History
The league was founded by four clubs which were all previously members of the United Premier Soccer League Midwest Conference.[1] Following the 2019 UPSL season, the clubs decided that they could create a stable league that would focus on sustainability of the member clubs by sharing ideas, keeping league costs to a minimum, and maximizing the opportunities for all clubs to compete by limiting end-of-season playoffs that often shorten the season for many teams.[2]
The league announced Union Dubuque F.C. as its first member on September 18, 2019, with the other three founding members being announced in the subsequent weeks.[3] RWB Adria joins the MPWL on September 25, 2019.[4] DeKalb County United joins the MWPL on October 2, 2019.[5] Cedar Rapids Inferno join the MWPL on October 9, 2019 making it the fourth member team.[6] And concludes the joining of the founders.
Cliff Conrad has been elected as the league's first president. Conrad is the co-founder and president of Union Dubuque F.C., one of the league's charter members.[7]
After a period with no expansion news, FC Diablos of Normal, Illinois was announced on January 10, 2020, and an expansion continues into March. With expansion side Rockford FC being unveiled shortly thereafter on January 30, 2020.[8][9] Livonia City FC joins the MWPL on Feb. 29th 2020.[10] Lake St.Clair joins the MWPL on March 2, 2020.[11] BiH Grand Rapids joins the MWPL on March 6, 2020.[12]
The league was set to kick off in spring 2020; however, the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.[13][14]
The Midwest Premier League appoints Andy Hayes as the league's first commissioner.[15]
On July 27, 2020, the league announced Lansing Common FC from Lansing, Michigan as a new member club.[16][17]
On September 3, 2020, the MWPL entered a partnership agreement with the National Independent Soccer Association, a USSF Division 3 professional league, which includes pathways for both players and clubs to go fully pro.[18][19]
November 2020 kicked off another round of expansions for the league. Starting with Edgewater Castle FC on Nov. 27th 2020.[20]
It was announced on March 21, 2022 that the MWPL would have 3 Divisions within it.[21]
The schedule for the second season of the league was announced on April 6, 2022, nearly a month ahead of the first game. With Detroit City U23 gone, there would be a new champion in the East Division. And with a finalized Southern Division, 3 champions were to be crowned at the end of the 2022 season.[22]
A new conference alignment was announced by the league on February 6, 2023. The MWPL confirmed that for the 2023 season, the South Conference would now be known as the Gateway Conference, the West Conference would now be the Heartland Conference and the East Conference would be the Great Lakes Conference, with an East and West Division.[23]
Seasons
2021 Fall Season
The first season for the MWPL ended on August 1, 2021[26]
The Eastern division contained 8 teams for the 2021 season.
This Western division contained 12 teams for the 2021 season.
| Eastern Division Standings
|
| Pos
|
Team
|
P
|
GP
|
GD
|
| 1
|
Detroit City U23 (C)
|
39
|
14
|
29
|
| 2
|
Lansing Common
|
31
|
14
|
21
|
| 3
|
West Michigan Bearings
|
27
|
14
|
15
|
| 4
|
BiH Grand Rapids
|
20
|
14
|
7
|
| 5
|
Michigan Stars U23
|
19
|
14
|
1
|
| 6
|
Livonia City
|
9
|
14
|
-18
|
| 7
|
Inter Detroit
|
8
|
14
|
-18
|
| 8
|
LK St Clair
|
5
|
14
|
-37
|
| Western Division Standings
|
| Pos
|
Team
|
P
|
GP
|
GD
|
| 1
|
Milwaukee Bavarian (C)
|
28
|
11
|
24
|
| 2
|
RWB Adria
|
28
|
11
|
21
|
| 3
|
Steel City
|
20
|
11
|
7
|
| 4
|
Berber City
|
20
|
11
|
4
|
| 5
|
Cedar Rapids Inferno
|
16
|
11
|
-2
|
| 6
|
Union Dubuque
|
15
|
11
|
-8
|
| 7
|
FC Diablos
|
14
|
11
|
2
|
| 8
|
Chicago Mustangs
|
13
|
11
|
1
|
| 9
|
Edgewater Castle
|
12
|
11
|
-6
|
| 10
|
Rockford
|
9
|
11
|
-9
|
| 11
|
Dekalb County
|
7
|
11
|
-15
|
| 12
|
Chicago Athletic
|
4
|
11
|
-19
|
Rules for classification: P) points; (GP) games played; (GD) goal differential;
(C) Champion
2022 season
The first season with 3 divisions in it.
The Eastern division contained 11 teams for the 2022 season.
