts as well. A #StandUpForStandards hashtag was proposed in a later USLPA Instagram post, which fans can use when showing off the newest addition to their blocked accounts list.
Should a new CBA not be agreed by the Dec. 31 expiration date, a lockout would begin, an escalation the players hope does not become necessary.
“(A lockout) is something that we are trying to avoid,” Scearce said. “As players, we are trying to get a deal done soon. Hopefully, it can get done soon.”
It may not seem possible for both sides at the negotiation table, but they will each have to compromise for an agreement to be found.
“You have to find a middle ground for both sides in order to make (a CBA) work,” Rising coach Pa-Modou Kah said.
Much like Scearce, Kah also hopes that an agreement will be reached and a lockout avoided, but for reasons that are much more innate for all involved.
“My belief is that there is nobody who does not want football to be played,” Kah said. “For me, I feel that a resolution will be made for the best interest of both sides because the World Cup is coming (here).
“Football is a beautiful thing that we all want to be a part of, so I believe and hope that both sides can find a resolution that makes sense for both of them.”
Faith in the unifying power of soccer aside, the clock is ticking, and something has to give for USL Championship soccer to be played in 2026.
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