It’s almost time for the 2025 USL Championship season to kick off.

What does that mean? Everyone, for better or worse, has got their own idea as to how this is going to play out when it comes to the teams that are going to be serious contenders and those that aren’t going to quite make the grade.

With that in mind, we’ve asked five of the finest minds around the USL Championship to give us three predictions based on a 90 percent / 50 percent / 10 percent format for each one to come true.

(If you haven’t checked out The USL Show’s version of this, which provided the inspiration for the format, watch right here.)

The Experts

• Datti Jinkiri, Co-Host of Hat Trick on USL Social Channels
• Devon Kerr, Co-Host USL All Access, National Broadcast Analyst
• Sarah Kate Kilby, Co-Host of Hat Trick on USL Social Channels
• Nicholas Murray, USL Sr. Director of Editorial
• Mike Watts, Co-Host USL All-Access, National Broadcast Play by Play Voice

90% - Cal Jennings will at least match his single-season career high in goals

Talk about shrewd business. The Charleston Battery made waves last month with the signing of two-time All League selection Cal Jennings. A tireless runner and a terrific finisher, I think he is primed for another big season with the back-to-back Eastern Conference finalists. He’s not stylistically a like-for-like replacement for Nick Markanich, but he brings a remarkable goalscoring punch, with 66 goals across the regular season and playoffs in his career. His 19 goals in 2023 was his career-best mark, and this could be his best chance to reach it and potentially eclipse it. A big year might not only mean good things for him, but it could take a bit of the scoring burden off MD Myers and allow him to have another solid year as well. Who knows, maybe a new Battery partnership could break records again.

50% - Las Vegas Lights FC gets back to the postseason

Was last season a fluke for Vegas? I don’t think so. Even with Coach of the Year finalist Dennis Sanchez off to New Mexico, I like Antonio Nocerino’s squad. Acquiring Johnny Rodriguez was a massive addition and gives them a bonafide goalscorer to replace the production of Khori Bennett. Valentin Noël is a technician between the lines who also had an eye for goal (10 goals and seven assists in 2024), so it was important that the club held on to him. The sky is the limit for young fullback Shawn Smart, and adding Younes Boudadi as a depth piece could pay off in the future. They will need to replace JC Ngando and his ball-carrying ability from the midfield, so one thing I’ll be looking for is if Christopher Pearson or former Juventus player Daouda Peeters can step in and fill that void effectively.

10% - Augi Williams reaches 100 career regular season goals

It’s Augi time in Pittsburgh. One of the biggest signings in Riverhounds history, he brings a wealth of experience and a goalscoring pedigree to one of the league’s longstanding clubs. In 2024, he scored 13 goals in the regular season for Indy Eleven, which was his straight year of reaching double digit goals. Though he was a bit streaky – with four coming in a three-match stretch and five coming in a two-match run – beware if he catches fire early. Since 2011, only three players have ever surpassed 24 goals in a season, which is exactly what he would need to reach the vaunted 100 mark. But with one of the league’s top creators in Robbie Mertz right behind him, who knows what could happen?

90% - Neill Collins and Sacramento Republic FC will win no less than 20 games this year

WIN, plain and simple. That’s all Neill Collins did during his tenure as Manager of the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the Eastern Conference from 2018-2023, averaging 1.85 points-per-game during that window, good for sixth-best in USL Championship history. In his four full seasons with the club (‘19-’22) he elevated that number to 1.99 with a winning percentage of 59.5 percent, best amongst all managers during that span. Only three coaches in the history of the league have won 20 or more games in a season twice, look for Collins to attain his record-breaking third this year. He’s won every trophy the league has to offer except the granddaddy of them all, the USL Championship Final. Perfection may not be attainable, but he continues to chase it and provide excellence in the process seeking validation with his first ever star.

50% - A USL Championship team will make it to the U.S. Open Cup Final

Since USL HQ unveiled a new structure and brand identity for its top three leagues ahead of the 2019 season we’ve seen consistent success in our Nation’s oldest ongoing National tournament, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Four tournaments have come and gone since that inflection point (‘20-’21 canceled due to COVID-19) with no less than two quarterfinalists per year making an appearance from the USL Championship or USL League One, totaling nine all-together. That’s included two semifinalists and one club making it all the way to the Final in Sacramento Republic FC (2022). The depth of talent has never been stronger, financials never this deep and ambition never so high. There’s a very good chance another “lower division” club will make a run to the title game aiming to become the first to win it all since the Rochester Raging Rhinos did so back in 1999, the only club to do so outside of MLS in the Modern Era.

10% - We see a former champion host the trophy again

The modern era for the USL Championship dates back to 2011. Thirteen seasons have come and gone totaling 11 different champions with only 2 clubs taking the title down more than once (Orlando City SC in 2011 & 2013, Louisville City in 2017 & 2018). With increased investment into clubs the standard has risen to a level where being a “repeat” champion seems near impossible. Don’t be shocked to see another club placing its first star above the crest come November.

