Players in the American second-tier USL Championship staged a protest against the league on Saturday, with members of FC Tulsa and the Pittsburgh Riverhounds wearing USLPA shirts as they walked out for anthems ahead of the final.
The shirts displayed the message, “Pro Rel? Try Pro Standards First.” The protest pushed back on the USL’s hopes to integrate promotion and relegation, along with adding a first division in 2028, while failing to provide professional standards for players. Several fans also displayed signs reiterating the same message.
The USL and USLPA have been in an extended negotiation over the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. However, as of September, talks between the two sides had stalled.
Key Issues in USL-USLPA CBA Negotiations
The key issues that have continued to split the two sides are providing healthcare to players, improving working conditions and increasing overall compensation. The current CBA is set to expire at the end of the year, and there are no more matches to be played after the Riverhounds claimed the title.
“The league is chasing Pro-Rel headlines. Players are chasing rent. That ends tonight,” the USLPA said on X ahead of the final. “Pro-Rel means nothing without real wages, safety, healthcare and year-round support.”
Players from FC Tulsa and Pittsburgh Riverhounds walk onto the field for the USL Championship final wearing shirts saying “USL HQ: Pro Rel? Try pro standards first.”
— Ben Wright (@benwright) November 22, 2025
USL HQ has announced a new first-division league including promotion & relegation in 2028. pic.twitter.com/0iLOXLUljS
The current CBA between the league and players sets a minimum monthly compensation of $2,600, which can be paid in a mix of salary, bonuses, health benefits and a housing allowance, though teams are not responsible for housing or healthcare.
Broadcast didn’t show it. The supporters did.@SteelArmy, @tulsa_83_united, @918brigade & 300+ fans held up signs calling out:
— USLPA (@USLPlayers) November 22, 2025
PRO REL? TRY PRO STANDARDS FIRST.
Thank you to every supporter who stood with the players tonight.#StandUpForStandards @USLPlayers pic.twitter.com/2Pjda8PrLX
The USLPA is also pushing for year-round contracts, rather than month-by-month contracts that cover only the 10 months players are with their clubs.
With the addition of USL Premier in 2028, which the USL hopes will have first-division status alongside MLS, players will likely seek higher wages as well. Currently, the MLS minimum salary is $80,622, well above the USL Championship minimum.
Before the introduction of the current CBA in 2021, USL clubs offered vastly different standards, with some players earning full-time contracts and others on part time wages with billet families. That has since changed, but players continue to push for better conditions.
“With the current agreement set to expire, the lack of progress at the bargaining table is disappointing and frustrating,” the USLPA said in September.
“Players are frustrated because professional soccer cannot succeed without professional standards. Safe working conditions, fair pay and employer-provided healthcare are not optional; they are fundamental to player welfare, the credibility of the League and increased fan interest and engagement.”
NFL, MLS Player Associations Step Up
BETO YDRACH MAKES NO MISTAKE FROM THE SPOT!
— Golazo America (@GolazoAmerica) November 22, 2025
The 26-year wait is over as the @RiverhoundsSC take down Tulsa to win the 2025 @USLChampionship final! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/wyZ9GY27Lx
As the USLPA battles amid negotiations, other notable player unions across North American sports have stepped up to back their fight for better conditions. The PAs of MLS, NFL, MLB and Professional Hockey Players, which represent the AHL and ECHL, stepped up to share their support on social media.
Without a new deal before the 2026 season, the USL could enter a work stoppage, which would be a significant hit to their hopes of making the most of an expected soccer boom following the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as U.S. Soccer Players Protest for Improved Standards As League Considers Pro-Rel.
