Eastern Conference (USL Championship)
The Eastern Conference is one of two conferences in USL Championship soccer.
Current standings
Members
Current
NotesConference Lineups
Clubs timeline
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bar:1 color:Full from:01/01/2015 till:end text:Charleston Battery
bar:2 color:Full from:01/01/2015 till:end text:Charlotte Independence
bar:3 color:Former from:01/01/2015 till:12/31/2017 text:Harrisburg City Islanders
bar:3 color:Former from:01/01/2018 till:12/31/2018 text:Penn FC
bar:4 color:Former from:01/01/2015 till:12/31/2016 text:FC Montreal
bar:5 color:Full from:01/01/2015 till:end text:Louisville City FC
bar:6 color:Full from:01/01/2015 till:end text:New York Red Bulls II
bar:7 color:Full from:01/01/2015 till:end text:Pittsburgh Riverhounds
bar:8 color:Former from:01/01/2015 till:12/31/2018 text:Richmond Kickers
bar:8 color:Other from:01/01/2019 till:end text:USL1
bar:9 color:Former from:01/01/2015 till:12/31/2017 text:Rochester Rhinos ‡
bar:9 color:Other from:01/01/2021 till:end text:USL1
bar:10 color:Full from:01/01/2015 till:12/31/2015 text:Saint Louis FC
bar:10 color:Western from:01/01/2016 till:12/31/2016 text:Western Conference
bar:10 color:Full from:01/01/2017 till:12/31/2017 text:Eastern Conference
bar:10 color:Western from:01/01/2018 till:12/31/2018 text:Western Conference
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bar:11 color:Western from:01/01/2015 till:12/31/2018 text:Western Conference
bar:11 color:Full from:01/01/2019 till:12/31/2019 text:Swope Park Rangers
bar:11 color:Full from:01/01/2020 till:end text:Sporting Kansas City II
bar:12 color:Former from:01/01/2015 till:12/31/2018 text:Toronto FC II
bar:12 color:Other from:01/01/2019 till:end text:USL1
bar:13 color:Former from:01/01/2015 till:12/31/2016 text: Wilmington Hammerheads FC
bar:14 color:Former from:01/01/2016 till:12/31/2018 text: FC Cincinnati
bar:14 color:Other from:01/01/2019 till:end text: MLS
bar:15 color:Full from:01/01/2016 till:12/31/2019 text: Bethlehem Steel FC
bar:15 color:Full from:01/01/2020 till:end text: Philadelphia Union II
bar:16 color:Former from:01/01/2016 till:12/31/2017 text: Orlando City B ‡
bar:16 color:Other from:01/01/2019 till:end text: USL1
bar:17 color:Full from:01/01/2017 till:end text: Tampa Bay Rowdies
bar:18 color:Full from:01/01/2017 till:12/31/2019 text: Ottawa Fury FC
bar:18 color:Full from:01/01/2020 till:end text: Miami FC
bar:19 color:Full from:01/01/2018 till:end text: Atlanta United 2
bar:20 color:Full from:01/01/2018 till:end text: Indy Eleven
bar:21 color:Former from:01/01/2018 till:12/31/2019 text: Nashville SC
bar:21 color:Other from:01/01/2020 till:end text: MLS
bar:22 color:Full from:01/01/2018 till:end text: North Carolina FC
bar:23 color:Full from:01/01/2019 till:end text: Birmingham Legion FC
bar:24 color:Full from:01/01/2019 till:end text: Hartford Athletic
bar:25 color:Full from:01/01/2019 till:end text: Loudoun United FC
bar:26 color:Full from:01/01/2019 till:end text: Memphis 901 FC
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‡Orlando City B & Rochester Rhinos went on hiatus after the 2017 season.