90% - Rhode Island FC will be repeat Eastern Conference title winners

Rhode Island FC’s inaugural season was electric with an unexpected playoff run resulting in the Eastern Conference title. Going into the 2025 season, this club will be riding the wave of optimism. Their stud of a returning attacking line will continue to carry this team. 2024 Golden Playmaker Noah Fuson returns for a second season with the club, as well as 2023 Championship Player of the Year Albert Dikwa and playoff hero JJ Williams. Williams scored five goals in the postseason, and his brace ended Louisville City FC's Eastern Conference Final streak. This secured Rhode Island’s spot in the Eastern Conference Final. Lastly, this club now has a home! Their new stadium will officially be in use which brings a sense of comfort to the team. The only thing that might hold this team back is the fire in the club dying, or the technical staff fixing what’s not broke.

50% - Birmingham Legion FC makes it to the Eastern Conference Final

Am I a biased Crystal Palace fan or is this Birmingham’s (and Chris Richards’) season? A nervous energy may hang over them as last season did not end as expected. For the first time in club history, they missed the playoffs. A run to the Eastern Conference Final would be the deepest playoff run in club history, but significant strides this offseason make this outcome possible. This season brings a new dynamic attack with the additions of Danny Trejo and Ronaldo Damus. Both contributed majorly to recent champions, as Trejo won in 2023 with Phoenix and Damus won in 2024 with Colorado Springs. On top of that, USMNT and Premier League star Chris Richards has joined the club's ownership group and will bring a plethora of football experience to the club. The potential for a historic breakthrough is undeniably present, fueled by newfound talent and ambition.

10% - Louisville City FC will be in the Championship Final

Another club history shocker came through last season. Despite being 2024 Players’ Shield winners, Louisville City FC was knocked out in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Now that key players Wilson Harris and Elijah Wynder have left the club, will they end another season on a bad note? Without these attackers, this team may score significantly fewer goals this season. However, LouCity did sign star forward Phillip Goodrum for the last few months of their 2024 season. Now that he has had time to properly train with the club, he will undoubtedly be their key to success this season. Still, there could be a learning curve as he and his teammates create chemistry up front. I think this season might be one of adjusting but with most of the roster remaining the same, LouCity could be back and better for 2025.

90% - New Mexico United surpasses its 2024 regular season points total

There are two things that are true about New Mexico’s past campaign. On one hand, it marked the best year in club history with 59 points and the first in which it finished first in the Western Conference’s regular season. It was also the lowest point total a team finished top of the West with since 2017. With a plan in place and new Head Coach Dennis Sanchez ready to pick up the baton from Eric Quill, New Mexico turns more of its defeats into positive gains and surpasses the 60-point barrier for the first time.

50% - Cal Jennings succeeds Nick Markanich as the Golden Boot Winner

Nick Markanich had a season for the ages in 2024 for the Charleston Battery, setting a USL Championship single-season scoring record with 28 goals in the regular season before his transfer this offseason to CD Castellon in LaLiga 2. So, who did the Battery find to replace him? Just Cal Jennings, whose 65 regular season goals rank as the most in the league since he arrived in 2020. The Georgia native has come close to the Golden Boot previously in his career, and with the attacking potential the Battery possess he claims the award this year with his first 20-goal campaign.

10% - A USL Championship Team does the Treble

Over the years, it’s become more and more difficult for teams to win both the Players’ Shield and the USL Championship title. When San Antonio FC did so in 2022, it marked the first time a team had achieved the accomplishment since 2016 as some of the great record-setting regular season campaigns fell by the wayside in the postseason. This year, with the Championship clubs entering the USL Jagermeister Cup for the first time, there’s a chance at someone claiming all three pieces of silverware. With the depth some teams have at their disposal, it’s not completely out of the question.

90% - Lexington will reach the playoffs for the first time

To put it in agent parlance, “show me the money.” Look at the roster. Adding Speedy Williams and his four trophies is one of about 10 moves Lexington SC has made this offseason that signals a desire to get this right from the jump. It doesn't hurt to have Cameron Lancaster either – assuming he’s not hurt, of course. Since 2021, four of five newcomers have reached the postseason in their first season in the Championship. Despite failing to qualify in two League One campaigns, they've arrived ready to make noise from the jump in the wide-open West.

50% - Sacramento Republic FC will win the Western Conference

Will the real Sacramento Republic FC please stand up. The team that started 11 unbeaten in 2024 finished with one win in its final nine matches to plummet out of a top four spot. While Sacramento’s defensive structure was as good as any in the Championship, their attack suffered from untimely injuries to Russell Cicerone and Rodrigo Lopez that hamstrung them after a scorching start. New Head Coach Neill Collins’ arrival should bring a similar defensive attitude with an aggressive attacking posture. They are more than capable of being the best in a vastly different Western Conference.

10% - A League One team will reach the Jägermeister Cup Final

Since League One began play in the U.S. Open Cup, they are 14-20 against Championship clubs. They've been competitive, and the quality has never been better. Stalwarts Union Omaha and the Richmond Kickers have legacy success in cup competitions. But this isn't that. Jägermeister Cup's group stage is a longer runway for top teams to rise to the top in group play. If you escape, you still have to win two knockout games to get “A Shot at Glory.” It would be a rather arduous journey to get to the Final in the expanded tournament.