Midwest Premier League

The Midwest Premier League is an American amateur and semi-professional soccer league. The league spans primarily the eastern and central portions of the Midwestern United States.

Midwest Premier League
Founded2019
CountryUnited States
ConfederationCONCACAF
Number of teams13
Domestic cup(s)U.S. Open Cup
(via qualifying tournament & NAC)
National Amateur Cup
(via USASA Region II)
International cup(s)CONCACAF Champions League
(via U.S. Open Cup)
Current championsTBD
Websitehttp://midwestpl.com/

History

The league was founded by four clubs which were all previously members of the United Premier Soccer League Midwest Conference.[1] Following the 2019 UPSL season, the clubs decided that they could create a stable league that would focus on sustainability of the member clubs by sharing ideas, keeping league costs to a minimum, and maximizing the opportunities for all clubs to compete by limiting end-of-season playoffs that often shorten the season for many teams.

The league announced Union Dubuque F.C. as its first member on September 18, 2019, with the other three founding members being announced in the subsequent weeks. After a period with no expansion news, FC Diablos of Normal, Illinois was announced as a new participant, with expansion side Rockford FC being unveiled shortly thereafter.

The league was set to kickoff in Spring 2020, however the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.[2]

On July 27, 2020, the league announced Lansing Common FC from Lansing, Michigan as a new member club.[3][4]

On September 3, 2020, the MWPL entered a partnership agreement with the National Independent Soccer Association, a USSF Division 3 professional league, which includes pathways for both players and clubs to go fully pro.[5][6]

Current Teams
Edgewater
Cedar Rapids
Dubuque
Rockford
Diablos
Livonia
St. Clair
Grand Rapids
Lansing
Detroit
Locations of announced clubs
  • West Division
  • East Division
Team City Stadium Founded
West Division
Cedar Rapids Inferno[7] Cedar Rapids, IA Robert W. Plaster Athletic Complex 2019
DeKalb County United DeKalb, IL NIU Soccer and Track & Field Complex 2017
FC Diablos Normal, IL The Corn Crib 2019
Milwaukee Bavarian SC Glendale, WI Heartland Value Fund Stadium 1929
Union Dubuque F.C. Dubuque, IA Dubuque Soccer Complex 2017
Edgewater Castle FC Chicago, IL TBD 2018
RWB Adria Chicago, IL Hales Franciscan High School 1959
Rockford FC Rockford, IL Wedgebury Stadium 2019
Berber City FC Chicago, IL TBD 2013
Steel City FC Joliet, IL TBD 2020
Chicago Athletic FC Chicago, IL TBD
Chicago Mustangs Chicago, IL TBD 2012
East Division
BiH Grand Rapids Grand Rapids, MI Pat Patterson Athletic Field 2018
Detroit City FC U23 Hamtramck, MI Keyworth Stadium 2020
Inter Detroit Auburn Hills, MI Auburn Hills Civic Center Park 2017
Lansing Common FC Lansing, MI Eastern High School Stadium 2020
Liviona City FC Livonia, MI Bicentennial Park 2015
LK St. Clair Soccer Macomb, MI Macomb Community College 2017
Western Michigan Bearings Grand Rapids, MI TBD 2020

References
  1. Erik Long, "Sustainability and Responsible Growth, Protagonist USA, 9 October 2019
  2. O'Connor, Larry. "Midwest Premier League cancels 2020 soccer season". The Detroit News. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  3. Friend, Phil. "How a group of fans created Lansing Common Football Club, a team owned by its supporters". Lansing State Journal. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  4. Saliby, Sophia. "A Year After Lansing Ignite Folded, Lansing Common FC To Step In As Community-Run Team". www.wkar.org. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  5. "NISA Grows Amateur Affiliations in Partnership with Newly-Minted Midwest Premier League". www.nisasoccer.com. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  6. "MWPL Joins Forces with NISA". Midwest Premier League. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  7. Douglas Miles, "Cedar Rapids Inferno Joins New Midwest Premier League", Cedar Rapids Gazette, 9 October 2019
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