# Eastern Conference (USL Championship)

The Eastern Conference is one of two conferences in USL Championship soccer.

## Current standings

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Birmingham Legion FC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Playoffs |
| 2 | Charleston Battery | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Playoffs |
| 3 | Detroit City FC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Playoffs |
| 4 | Hartford Athletic | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Playoffs |
| 5 | Indy Eleven | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Playoffs |
| 6 | Loudoun United FC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Playoffs |
| 7 | Louisville City FC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Playoffs |
| 8 | Miami FC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Playoffs |
| 9 | North Carolina FC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 10 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 11 | Rhode Island FC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 12 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |

## Members
### Current

| Club | City | Stadium |
| Birmingham Legion FC | Birmingham, Alabama | Protective Stadium |
| Charleston Battery | Charleston, South Carolina | Patriots Point Soccer Complex |
| Detroit City FC | Hamtramack, Michigan | Keyworth Stadium |
| Hartford Athletic | Hartford, Connecticut | Trinity Health Stadium |
| Indy Eleven | Indianapolis, Indiana | IU Michael A. Carroll Track & Soccer Stadium |
| Loudoun United FC | Leesburg, Virginia | Segra Field |
| Louisville City FC | Louisville, Kentucky | Lynn Family Stadium |
| Miami FC | Miami, Florida | Riccardo Silva Stadium |
| North Carolina FC | Cary, North Carolina | WakeMed Soccer Park |
| Pittsburgh Riverhounds | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Highmark Stadium |
| Rhode Island FC | Smithfield, Rhode Island | Beirne Stadium |
| Tampa Bay Rowdies | St. Petersburg, Florida | Al Lang Stadium |

## Conference Lineups
### Clubs timeline

Conference Member  Club moved to Western Conference  Former clubs  Club playing in different league
‡Orlando City B & Rochester Rhinos went on hiatus after the 2017 season. OKC Energy FC went and has been on hiatus since the 2021 season, and looks to be on hiatus until the 2027 season.

### 2015 (12 teams)

* Charleston Battery
* Charlotte Independence
* Harrisburg City Islanders
* Louisville City FC
* FC Montreal
* New York Red Bulls II
* Pittsburgh Riverhounds
* Richmond Kickers
* Rochester Rhinos
* St. Louis FC
* Toronto FC II
* Wilmington Hammerheads
Changes from 2014: USL Pro expanded and was rebranded as simply USL; the round robin table was split into two conferences: Eastern and Western.

### 2016 (14 teams)

* Bethlehem Steel FC
* Charleston Battery
* Charlotte Independence
* FC Cincinnati
* FC Montreal
* Harrisburg City Islanders
* Louisville City FC
* New York Red Bulls II
* Orlando City B
* Pittsburgh Riverhounds
* Richmond Kickers
* Rochester Rhinos
* Toronto FC II
* Wilmington Hammerheads
Changes from 2015: Bethlehem Steel FC, FC Cincinnati and Orlando City B were added as expansion franchises; St. Louis FC moved out to the Western Conference.

### 2017 (15 teams)

* Bethlehem Steel FC
* Charleston Battery
* Charlotte Independence
* FC Cincinnati
* Harrisburg City Islanders
* Louisville City FC
* New York Red Bulls II
* Orlando City B
* Ottawa Fury FC
* Pittsburgh Riverhounds
* Richmond Kickers
* Rochester Rhinos
* Saint Louis FC
* Tampa Bay Rowdies
* Toronto FC II
Changes from 2016: Ottawa Fury FC and the Tampa Bay Rowdies moved in from the North American Soccer League; FC Montreal was disbanded; Saint Louis FC moved back in from the Western Conference; Wilmington Hammerheads FC moved out to the Premier Development League (now USL League Two).

### 2018 (16 teams)

* Atlanta United 2
* Bethlehem Steel FC
* Charleston Battery
* Charlotte Independence
* FC Cincinnati
* Indy Eleven
* Louisville City FC
* Nashville SC
* New York Red Bulls II
* North Carolina FC
* Ottawa Fury FC
* Penn FC
* Pittsburgh Riverhounds
* Richmond Kickers
* Tampa Bay Rowdies
* Toronto FC II
Changes from 2017: USL was divided into three divisions: Championship, League One and League Two; Atlanta United 2 was added as an expansion franchise; the Indy Eleven and North Carolina FC moved in from the North American Soccer League; the Harrisburg City Islanders were renamed Penn FC; Orlando City B and the Rochester Rhinos went on hiatus; Saint Louis FC moved out back to the Western Conference.

### 2019 (18 teams)

* Atlanta United 2
* Bethlehem Steel FC
* Birmingham Legion FC
* Charleston Battery
* Charlotte Independence
* Hartford Athletic
* Indy Eleven
* Loudoun United FC
* Louisville City FC
* Memphis 901 FC
* Nashville SC
* New York Red Bulls II
* North Carolina FC
* Ottawa Fury FC
* Pittsburgh Riverhounds
* Saint Louis FC
* Swope Park Rangers
* Tampa Bay Rowdies
Changes from 2018: FC Cincinnati disbanded to make way for the MLS franchise; Birmingham Legion FC, Hartford Athletic, Loudoun United FC and Memphis 901 FC were added as expansion franchises; Saint Louis FC and the Swope Park Rangers moved in from the Western Conference; Orlando City B, the Richmond Kickers and Toronto FC II moved out to USL League One; Penn FC and the Rochester Rhinos went on hiatus. They will move to USL League One in 2020.

