2021 USL League Two Playoff Format Announced

Tuesday afternoon USL League Two announced it’s 2021 Playoff format. This year there will be a total of 26 clubs, more than the typical 16 teams of the past, qualifying for the USL League Two Playoffs. This will consist of 8 teams from each the Central, Eastern, and Southern Conferences and two teams from the Western Conference.

Qualification Breakdowns

Central Conference

  • Great Lakes Division – 3 Teams
  • Heartland Division – 2 Teams
  • Mid-South Division – 3 Teams

Eastern Conference

  • Mid-Atlantic Division – 2 Teams
  • Metropolitan Division – 3 teams
  • Northeast Division – 2 Teams
  • Wild Card – Best 3rd Place team between the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast Divisions

Southern Conference

  • Deep South Division – 3 Teams
  • Southeast – 2 Teams
  • South Atlantic – 3 Teams

Western Conference

  • Mountain Division Champion vs Northwest Division Champion
2021 USL League Two Playoff Bracket | Credit: United Soccer Leagues/USL League Two

Playoffs Schedule

The 2020 playoffs will run from July 16th to July 31st with the first round starting just three days after the final regular season game outside the Western Conference. The three Conferences playing Quarter-Final and Semi-Final round matches will play those the weekend of July 16-18. The winners of each conference Semi-Final and the Mountain Division and Northwest Division winners, who will represent the Western Conference, will meet the weekend of July 23-25. The teams will play the Conference Final followed by the National Semi-Final that weekend. The Western Conference will meet the Central Conference and the Eastern Conference will meet the Southern Conference in the Semi-Finals.

The USL League Two National Championship Final will be played on July 31st with the highest seed remaining hosting the final at their home site.