2023 USL Championship playoffs explained
See main article: 2023 USL Championship season.
The 2023 USL Championship playoffs (branded as the 2023 USL Championship Playoffs presented by Hisense for sponsorship reasons[1]) was the post-season championship of the 2023 USL Championship. It was the thirteenth edition of the USL Championship playoffs. The playoffs began on October 21, and concluded with the USL Championship Final on November 12.[2]
San Antonio FC were the defending title holders[3] and were eliminated in the Conference Semi-finals by Sacramento Republic FC.[4] Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC and the Tampa Bay Rowdies were the first teams to clinch a playoff berth which they both achieved on September 3 and subsequently both lost in the first round.[5] Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC won the regular season and were eliminated in the Conference Quarterfinals by Detroit City FC.[6]
The Charleston Battery and Phoenix Rising FC advanced to the Final after failing to make the postseason the previous year. A match Phoenix won after a penalty shoot-out for their first title.[7]
Format
The top eight teams in each conference qualified for the playoffs which was in a single-elimination, fixed bracket format. All playoff matches were streamed live on ESPN+ except the Championship final on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, and Sirius XM FC.
Conference standings
Eastern Conference
Western Conference
Bracket
Schedule
Conference Quarterfinals
Conference Semifinals
Conference Finals
USL Championship Final
Top goalscorers
[8]
Notes and References
- 2023-10-01 . Playoffs are coming to Heart Health Park on October 21st . Press release . Sacramento, CA . Sacramento Republic FC. https://web.archive.org/web/20231002182647/https://www.sacrepublicfc.com/playoffs/ . 2023-10-02 . 2023-10-02 .
- Web site: Drama on final matchday as bracket is set for 2023 USL Championship Playoffs . October 15, 2023 . www.uslchampionship.com . USL Championship . October 15, 2023.
- Web site: 'Finally everything coming together': Fans revel in San Antonio FC's first USL Championship . Torres . Raquel . 2022-11-14 . /sanantonioreport.org/ . San Antonio Report . San Antonio, TX . 2023-09-15 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230916021615/https://sanantonioreport.org/san-antonio-fc-louisville-city-usl-soccer-game-score/ . 2023-09-16.
- News: San Antonio FC has title defense end in semifinal loss at Sacramento Republic . subscription . Whitaker . Stephen . 2023-10-28 . San Antonio Express-News . San Antonio, TX . 2023-10-29 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231029022147/https://www.expressnews.com/sports/article/safc-title-defense-end-semifinal-loss-sacramento-18454322.php . 2023-10-29.
- Web site: USL Championship Race to the Playoffs – Sept. 9-10 . Murray . Nicholas . 2023-09-07 . www.uslchampionship.com . USL Championship . Tampa, FL . 2023-09-15 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230916022657/https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1283717 . 2023-09-16.
- Web site: Detroit City FC Defeats Pittsburgh in First Round of USL Playoffs . Clark . Christina . 2023-10-23 . www.hourdetroit.com . Hour Detroit . Detroit, MI . 2023-10-27 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231027153148/https://www.hourdetroit.com/sports-topics/detroit-city-fc-defeats-pittsburgh-in-first-round-of-usl-playoffs/ . 2023-10-27.
- Web site: Phoenix Rising FC wins USL title in improbable way vs. Charleston Battery . Anderson . Jake . 2023-11-13 . arizonasports.com . Arizona Sports. Charleston, SC . 2023-11-28 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231128152529/https://arizonasports.com/story/3538060/phoenix-rising-fc-wins-2023-usl-championship-title-charleston/ . 2023-11-28.
- Web site: 2023 USLC Playoff Stats . USL Championship . November 11, 2023.
