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.
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. 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. 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. 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.
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. 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.
Match
Details
GK 26 Kat AsmanLB 16 Ally BrownCB 22 Regan SteiglederCB 3 Allison PantusoRB 12 Alyssa Bourgeois CM 6 Taylor Aylmer (c)CM 20 Darya Rajaee LW 11 McKenzie Weinert FW 18 Addie McCain FW 15 Catherine Barry RW 13 Sarah Griffith Substitutes:GK 1 Sarah CoxFW 2 Hannah White MF 9 Amber Nguyen DF 13 McKenzie HawkinsMF 17 Tati Fung DF 19 Hannah Johnson DF 21 Hannah Sharts MF 23 Nicole Vernis Manager: Kosuke Kimura
GK 15 Sydney MartinezLB 7 Jill Aguilera (c) CB 19 Meaghan NallyCB 5 Jenna Butler RB 13 Addisyn Merrick CM 28 Lily Nabet CM 9 Mia Corbin LW 17 Tyler Lussi FW 20 Shea Groom FW 31 Mackenzie GeorgeRW 23 Riley ParkerSubstitutes:GK 1 Meagan McClellandDF 2 Brianna Martinez FW 4 Ava Cook DF 8 Emily Moxley MF 14 Taylor Porter FW 18 Audrey Coleman MF 22 Emily Morris Manager: Philip Poole
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