2020 USL Championship Playoffs

Football tournament season

The 2020 USL Championship Playoffs was the post-season championship of the 2020 USL Championship. It was the tenth edition of the USL Championship Playoffs. The playoffs began on October 10, and originally scheduled to conclude with the USL Championship Final on November 1. The Final was then cancelled the day before because several Tampa Bay Rowdies players and staff tested positive for COVID-19. The championship would not be awarded.^[1]

Real Monarchs were the defending USL Championship champions, but failed to qualify for the playoffs.

Qualified teams

Group A

• Reno 1868 FC
• Sacramento Republic FC

Group B

• Phoenix Rising FC
• LA Galaxy II

Group C

• El Paso Locomotive FC
• New Mexico United

Group D

• San Antonio FC
• FC Tulsa

Group E

• Louisville City FC
• Saint Louis FC

Group F

• Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
• Hartford Athletic

Group G

• Charlotte Independence
• Birmingham Legion FC

Group H

• Tampa Bay Rowdies
• Charleston Battery

Format

The top two teams in each group will qualify for the 2020 Championship Playoffs. They will begin on October 10, featuring a single-elimination, 16-team bracket. Under the revised season format, four group winners in each conference will earn hosting rights for the Eastern and Western Conference Quarterfinals. Following the opening round, hosting rights will be determined by regular season record. All playoff matches will stream live on ESPN+ except the Championship final on ESPN.^[2][3]

Conference tables

Western Conference

Source: USL Championship
Rules for classification: 1) points per game; 2) points; 3) total wins; 4) total goal differential; 5) total goals scored; 6) disciplinary points; 7) coin toss or drawing of lots.

Eastern Conference

Source: USL Championship
Rules for classification: 1) points per game; 2) points; 3) total wins; 4) total goal differential; 5) total goals scored; 6) disciplinary points; 7) coin toss or drawing of lots.

Bracket

Schedule

Conference Quarterfinals

Hartford Athletic v Saint Louis FC

Tampa Bay Rowdies v Birmingham Legion FC

Louisville City FC v Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

Charlotte Independence v Charleston Battery

Reno 1868 FC v LA Galaxy II

San Antonio FC v New Mexico United

El Paso Locomotive FC v FC Tulsa

Phoenix Rising FC v Sacramento Republic FC

Conference Semifinals

Louisville City FC v Saint Louis FC

Tampa Bay Rowdies v Charleston Battery

Reno 1868 FC v Phoenix Rising FC

El Paso Locomotive FC v New Mexico United

Conference Finals

Louisville City FC v Tampa Bay Rowdies

Phoenix Rising FC v El Paso Locomotive FC

USL Championship Final

The Final was cancelled the day before because several Tampa Bay Rowdies players and staff tested positive for COVID-19. The championship would not be awarded.^[1]

Tampa Bay Rowdies v Phoenix Rising FC

Top goalscorers

As of October 31, 2020^[5]

Awards

• Goal of the Playoffs: Jordan Doherty (TBR)^[6]
• Save of the Playoffs: Cody Mizell (NMU)^[7]

References

1. "USL Championship Final Cancelled, Season Concludes with Tampa Bay, Phoenix as Conference Title-Winners". USLChampionship.com. October 31, 2020. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
2. "USL Championship Confirms 2020 Postseason Structure". USLChampionship.com. September 14, 2020. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
3. "USL Championship Final to Air on ESPN and ESPN Deportes". USLChampionship.com. September 23, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
4. "Phoenix Rising FC Relinquishes 2020 Championship Final Hosting Rights". USLChampionship.com. October 20, 2020. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
5. "Playoffs Stats". United Soccer League. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
6. "Tampa Bay's Doherty Claims Fans' Choice Goal of the Playoffs Award". USLChampionship.com Staff. November 9, 2020. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
7. "New Mexico's Mizell Takes Fans' Choice Save of the Playoffs Award". USLChampionship.com Staff. November 9, 2020. Retrieved November 10, 2020.