The USL Players Association (USLPA) announced that its members will be blocking the social media accounts of the USL Championship in response to foundering talks on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the United Soccer League (USL).
The USLPA posted on Instagram over the weekend that its players had blocked various USL social media accounts and encouraged fans to do the same, marking an escalation in the union's public posture as it relates to the CBA negotiations.
The USLPA and the league have engaged in 26 bargaining sessions since Aug. 1, 2024, with little to no progress made on its key issues. These include mandating that clubs provide healthcare to players, improving working conditions and increasing overall compensation. The current CBA is due to expire at the end of this year.
"With the current agreement set to expire, the lack of progress at the bargaining table is disappointing and frustrating," the USLPA said via Instagram. "Players are frustrated because professional soccer cannot succeed without professional standards. Safe working conditions, fair pay, and employer provided healthcare are not optional -- they are fundamental to player welfare, the credibility of the League, and increased fan interest and engagement."
A USL spokesperson declined to comment.
The CBA being negotiated applies only to players in the USL Championship, which currently comprises the top tier in the USL and the second tier of professional men's soccer in the United States. Players in the next tier below, USL League One. have a separate CBA which is due to expire at the end of 2027.
The USL has announced its intention to create a new top tier, starting possibly in 2027, as well implementing a system of promotion/relegation, which would be a first in U.S. soccer.
The current CBA stipulates that players receive a minimum compensation amount of $2,600 per month for the 2025 season. This amount can be comprised of some, but not necessarily all of the following items: salary, bonuses, health benefits and a housing allowance. Teams aren't mandated to provide compensation for healthcare and housing.
The USLPA is also aiming to have year-round contracts for all players. Some USL contracts are required to cover only the 10 months that players are typically with a team.
"With the World Cup coming to the U.S. next summer and the USL promoting ambitions like Division 1 status and promotion/relegation, we are at an inflection point for the sport in this country," said USLPA executive director Connor Tobin in a statement to ESPN.
"That growth cannot be realized without credible professional standards -- fair pay, safe working conditions, and employer-provided healthcare -- which are inherently necessary for the continued growth and acceptance of the USL and indeed the sport in America."