USL Championship and League One clubs to compete in new Cup format
TAMPA, Fla. (December 12, 2024) – The United Soccer League (USL) announced today the
expansion of the USL Jägermeister Cup, uniting clubs from the USL Championship and League
One in a groundbreaking interleague competition. The 2025 tournament represents a
significant milestone for domestic soccer, as it marks the first time a U.S. soccer league has
established its own interleague cup.
Entering its second year after a successful launch exclusively with League One clubs last season,
the 2025 USL Jägermeister Cup will feature all 38 professional men’s clubs competing in a
World Cup-style tournament throughout the regular season. Adding more meaningful matches
to the annual calendar, the USL Jägermeister Cup includes fan-first modifications to encourage
attacking soccer, such as penalty shootouts to determine match winners during the group stage
and goals scored as the first tiebreaker in the group standings.
“After experiencing some thrilling moments in the first year of the USL Jägermeister Cup, we
are excited to partner with Jägermeister to expand the competition to include all of our men’s
professional clubs to create more matches of consequence that emphasize our passionate local
rivalries,” said USL President and Chief Soccer Officer Paul McDonough. “We’ve been exploring
ways to bring the USL Championship and League One clubs together in a meaningful and
competitive format, and we believe that this first-of-its-kind cup competition will create more
opportunities for fans to support their team and represent their communities in an engaging
tournament.”
The USL Jägermeister Cup will consist of six regional groups [see below], with six or seven teams
assigned by league or conference affiliation per group. Each team will play four matches – two
home, two away – in group play with home assignments being randomly drawn. The group
stage kicks off April 26 and concludes the weekend of July 26. After the group stage, a draw will
set the matchups for the single-elimination knockout rounds, which will begin three weeks
later. The USL Jägermeister Cup will conclude with the Final on the weekend of Oct. 1.
The Jägermeister brand has been a pioneer in sports business and soccer. In 1973, Jägermeister
became the first company to place a logo on a Bundesliga club’s jersey with the sponsorship of
Eintracht Braunschweig. Jägermeister is committed to crafting some of the best nights in sports
and will be working with partner bars and distributors in local USL communities to host special
events announced at a later date.
In addition to the clubs and players being highlighted throughout the tournament, fans will also
have their own shot at glory in the “Shot at Glory Bracket Challenge” which will launch ahead of
the first matchday.
More information about the USL Jägermeister Cup will be shared in the coming months leading
up to the competition and throughout the tournament on our dedicated social media channels
at USL Jägermeister Cup on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram.
