We are in an era of explosive growth of soccer vertically in the United States, and there are more clubs in North Texas than ever. In this space, I try to break down the pyramid of soccer in North Texas from MLS down to the top amateur level.
This page has changed drastically since I added Texoma FC back in 2024.
Division 1 – MLS, USL Super League, & USL Premier
2 Local Clubs. Moving up to 5 by 2028?
In any given country, Division 1 is the top professional league: Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga, Serie A, etc. In the United States, it’s Major League Soccer (men), NWSL (women), and the USL Super League (women), for now.
The United Soccer League, which operates the USL Super League, says they are launching a division one league that we are calling USL Premier for convenience.
There is no NWSL team in North Texas.
D1 Clubs in North Texas
FC Dallas – MLS
FC Dallas has been the only top-level club in the area since it was founded in 1996 as the Dallas Burn until 2024. Originally a league-owned team, Lamar Hunt took over the club in 2002.
From 1967 to 1981, the North American Soccer League was the top division in the United States, and the local pro side was the Dallas Tornado. The Tornado were also owned by Lamar Hunt.
Dallas Trinity FC – USL Super League
Launched by the Neil Family in 2024, Dallas Trinity plays in the USL Super League. Their home games are at the Cotton Bowl.
One notable aspect of the Super League that differentiates it from the other pro soccer leagues in the US, it plays a winter season running from the fall to the spring with a winter break.
Atlético Dallas – USL Premier?
Atlético Dallas was launched in 2025 by Matt Valentine and Sam Morton with their sights set on playing in the USL Championship in 2027. As the franchise was being announced, USL announced their new D1 league, and Atlético Dallas pivoted.
Although they are still scheduled to begin play in the USL Championship in 2027 (at the Cotton Bowl), it is expected that Atlético Dallas will be one of the founding teams of this new league in – perhaps – 2028.
So technically, today, Atlético Dallas isn’t D1. But all signs are that it is going to be.
Coming Soon: USL Fort Worth – USL Super League and USL Premier?
Yes, two teams, it appears.
We’ve been reporting on the forthcoming, but unannounced, USL sides in Fort Worth.
According to our sources, the unnamed owner of this club bought out Donnie Nelson’s Austin Bold rights for a seat at the table. But now, according to our sources, the franchise is targeting a USL Premier team even though their placeholder URL mentions USL Championship. They may begin play in USL-C just as Atlético Dallas is.
We’ve also recently confirmed, from the USL website and other sources, that a USL Super League team will also be part of the club, bringing a second D1 ladies team to the MetroPlex.
Efforts appear to be underway to make Farrington Field in Fort Worth their home.
Division 2 – USL Championship, NWSL 2, & WPSL Pro
0 local clubs, moving to 3 Local Clubs soon, then dropping to 1
USL is currently the only league operating at the Division 2 professional level with its men’s USL Championship. There is currently no operating women’s division 2 league.
However, launching in 2026 are two division 2 women’s leagues. A second tier of the NWSL and a “pro” version of the nationwide amateur league, WPSL, called “WPSL Pro.”
D2 Clubs in North Texas
Atlético Dallas and USL Fort Worth
As we mentioned above, AD will launch in the USL Championship and is expected to move to the new USL Division One league. USL FW is expected to do the same.
The current expectation is that these two teams will play in the USL Championship for one season. Or maybe less in Fort Worth’s case, if they wait.
SouthStar FC – WPSL Pro
SouthStar FC is a WPSL club that is one of the announced teams for WPSL Pro, kicking off in 2026.
Division 3 – MLS Next Pro and USL League One
2 Local Clubs
The D3 level is the lowest level of “full-time” professional clubs in the United States and is the lowest level officially designated by USSF. It consists of two leagues: USL-1 and MLS Next Pro.
USL-1 was founded in 2019, and MLS Next Pro was founded in 2022.
NISA started as D3 in 2019-20 but lost its sanctioning in late 2024.
D3 Clubs in North Texas
North Texas SC – MLS Next Pro
North Texas SC is the professional development club of FC Dallas. In 2019, as part of USL-1, they played their home games at Toyota Stadium in Frisco but moved to Globe Life Park (now Choctaw Stadium) in Arlington for 2022 as the club shifted from USL-1 to MLS Next Pro. The club is moving to Mansfield for 2026.
NTSC won the 2019 USL-1 Championship and the 2024 MLS Next Pro Championship, which is why there should be two stars over their logo.
Texoma FC – USL League One
Texoma FC was founded in 2024 in the Sherman area just south of the Oklahoma border. They began play in USL-1 in 2025.
They have also started a youth setup, and say they will have a USL-2 team and a USL W League team in the future.
