2026 USL Super League final
| Event | USL Super League final | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||
| Date | May 30, 2026 | ||||||
| Venue | Lexington SC Stadium, Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. | ||||||
| MVP | Regan Steigleder (Lexington SC) | ||||||
| Referee | Shawn Tehini | ||||||
| Attendance | 7,715 | ||||||
The 2026 USL Super League final was the championship match of the 2025–26 season of the USL Super League, a top-division professional soccer league in the United States. It was contested between Lexington SC and Carolina Ascent FC at Lexington SC Stadium on May 30, 2026. Lexington won the match 3–1, becoming the first Players' Shield champions to complete the league double.[1]
Road to the final
Lexington SC
After finishing last in the league in their inaugural season, Lexington SC turned their fortunes around in their second year and won the USL Super League Players' Shield with the best record in the league.[2] The club hired a new head coach before the season, Masaki Hemmi, but he moved to the club's men's side during the winter break and was replaced by his former assistant Kosuke Kimura.[2] Offensively, the club was led by new signings including McKenzie Weinert, Addie McCain, Sarah Griffith, and Catherine Barry, who burst onto the professional scene and won the USL Super League Golden Boot.[2] In the playoff semifinals, Lexington SC won 2–0 over Dallas Trinity FC with goals from Griffith and Barry to advance to their first league championship game.[3]
Carolina Ascent
After winning the Players' Shield in their inaugural season, Carolina Ascent FC finished their second year in third place in the league, ending the campaign on a six-game win streak and eleven-game undefeated streak.[4] In the playoff semifinals, the Ascent won 1–0 against expansion club Sporting JAX on an early goal from Mackenzie George, reaching their first league title game.[5]
Match
Details
| Lexington SC | 3–1 (a.e.t.) | Carolina Ascent |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Corbin  45+1' |
        Lexington SC
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   Carolina Ascent FC
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- Most Valuable Player
Regan Steigleder- Assistant referees
- Jessica Carnevale (United States)
- Zeno Cho (United States)
- Fourth official
- Laura Rodriguez (United States)
- Match rules
- 90 minutes
- 30 minutes of extra time if necessary.
- Penalty shootout if scores still level.
References
- ↑ "Lexington Sporting Club Win Gainbridge Super League Championship Title". USL Super League. May 30, 2026. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
- 1 2 3 Drummond, Cameron (May 22, 2026). "After a record-breaking regular season, Lexington Sporting Club plays for a title". Lexington Herald-Leader. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
- ↑ Cierzan, Noah (May 23, 2026). "Lexington Sporting Club Advances to First Championship in Club History". WLEX-TV. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
- ↑ Goldberg, Steve (May 22, 2026). "Carolina Ascent on a mission heading into GSL playoffs". The Charlotte Post. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
- ↑ White, Herbert L. (May 27, 2026). "Carolina Ascent has one final mountain to climb for title". The Charlotte Post. Retrieved May 30, 2026.