Welcome to the latest edition of the USL Championship Race to the Playoffs presented by Terminix, where we provide weekly information on where each team stands in their bid to reach the 2024 USL Championship Playoffs in October.
New Mexico United became the first team from the Western Conference to join Louisville City FC and the Charleston Battery in the East in clinching a playoff berth with victory on Wednesday night against Sacramento Republic FC. Now we’re set for a key weekend in which four of the five teams battling for a postseason spot square off, plus other key games in the battle for the postseason.
This season, we’re grateful to our friend John Morrissey at USL Tactics for providing the data for playoff projections. Now, here are some games to watch this weekend and an overview of where everyone stands.
North Carolina is in must-win territory after its defeat in Memphis, particularly in a game like this where it can gain ground on one of the teams above the playoff line in the East. Indy looked more like its mid-season self against El Paso this past weekend and has a seven-point cushion on NCFC as it arrives. A win would put the Boys in Blue on solid ground for the playoffs and a potential top-four finish.
The past weekend’s results in the Western Conference set us up with a race for two spots between five teams, with Monterey Bay and Orange County separated by only two points as the week begins. OCSC took a much-needed win to get back into eighth place on Saturday night, while Monterey Bay is winless in its last nine outings after a draw with Las Vegas. If Orange County finds a way to complete a season sweep of the series, it would be huge. If Monterey Bay earns victory, it could become even more chaotic.
Republic FC’s defeat in New Mexico has set up a serious battle for the remaining three slots in the top four of the Western Conference with the Lights one of the teams in the mix to open the postseason at home. Sacramento still has a small edge in having at least one more game to play than the rest of its rivals with seven games remaining, but if the Lights can take victory at home and complete a series sweep against its well-regarded rival, it would pull Las Vegas within a point of Sacramento and open up a whole range of possibilities.
You’d probably not have expected a matchup of the past two USL Championship title winners to be this important as to who gets into the playoffs and who misses out, but here we are. San Antonio is coming in with its first consecutive wins of the season to move even on points with Orange County and FC Tulsa. Phoenix’s loss in Sacramento meant it remained in a precarious spot only two points ahead of that trio of teams. If Rising wins, the pressure will drop a little further. If San Antonio wins, it could be above the playoff line with momentum to continue its postseason streak.
Mathematically Eliminated: Miami FC
Tag(s): Features San Antonio FC CO Spring Switchbacks Orange County SC Phoenix Rising FC Sacramento Republic FC FC Tulsa Charleston Battery Louisville City FC Pittsburgh Riverhounds Tampa Bay Rowdies Las Vegas Lights FC Birmingham Legion FC North Carolina FC Indy Eleven Memphis 901 FC El Paso Locomotive FC New Mexico United Loudoun United FC Hartford Athletic Oakland Roots SC Race to the Playoffs Detroit City FC Monterey Bay F.C. Rhode Island FC