As we round the halfway mark of the 2026 season, USL League One has begun to stratify. Omaha, Charlotte, and Knoxville are all lapping the field with more than 30 points earned. There’s a muddy middle behind them; just eight points separate 4th place from 13th. There’s undoubtedly a set of bottom-feeders rounding out the division, but most still have an outside chance in the playoff hunt.
A jam-packed stretch on either side of League One’s mental health break served to deepen the stratification. Who made their case as a contender, and who struggled to keep pace? I’m breaking down every club in the league to find out.
Fort Wayne, the USL’s hottest team
The last time Fort Wayne lost a league game was all the way back on March 28th, three games into their existence in USL League One. Since then, the expansion side has ripped off 11 undefeated matches in a row. Manager Mike Avery’s system continues to look like the best-aligned in the league, and it’s got Fort Wayne into a top-four spot after an absolute dismantling of Spokane this weekend.
There was plenty to like from Fort Wayne all over the pitch, but their ability to control the middle third stood out in what became a 3-0 win. Avery’s 4-4-2 shape is unique in how little it actually operates as a 4-4-2; on both sides of the ball, the baseline formation is a jumping-off point toward very specific tactical ends.
Through the central midfield, Fort Wayne used Javier Armas and Jeremy Garay to mark the pivot of Spokane’s 5-2-3. Doing so made advancement a chore, even as the opposing back three maintained a plus-one edge over Fort Wayne’s pressing forwards. Still, the Velocity were never allowed to push that ostensible advantage because of the way Avery set up the back end of his system.
