Everything You Need to Know About the 2026 USL League One Playoffs
The USL League One Playoffs kick off on Oct. 30, as eight of the third-division league’s top clubs battle to lift the USL League One Final trophy on the weekend of Nov. 13
The eighth season of USL League One is nearing its conclusion, as eight of the Division III league’s 17 clubs will face off in the 2026 USL League One Playoffs. The 34-week, 306-game regular season was the most extensive in league history, pitting a record 17 clubs against each other between March 7 and Oct. 24. Now, the postseason commences with the league’s best this weekend.
Here’s everything you need to know about the 2026 USL League One Playoffs.
What is the 2026 USL League One Playoffs format?
For the third consecutive season, the league’s postseason will feature the top eight clubs in a three-round postseason, starting with the Quarterfinals on Oct. 30 – Nov. 1, continuing with the Semifinals on Nov. 6 – 8 and culminating with the 2026 USL League One Final on the weekend of Nov. 13.
The USL League One Playoffs is contested in a single-elimination, fixed-bracket format. The 2026 USL League One Players’ Shield winners and top-overall seed, the Charlotte Independence, maintain home field advantage throughout the postseason.
2026 USL League One Playoffs bracket | Image courtesy USL
- Quarterfinals: Oct. 30 – Nov. 1 (four matches)
- No. 2 Union Omaha vs No. 7 Chattanooga Red Wolves SC; Oct. 30, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
- No. 4 Forward Madison FC vs No. 5 Spokane Velocity FC; Oct. 30, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
- No. 1 Charlotte Independence vs No. 8 FC Naples; Nov. 1, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
- No. 3 Athletic Club Boise vs No. 6 One Knoxville SC; Nov. 1, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
- Semifinals: Nov. 6 – 8 (two matches)
- No. 1 Charlotte Independence/No. 4 Forward Madison FC vs. No. 5 Spokane Velocity FC/No. 8 FC Naples (ESPN+)
- No. 2 Union Omaha/No. 3 Athletic Club Boise vs. No. 6 One Knoxville SC/No. 7 Chattanooga Red Wolves SC (ESPN+)
- USL League One Final: Nov. 13 – 15 (one match)
- Higher remaining seed hosts lower remaining seed (CBS Sports Golazo Network)
Which teams are in the 2026 USL League One Playoffs?
Spokane Velocity FC | Image courtesy USL
A diverse field of eight clubs will compete for the USL League One title starting this weekend. The field features two former champions—two-time winners Union Omaha and defending champions One Knoxville SC—to go along with six clubs vying for a first league title. First-year sensation Athletic Club Boise set records on and off the pitch, shattering all-time league attendance records by recording 16 matches with more than 7,000 spectators while simultaneously becoming the fifth expansion side to qualify for the postseason in its inaugural season.
League One heavyweights Omaha have qualified for the postseason for a record seventh-consecutive campaign, while the Charlotte Independence have qualified for postseason play for the seventh consecutive time across USL Championship and USL League One play. For the Independence, longtime head coach Mike Jeffries became the winningest coach in league history and led his side to the first trophy across its 12 seasons of existence; the Jacks won the 2026 USL League One Players’ Shield with a league-record 66 points and 20 victories.
For Naples, the second-year side constructed a late postseason push which featured eight consecutive unbeaten matches and a club-best six successive victories to steal a postseason berth from first-year side Fort Wayne FC. In the last month of the regular season, Naples jumped from 14th to eighth in the table, qualifying for the postseason for the second consecutive campaign.
| USL League One Playoffs |
|---|
| 1. Charlotte Independence (66 points, 20-6-6) |
| 2. Union Omaha (62 points, 19-8-5) |
| 3. Athletic Club Boise (58 points, 17-8-7) |
| 4. Forward Madison FC (56 points, 16-8-8) |
| 5. Spokane Velocity FC (54 points, 10-6-6) |
| 6. One Knoxville SC (54 points, 15-8-9) |
| 7. Chattanooga Red Wolves SC (47 points, 13-5-6) |
| 8. FC Naples (46 points, 14-14-4) |
Who are the players to watch in the 2026 USL League One Playoffs?
