ESPN+ Gets Hundreds of Pro Soccer Matches from USL in Latest Deal

ESPN+ is staying in business with the United Soccer League. According to the Sports Business Journal, the professional men’s soccer league which resides just one step below Major League Soccer in the United States is set to announce a new deal with ESPN which will run through 2026 and see hundreds of games per season stream on ESPN+.

• ESPN+ will get more than 400 USL Championship and USL League One matches Aper season under the terms of the deal.
• A minimum of 10 matches will also air on linear ESPN channels.
• More USL matches will air on the CBS linear network, as well as Paramount+ and the free Golazo Network.

The deal is a renewal of ESPN’s current contract with the USL, extending their relationship. As part of the agreement, the ESPN+ streaming platform will get more than 400 matches from the USL Championship (Division II) and USL League One (Division III) every season.

The contract also provides for at least 10 games per season to air on ESPN linear channels, so viewers on live TV streaming services such as DIRECTV STREAM or Sling TV won’t miss out on the action. In addition, ESPN gets exclusive rights to the new in-season cup competition in the League One division.

USL’s Championship division has 24 teams currently, while the League One division has 12. Each will add expansion teams over the next few years, giving fans even more USL content to watch going forward.

Is ESPN the Only Broadcast Partner for USL?

The USL is also teaming with CBS to distribute its games in its latest rights package. The CBS deal actually runs a year longer than the ESPN pact, as it is not an extension but a brand-new agreement. Formerly, the USL was exclusively signed with ESPN.

As per the terms of the CBS deal, the USL will send its Championship final to the Eye Network, and more games will air on its CBS Sports Network cable channel. Any USL games airing on CBS will be simulcast on Paramount+, and that streamer will get access to 75 more games per season via the Golazo Network. Golazo Network is a free streaming channel run by Paramount Global, and it’s available to stream at no cost on Pluto TV.

All in all, the deal will see 35 USL matches broadcast on linear TV channels, and nearly 500 more stream on services like ESPN+, Paramount+ and Pluto TV. Viewers who want even more soccer should check out Apple’s MLS Season Pass, which carries every MLS game of the season with no in-market blackouts.