Players in the American second-tier USL Championship staged a protest against the league on Saturday, with members of FC Tulsa and the Pittsburgh Riverhounds wearing USLPA shirts as they walked out for anthems ahead of the final.
The shirts displayed the message, “Pro Rel? Try Pro Standards First.” The protest pushed back on the USL’s hopes to integrate promotion and relegation, along with adding a first division in 2028, while failing to provide professional standards for players. Several fans also displayed signs reiterating the same message.
The USL and USLPA have been in an extended negotiation over the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. However, as of September, talks between the two sides had stalled.