### 2020 (17 teams)
#### Group E (4 teams)

* Indy Eleven
* Louisville City FC
* Saint Louis FC
* Sporting Kansas City II

#### Group F (5 teams)

* Hartford Athletic
* Loudoun United FC
* New York Red Bulls II
* Philadelphia Union II
* Pittsburgh Riverhounds

#### Group G (4 teams)

* Birmingham Legion FC
* Charlotte Independence
* Memphis 901 FC
* North Carolina FC

#### Group H (4 teams)

* Atlanta United 2
* Charleston Battery
* Miami FC
* Tampa Bay Rowdies
Changes from 2019: Nashville SC moved out to Major League Soccer; Bethlehem Steel FC was renamed Philadelphia Union II; the Swope Park Rangers were renamed Sporting Kansas City II; Ottawa Fury FC was not sanctioned by U.S. Soccer and had their franchise rights sold to Miami FC; Penn FC was disbanded. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic the conference was split into four groups. Three groups of four and one group of five.

### 2021 (16 teams)
#### Atlantic Division (8 teams)

* Charleston Battery
* Charlotte Independence
* Hartford Athletic
* Loudoun United FC
* Miami FC
* New York Red Bulls II
* Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
* Tampa Bay Rowdies

#### Central Division (8 teams)

* Atlanta United 2
* Birmingham Legion FC
* Indy Eleven
* Louisville City FC
* Memphis 901 FC
* OKC Energy FC
* Sporting Kansas City II
* FC Tulsa
Changes from 2020: The conference was divided into two divisions, Atlantic and Central; the OKC Energy FC and FC Tulsa moved in from the Western Conference; North Carolina FC moved out to USL League One; Philadelphia Union II was withdrawn by its MLS parent club; Saint Louis FC was disbanded.

### 2022 (14 teams)

* Atlanta United 2
* Birmingham Legion FC
* Charleston Battery
* Detroit City FC
* Hartford Athletic
* Indy Eleven
* Louisville City FC
* Loudoun United FC
* Memphis 901 FC
* Miami FC
* New York Red Bulls II
* Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
* Tampa Bay Rowdies
* FC Tulsa
Changes from 2021: The Atlantic and Central divisions were dropped; OKC Energy FC went on hiatus; Charlotte Independence moved to USL League One; Detroit City FC joined from NISA; Sporting Kansas City II was withdrawn by its MLS parent club and moved to MLS Next Pro.

### 2023 (12 teams)

* Birmingham Legion FC
* Charleston Battery
* Detroit City FC
* Hartford Athletic
* Indy Eleven
* Louisville City FC
* Loudoun United FC
* Memphis 901 FC
* Miami FC
* Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
* Tampa Bay Rowdies
* FC Tulsa
Changes from 2022: Atlanta United 2 and New York Red Bulls II were withdrawn by its MLS parent club and moved to MLS Next Pro.

### 2024–25 (12 teams)

* Birmingham Legion FC
* Charleston Battery
* Detroit City FC
* Hartford Athletic
* Indy Eleven
* Louisville City FC
* Loudoun United FC
* Miami FC
* North Carolina FC
* Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
* Rhode Island FC
* Tampa Bay Rowdies
Changes from 2023: North Carolina FC returned from USL League One. Rhode Island FC was added as an expansion franchise. Memphis 901 FC and FC Tulsa were moved to the Western Conference.

## Eastern Conference Playoff champions by year

| Bold | USL Champions |
| Season | Champions | Score | Runners Up |
| 2015 | Rochester Rhinos | 1–0 | Louisville City FC |
| 2016 | New York Red Bulls II | 1–1 (4–3 PK) | Louisville City FC |
| 2017 | Louisville City FC | 1–1 (4–3 PK) | New York Red Bulls II |
| 2018 | Louisville City FC | 5–1 | New York Red Bulls II |
| 2019 | Louisville City FC | 3–1 (AET) | Indy Eleven |
| 2020 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 2–1 | Louisville City FC |
| 2021 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 3–2 (AET) | Louisville City FC |
| 2022 | Louisville City FC | 1–0 (AET) | Tampa Bay Rowdies |
| 2023 | Charleston Battery | 2–1 | Louisville City FC |
| 2024 | Rhode Island FC | 2–1 | Charleston Battery |
* ↑ USL Championship game canceled due to COVID-19 outbreak in the Rowdies camp.

## Eastern Conference regular season champions by year

| Bold | Players' Shield Champions |
| Season | Team | Record | Playoffs result |
| 2015 | Rochester Rhinos | 17–1–10 (+25) | Won USL Championship |
| 2016 | New York Red Bulls II | 21–3–6 (+40) | Won USL Championship |
| 2017 | Louisville City FC | 18–6–8 (+27) | Won USL Championship |
| 2018 | FC Cincinnati | 23–3–8 (+38) | Lost Conference semifinals |
| 2019 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC | 19-4-11 (+28) | Lost Conference semifinals |
| 2020 | Louisville City FC | 11-3-2 (+16) | Lost Conference Final |
| 2021 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 23–7–2 (+32) | Lost Championship final |
| 2022 | Louisville City FC | 22–6–6 (+37) | Lost Championship final |
| 2023 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC | 19–5–10 (+21) | Lost Conference quarterfinals |
| 2024 | Louisville City FC | 24–6–4 (+43) | Lost Conference semifinals |