How impactful are substitutes in the USL Championship, and how should smart teams use them? You’d get 10 different answers if you asked 10 different coaches.
At the same time, it’s undeniable that changes off the bench can be a differentiator, even if perspectives might differ. Whether you’re swapping a quick and rangy No. 9 for a hold-up player, bringing on an extra center back, or simply looking for fresh energy, effectively using substitutions is key to any gameplan.
Today we’re diving into the muddy world of substitutions, examining the teams that use them most effectively and the player archetypes most common to the Championship.
Clubs have gradually begun to use more substitutions as the years have gone on. Back in 2013, for instance, USL teams used just 76.1% of their available changes. The league briefly limited teams to three subs from 2017 through 2019, shifting back to five thereafter. So far in the 2025 season, Championship clubs have used 85.4% of available changes, an all-time high for a five-sub season.
