Across the league’s four conferences, 35 teams will qualify for the playoffs kicking off in mid-July. All 20 division winners will automatically qualify for the single-elimination tournament; 14 division runners up and one third-place club will earn the remaining spots. That gives the teams of the Heartland two shots at qualifying. The math is a lot simpler in our Central Conference than elsewhere in the league.
Eight regional host venues will be selected for the Rounds of 32 and 16 on July 17-19. Two clubs will be selected to host the Conference Finals and National Semifinals on July 24-26. The 2026 USL League Two Final will be played on Saturday, August 1, and will be hosted by one of the participating clubs.
Last year, Minneapolis City won the division and made it all the way to the Conference Final.