2015
Lineup for 2015
- Charleston Battery
- Charlotte Independence
- Harrisburg City Islanders
- Louisville City FC
- FC Montreal
- New York Red Bulls II
- Pittsburgh Riverhounds
- Richmond Kickers
- Rochester Rhinos
- St. Louis FC
- Toronto FC II
- Wilmington Hammerheads
2016
Lineup for 2016
- Bethlehem Steel FC
- Charleston Battery
- Charlotte Independence
- FC Cincinnati
- FC Montreal
- Harrisburg City Islanders
- Louisville City FC
- New York Red Bulls II
- Orlando City B
- Pittsburgh Riverhounds
- Richmond Kickers
- Rochester Rhinos
- Toronto FC II
- Wilmington Hammerheads
Changes from 2015
- Bethlehem Steel FC, FC Cincinnati, Orlando City B were added as expansion franchises
- St. Louis FC moved out to Western Conference
2017
Lineup for 2017
- Bethlehem Steel FC
- Charleston Battery
- Charlotte Independence
- FC Cincinnati
- Harrisburg City Islanders
- Louisville City FC
- New York Red Bulls II
- Orlando City B
- Ottawa Fury FC
- Pittsburgh Riverhounds
- Richmond Kickers
- Rochester Rhinos
- Saint Louis FC
- Tampa Bay Rowdies
- Toronto FC II
Changes from 2016
- Ottawa Fury FC, Tampa Bay Rowdies moved in from North American Soccer League
- FC Montreal was disbanded
- Saint Louis FC moved in to Eastern Conference
- Wilmington Hammerheads FC moved out to Premier Development League
2018
Lineup for 2018
- Atlanta United 2
- Bethlehem Steel FC
- Charleston Battery
- Charlotte Independence
- FC Cincinnati
- Indy Eleven
- Louisville City FC
- Nashville SC
- New York Red Bulls II
- North Carolina FC
- Ottawa Fury FC
- Penn FC
- Pittsburgh Riverhounds
- Richmond Kickers
- Tampa Bay Rowdies
- Toronto FC II
Changes from 2017
- Atlanta United 2 was added as an expansion franchise.
- Indy Eleven and North Carolina FC moved in from North American Soccer League
- Harrisburg City Islanders were renamed Penn FC
- Orlando City B and Rochester Rhinos went on hiatus.
- Saint Louis FC moved out to Western Conference
2019
Lineup for 2019
- Atlanta United 2
- Bethlehem Steel FC
- Birmingham Legion FC
- Charleston Battery
- Charlotte Independence
- Hartford Athletic
- Indy Eleven
- Loudoun United FC
- Louisville City FC
- Memphis 901 FC
- Nashville SC
- New York Red Bulls II
- North Carolina FC
- Ottawa Fury FC
- Pittsburgh Riverhounds
- Saint Louis FC
- Swope Park Rangers
- Tampa Bay Rowdies
Changes from 2018
- FC Cincinnati moved out to Major League Soccer
- Birmingham Legion FC, Hartford Athletic, Loudoun United FC and Memphis 901 FC were added as expansion franchises.
- Saint Louis FC and Swope Park Rangers moved in from the Western Conference.
- Orlando City B, Richmond Kickers and Toronto FC II moved out to USL League One.
- Penn FC and Rochester Rhinos went on hiatus. They will move to USL League One in 2020.
2020
Lineup for 2020
- Atlanta United 2
- Birmingham Legion FC
- Charleston Battery
- Charlotte Independence
- Hartford Athletic
- Indy Eleven
- Loudoun United FC
- Louisville City FC
- Memphis 901 FC
- Miami FC
- New York Red Bulls II
- North Carolina FC
- Philadelphia Union II
- Pittsburgh Riverhounds
- Saint Louis FC
- Sporting Kansas City II
- Tampa Bay Rowdies
Changes from 2019
- Nashville SC moved out to Major League Soccer.
- Bethlehem Steel FC was renamed Philadelphia Union II.
- Swope Park Rangers were renamed Sporting Kansas City II
- Ottawa Fury FC was not sanctioned by U.S. Soccer and their franchise rights were sold to Miami FC.
- Penn FC was disbanded.
Eastern Conference Playoff champions by year
Season | Champions | Score | Runners Up |
2015 | Rochester Rhinos | 1–0 | Louisville City FC |
2016 | New York Red Bulls II | 1–1 | Louisville City FC |
2017 | Louisville City FC | 1–1 | New York Red Bulls II |
2018 | Louisville City FC | 5–1 | New York Red Bulls II |
2019 | Louisville City FC | 3–1 | Indy Eleven |
Eastern Conference regular season champions by year
Season | Team | Record | Playoffs result |
2015 | Rochester Rhinos | 17–1–10 | Won USL Championship |
2016 | New York Red Bulls II | 21–3–6 | Won USL Championship |
2017 | Louisville City FC | 18–6–8 | Won USL Championship |
2018 | FC Cincinnati | 23–3–8 | Lost Conference Semifinals |
2019 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds | 19-4-11 | Lost Conference Semifinals |