Important Note: Every tier below this is unsanctioned, and their ranks are up for debate. This is how I define them.
Division 4 – USL League Two, The League for Clubs, NPSL, WPSL, USL W-League, and United Women’s Soccer
10 Local Clubs!
D4 is usually referred to as Semi-Pro and is not sanctioned officially by USSF as they sanction only professional teams and leagues.
The three men’s leagues operating at this level – USL-2 (formerly the PDL or Premier Development League), NPSL (National Premier Soccer League), and a brand new organization called The League for Clubs. All three have teams in DFW.
On the ladies’ side, WPSL, USL-W, and United Women’s Soccer all operate nationally but only WPSL has teams in DFW.
These leagues also have special rules that allow college players from the NCAA to participate without losing eligibility. Both leagues run on a summer-ish schedule from May to July.
D4 Clubs in North Texas
Denton Diablos FC – USL-2
Launched in 2019, the Diablos play in Denton. They play in the Lone Star Conference of the South Region in the NPSL Mid South Conference of USL-2. They used to run a second team called Denton Diablos Estudiantes but they now use that name on their youth set up.
Fort Worth Vaqueros FC – NPSL
Founded in 2013, they play in the Lone Star Conference of the South Region in the NPSL. They have a (rare) free youth setup.
McKinney Chupacabras – USL-2
The Chupacabras began play in 2025 under the ownership of Michael Hitchcock. Ron Poe Stadium is their initial home in McKinney.
FC Dallas U23 – The League for Clubs
FC Dallas fielded a team in The League of Clubs in 2025 for the first time.
Foro SC
Foro SC, which until this point had been a UPSL side, launched a team in The League of Clubs in 2025. Foro has been the best amateur side in Dallas for about 4 years.
Central Dallas FC
A new club in Dallas began play in The League of Clubs in 2025.
FC Revolution
Previously a NISA Nation team, began play in Fort Worth began play in The League of Clubs in 2025.
SouthStar FC – WPSL
As mentioned above, they may be moving into pro status soon, but currently, they play here in the WPSL.
FC Dallas Women – WPSL
The approved but pretty much unofficial FCD women’s team. Affiliated more with the FCD Girls Academy than FC Dallas itself.
Update: It seems FC Dallas Women may have gone on hiatus again.
Fort Worth Vequeras – WSPL
The women’s team of Fort Worth Vaqueros.
Division 5 – UPSL & NISA Nation
Again, this level is not officially sanctioned by USSF. What separates these leagues from local leagues is that they are all national leagues that play at (theoretically) a higher level.
While there are other leagues at this level, technically, what separates UPSL in our opinion, is the nationwide league and around-the-year play.
The UPSL Texas North is, for my money, the highest level of amateur soccer in the area. The best of these teams on the right day can challenge teams in Tier 4 or Tier 3.
D5 Clubs in North Texas and Proximity
UPSL Texas North Conference – Premier
FC Dallas Academy – Joined UPSL in 2023. It fields a team of FCD Academy U18s, U17s, and U16s who need playing time.
Foro Soccer Club – Founded in 2017 as Keene FC, moved/rebranded after time on hiatus. Recently coached by former FCD mid and current North Texas SC Interim Coach Michel. Foro has been the best local amateur side for about 4 years, winning the UPSL title in the Fall of 2021 and advancing far into the playoffs. They have won this conference for quite a few season in a row.
Texas Spurs – Allen. Former Dallas Burn defender Ed Puskarich’s club. Founded in 1998, Spurs is a well-established youth club out of the McKinney area. They have a WPSL women’s side as well.
Sporting NTX – McKinney
Balboa FC – Fort Worth
Coppell FC
Dallas Deportivo FC
FC Dallas Dynamo – No, they aren’t connected to Houston Dynamo or FC Dallas.
Villarreal North Texas – Ft. Worth. They seem to have a number of ex-FCD Academy kids.
Resolute Soccer – Celina.
FC Hurst United
NISA Nation listed Midcities FC and Inter Fort Worth alongside FC Revolution (who ended up in The League for Clubs), but I don’t see signs of that North Texas NISA Nation league launching.
Division 6 – USASA and US Club Soccer
This is the level at which 95% of all American adults play soccer. It’s 100%, in theory, amateur soccer. These are the local soccer leagues that you or I play in as adults.
In North Texas, based in Dallas specifically, we have the long-running NTPSA and the more recently formed Dallas Soccer Alliance.
There are several local area clubs that have made noteworthy US Open Cup runs or performed well against bigger teams over the years. Here are a few names.
- NTX Rayados
- Dallas Roma
- Inocentes FC