For the first time in league history, none of the league’s five all-time leading scorers—Emiliano Terzaghi, Jake Keegan, Christian Chaney, Garrett McLaughlin and Juan Carlos Obregón, Jr.—will represent a team in the postseason. Instead, the 2026 postseason features a collection of rising talents and proven contributors.
This year’s playoff field is highlighted by a collection of Charlotte Independence playmakers—a group that shattered the all-time single-season scoring record with 74—including Golden Boot winner Souaibou Marou (18 goals) and Golden Playmaker Jon Bakero (18 assists). The Jacks’ prominent attacking duo was bolstered by Christopher Jaime’s 10 goal contributions and Joey Skinner’s 13, in addition to another promising season from 20-year-old LAFC Academy product Javen Romero.
Surprisingly, only five of the 11 players with double-digit scoring campaigns will be playing in the postseason. In addition to Marou, Madison’s Ryan Carmichael (14), Chattanooga’s Omar Hernandez (13), Omaha’s Sergio Ors Navarro (12) and Knoxville’s Denis Krioutchenkov (11) will look to add to their season totals in postseason play.
Other breakout stars hoping to extend their form into the postseason include a trio of rising midfielders in Madison’s Roman Torres, Knoxville’s Teddy Baker and Boise’s Philip Mayaka. Additionally, D.C. United loanee Hakim Karamoko will look to extend his strong form with Madison. Veterans like Spokane midfielder Shavon John-Brown, Omaha defender Sami Guediri and the Boise duo of Thomas Amang and Blake Bodily will also be eager to bring a trophy back to their respective club.
In goal, 2026 Golden Glove winner Cole Jensen was exceptional after splitting the season with two-time Golden Glove winner Rashid Nuhu in Omaha. Other standout goalkeepers whose season will be extended by at least one match includes Charlotte’s Matt Levy, Madison’s J.T. Harms, Naples’ Lalo Delgado and a pair of former Golden Glove winners in Spokane’s Sean Lewis (2023, 2024) and Chattanooga’s Jason Smith (2025).
Which teams have previously won the USL League One Final?
One Knoxville SC | Image courtesy USL
Greenville Triumph SC—coached by former U.S. Men’s National Team midfielder John Harkes from 2018-23—and Union Omaha—previously led by current Puerto Rico manager Jay Mims (2019-22) and Tampa Bay Rowdies head coach Dominic Casciato (2023-25)—have historically dominated the postseason. Omaha has won the USL League One Final twice (2021, 2024) and finished as a finalist once (2020), while Greenville won once (2020) and finished as runners-up twice (2019, 2021).
In 2019, North Texas SC defeated Greenville Triumph SC in the inaugural USL League One Final to conclude a stellar debut season powered by rising FC Dallas talents like Ricardo Pepi, Tanner Tessmann, Bryan Reynolds, Dante Sealy, Jonathan Gómez, Brandon Servania and Arturo Rodríguez, among many others.
After COVID-19 caused the cancellation of the 2020 Final, Greenville was awarded the title over Omaha as a product of its league-leading 2.19 points per match. One year later, Omaha won the first of its two titles in 2021, defeating Greenville in a revenge match at Werner Park. In 2022, it was former Tottenham Hotspur forward Kazaiah Sterling leading South Georgia Tormenta FC to a title over Chattanooga Red Wolves SC, while 2023 concluded with North Carolina FC downing Dogwood Derby foe Charlotte on penalties.
In the two most recent USL League One Finals, Omaha won the second of its two titles (2024) and One Knoxville SC won its first postseason title (2025) in front of a playoff-record crowd of 7,500 at Covenant Health Park. Spokane Velocity FC has come close to winning it all, finishing as runners-up in each of its first two seasons of existence (2024, 2025).
How can fans watch and follow along during the postseason?
All Quarterfinal and Semifinal matches will stream on ESPN+. The 2026 USL League One Final will stream on CBS Sports Golazo Network. Fans can follow along during the postseason on the league’s website, as well as on Instagram, X/Twitter and Facebook.
𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙚𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩... The field is set for the 2026 USL League One Playoffs! 🏆👀 ➡️ https://t.co/TOwys1fUvJ https://t.co/PTIabZign4
— USL League One (@USLLeagueOne) October 25, 2026