Welcome to the first of our four Division Previews building up to the 2021 USL Championship season, where we’ll be putting the spotlight on the Atlantic Division’s lineup. Complete with five of the teams that advanced to the postseason in the Eastern Conference last season, there figures to be plenty of competition for defending Eastern Conference Title holder the Tampa Bay Rowdies as they bid for more silverware this year.
Who’s the biggest challenger going to be? Well, it just might come from one of the sides that missed the postseason in 2020. Miami FC’s debut in the Championship was underwhelming, and that saw the club take action this offseason with a plethora of new, high-profile signings. Add in the likes of Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, the Charleston Battery, Hartford Athletic and the Charlotte Independence – who open their new home at Memorial Stadium – and the postseason race figures to be an intriguing one for the four spots available.