The Western division contained 12 teams for the 2022 season
The Southern division contained 4 teams for the 2022 season.
| Eastern Division Standings
|
| Pos
|
Team
|
P
|
GP
|
GD
|
| 1
|
Inter Detroit (C)
|
21
|
10
|
5
|
| 2
|
Lansing Common
|
20
|
10
|
10
|
| 3
|
Tulip City United
|
20
|
10
|
10
|
| 4
|
Michigan Jaguars
|
18
|
10
|
9
|
| 5
|
Cedars FC
|
16
|
10
|
0
|
| 6
|
Grand Haven Admirals
|
14
|
10
|
4
|
| 7
|
Michigan Stars U23
|
14
|
10
|
1
|
| 8
|
Livonia City
|
12
|
10
|
-1
|
| 9
|
West Michigan Bearings
|
9
|
10
|
-7
|
| 10
|
Detroit Union
|
6
|
10
|
-17
|
| 11
|
BiH Grand Rapids
|
5
|
10
|
-15
|
| Western Division Standings
|
| Pos
|
Team
|
P
|
GP
|
GD
|
| 1
|
Milwaukee Bavarian (C)
|
24
|
11
|
23
|
| 2
|
RWB Adria
|
24
|
11
|
21
|
| 3
|
Iowa Raptors
|
24
|
11
|
18
|
| 4
|
Chicago House AC
|
20
|
11
|
18
|
| 5
|
DeKalb County United
|
17
|
11
|
1
|
| 6
|
Steel City
|
15
|
11
|
3
|
| 7
|
Chicago City SC
|
14
|
11
|
-1
|
| 8
|
Rockford FC
|
14
|
11
|
-6
|
| 9
|
Cedar Rapids Inferno
|
14
|
11
|
-14
|
| 10
|
Berber City
|
8
|
11
|
-11
|
| 11
|
FC Diablos
|
7
|
11
|
-24
|
| 12
|
Edgewater Castle
|
3
|
11
|
-28
|
| Southern Division Standings
|
| Pos
|
Team
|
P
|
GP
|
GD
|
| 1
|
Ajax St. Louis (C)
|
15
|
6
|
2
|
| 2
|
AFC Columbia
|
12
|
6
|
6
|
| 3
|
Santa Fe Wanderers
|
6
|
5
|
0
|
| 4
|
Springfield FC
|
0
|
5
|
-10
|
Rules for classification: P) points; (GP) games played; (GD) goal differential;
(C) Champion
2023 Season
The first season with 4 divisions.
| Gateway Division Standings
|
| Pos
|
Team
|
P
|
GP
|
GD
|
| 1
|
AFC Columbia
|
|
|
|
| 2
|
Ajax St. Louis
|
|
|
|
| 3
|
Cedar Rapids Inferno
|
|
|
|
| 4
|
Club Atletico Saint Louis
|
|
|
|
| 5
|
Santa Fe Wanderers
|
|
|
|
| 6
|
Iowa Raptors FC
|
|
|
|
| 7
|
Southeast Soccer Academy
|
|
|
|
| Great Lakes West Division Standings
|
| Pos
|
Team
|
P
|
GP
|
GD
|
| 1
|
1927 SC
|
|
|
|
| 2
|
BiH Grand Rapids
|
|
|
|
| 3
|
Futsal Factory Academy
|
|
|
|
| 4
|
Holland Rovers FC
|
|
|
|
| 5
|
Lansing Common FC
|
|
|
|
| 6
|
Livonia City FC
|
|
|
|
| 7
|
Tulip City United SC
|
|
|
|
| 8
|
United West FC
|
|
|
|
| 9
|
West Michigan Bearings SC
|
|
|
|
| Heartland Division Standings
|
| Pos
|
Team
|
P
|
GP
|
GD
|
| 1
|
Bavarian United
|
|
|
|
| 2
|
Berber City FC
|
|
|
|
| 3
|
Chicago City SC
|
|
|
|
| 4
|
Chicago House AC
|
|
|
|
| 5
|
Czarni Jalso
|
|
|
|
| 6
|
Dekalb United
|
|
|
|
| 7
|
Edgewater Castle FC
|
|
|
|
| 8
|
Rockford FC
|
|
|
|
| 9
|
RWB Adria
|
|
|
|
| 10
|
Steel City FC
|
|
|
|
| Great Lakes East Division Standings
|
| Pos
|
Team
|
P
|
GP
|
GD
|
| 1
|
Aim SC
|
|
|
|
| 2
|
Cedars FC
|
|
|
|
| 3
|
Detroit Union FC
|
|
|
|
| 4
|
Inter Detroit FC
|
|
|
|
| 5
|
Liquid Football
|
|
|
|
| 6
|
Michigan Jaguars FC
|
|
|
|
| 7
|
Michigan Stars FC
|
|
|
|
| 8
|
Thundercats SC
|
|
|
|
| 9
|
Troy United FC
|
|
|
|
Rules for classification: P) points; (GP) games played; (GD) goal differential;
(C) Champion
Golden Boot winner
The golden boot winners were announced on September 15, 2021.[29][30]
East Division Winner
| Season
|
Team
|
Winner
|
Goals
|
| 2021
|
Lansing Common
|
Shady Omar
|
8
|
| 2022
|
|
|
|
West Division Winner
| Season
|
Team
|
Winner
|
Goals
|
| 2021
|
FC Diablos
|
Jordan Walker
|
15
|
| 2022
|
Steel City FC
|
Shea Bechtel
|
9
|
South Division Winner
| Season
|
Team
|
Winner
|
Goals
|
| 2022
|
|
|
|
