USL Championship and League One clubs to compete in new interleague Cup format
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.
“We are thrilled to partner with Jägermeister to expand the competition to include both our men’s professional leagues and create more matches of consequence,” said USL President and Chief Soccer Officer Paul McDonough. “This new approach highlights the vision and commitment of our owners to explore innovative ways to adapt our structure, delivering a more compelling and entertaining format. This first-of-its-kind cup will give fans additional opportunities to support their teams and celebrate their communities in an exciting 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. 11.
Phoenix Rising FC enters the 2025 USL Jägermeister Cup with a competitive edge, facing Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, El Paso Locomotive FC, San Antonio FC, Texoma FC, and Union Omaha in Group 2. The standout matchup is with their fierce rival, New Mexico United, with whom they’ve shared intense and thrilling encounters in the past. This rivalry adds excitement and anticipation to the group stage, as Phoenix Rising looks to continue its competitive history with New Mexico and make an impact in the tournament.
Heading into 2025, Phoenix Rising FC brings renewed energy, led by dynamic head coach Pa-Modou Kah and a mix of new and returning coaching talent. The team is also strengthening its roster with a diverse group of promising young players, including Damian Rivera, who tied for the most goals in the league last season as a substitute and was announced by the club yesterday. With their proven ability to compete against top-tier teams and a determination to build on last season’s successes, Phoenix Rising is poised to make a significant impact in this year’s tournament.
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 partners 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.
Join Phoenix Rising this season. Tickets are available at phxrisingfc.com/tickets.
| Group 1 | Group 2 | Group 3 | Group 4 | Group 5 | Group 6 |
| AV Alta FC | Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC | Birmingham Legion FC | Detroit City FC | Charlotte Independence | Charleston Battery |
| Las Vegas Lights FC | El Paso Locomotive FC | Chattanooga Red Wolves SC | Hartford Athletic | Lexington SC | Greenville Triumph |
| Monterey Bay F.C. | New Mexico United | Forward Madison FC | Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC | Loudoun United FC | Miami FC |
| Oakland Roots SC | Phoenix Rising FC | Indy Eleven | Portland Hearts of Pine | Louisville City FC | FC Naples |
| Orange County SC | San Antonio FC | One Knoxville SC | Rhode Island FC | North Carolina FC | Tampa Bay Rowdies |
| Sacramento Republic FC | Texoma FC | FC Tulsa | Westchester SC | Richmond Kickers | Tormenta FC |
| Spokane Velocity FC | Union Omaha |
About United Soccer League
Founded in 1986, the United Soccer League (USL) is the largest and fastest-growing soccer organization in the United States, impacting more than 200 communities nationwide. The USL is the first and only organization to offer a comprehensive youth-to-professional pathway for both men and women under one ecosystem. This structure includes three men’s leagues: the USL Championship (Division II), USL League One (Division III), and USL League Two (pre-professional). The women’s pathway includes the top-tier USL Super League (Division I), which debuted in 2024, and USL W League, the country’s leading pre-professional women’s league. The USL also oversees USL Academy, a progressive talent development platform, and USL Youth, a premier national youth platform.
With multi-year national and international media rights agreements across various platforms including CBS Sports, ESPN and Peacock, the USL is the most widely accessible soccer league in the country.
About Jägermeister
Introduced over 80 years ago by Curt Mast, Jägermeister is one of the world’s most successful liqueurs and available in 150 countries. The iconic taste of Jägermeister is not left to chance but is due to decades of experience, a safely guarded secret recipe consisting of 56 natural herbs, blossoms, roots and fruits including star anise, cardamom, cinnamon and ginger roots, and 383 quality checks. The botanical ingredients are extracted in their raw, unprocessed form through a gentle, weeks-long process of cold maceration to create Jägermeister’s base. The base, housed in more than 400 oak casks, then “breathes” for one full year, which is key to creating the complex and balanced flavor of Jägermeister’s legendary taste profile. Jägermeister is 35% Alc./Vol. and imported exclusively by Mast-Jägermeister US, Inc., White Plains, NY. Visit www.jagermeister.com and follow @JagermeisterUSA on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. DRINK RESPONSIBLY.
