USL First Division
 |
|
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Other club(s) from | Canada, Puerto Rico |
| Confederation | CONCACAF |
| Founded | 2005 |
| Folded | 2010 |
| Conferences | 1 |
| Number of teams | 3 |
| Level on pyramid | 2 |
| Promotion to | None |
| Relegation to | None |
| Domestic cup(s) |
Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, Canadian Championship |
| International cup(s) | CFU Club Championship |
| Last champions |
Puerto Rico Islanders (final champions) (2010) |
| Most championships |
Seattle Sounders Vancouver Whitecaps (2 titles each) |
| TV partners | Fox Soccer Channel |
| Website | usl1 |
The United Soccer Leagues First Division (usually referred to as USL-1) was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.
During its existence, it formed the second tier of soccer in the United States and Canada league pyramid behind Major League Soccer. It was operated by the United Soccer Leagues (USL) and was the successor of the old A-League, which existed from 1997 until 2004.
Several teams left the league in 2009 to form the new North American Soccer League, with the intent of running their own second tier league. Following a brief legal dispute, the two leagues operated in tandem under United States Soccer Federation (USSF) mediation as the USSF Division 2 Professional League in 2010 before the split became final. The teams that remained in the First Division were merged with the USL Second Division in 2011 to form USL Pro, which in 2015 was renamed the United Soccer League.
When the A-League became the USL First Division in 2005, the league comprised 12 teams: Atlanta Silverbacks, Charleston Battery, Minnesota Thunder, Montreal Impact, Portland Timbers, Puerto Rico Islanders, Richmond Kickers, Rochester Raging Rhinos, Seattle Sounders, Toronto Lynx, Vancouver Whitecaps and Virginia Beach Mariners. The Calgary Mustangs, Edmonton Aviators and Syracuse Salty Dogs, all of whom competed in the final A-League season in 2004, folded during the offseason, and did not take up their places in the new league.
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