
The USL Championship, the second division of United States soccer, is set to kick off this weekend with 24 teams beginning their 2024 campaigns. Unlike Major League Soccer's single-entity structure, USL franchises like Orange County FC in the Western Conference have more autonomy in team culture and setup.
Orange County FC faced a pivotal moment after winning the 2021 USL Championship final when their stadium was threatened by LA Galaxy's interest in securing exclusive use for their reserve team. However, Orange County SC successfully retained the Championship Soccer Stadium in Irvine, California, highlighting the challenges lower league soccer teams can encounter unexpectedly.