WPSL South Region Alignment
- Phillip Farrell
- 3 hours ago
- 4 min read
NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com
A reconfigured conference line-up will shake things up in the 32-team South Region in 2026. Florida-based teams from last-year’s Sunshine Conference join the Gulf Coast Conference while clubs from the Mississippi Delta area move into a conference of their own. WPSL Championships semifinalists, Chattanooga FC return to defend its South Region crown, along with 2025 conference winners DECATUR FC and LA Crewe Rush. Joining the region for inaugural WPSL seasons are District Elite FC, Valdosta FC, Little Rock Rangers SC, while returning clubs NCFC and Arlington Soccer will join Pensacola FC in fielding multiple teams. The Southeast Conference will host the 2026 South Region Playoffs.
Atlantic Conference
Carolinas Division
Port City FC, champions in 2025, have moved to USL W, in-line with their men’s move from NPSL to USL 2. Otherwise it’s the same except for North Carolina FC splitting its team into two.
Carolina FC (Raleigh, NC)Second-place in 2025 with a W4-D2-L2 record.
Noth Carolina FC Grey (Raleigh, NC)NCFC had a 2-0-5 record in 2025 and have split their side into two for 2026.
Noth Carolina FC Navy (Raleigh, NC)As above.
Soda City FC (Columbia, SC)Bottom of the table last year with a 1-0-7 record.
WFC of Charlotte (Charlotte, NC)Finished third in 2025 on 8-1-3. One assumes it will be between them and Carolina FC for the divisional crown this year.
The District Division
UK FC and last year’s Division winners McLean FC will not be returning in 2026 and are replaced by District Elite FC. Arlington’s Blue and Red structure has been replaced with a Senior and U21 pairing. The Division goes from having five teams to having four.
Alexandria Reds (Alexandria, VA)Finished bottom in 2025 with a 2-0-6 record.
Arlington Soccer (Arlington, VA)Arlington Blue and Red finished 2nd and 3rd respectively in 2025. Blue with a 4-1-3 record and Red with a 3-3-3. Blue ended up losing to Chattanooga FC in the Region Semi-Finals.
Arlington Soccer U21s (Arlington, VA)As above.
District Elite FC (Washington, DC)A new expansion side who launched a men’s NPSL team last year.
The winners of the District Division will host the Atlantic Conference Finals in July.
Gulf Coast Conference
Sunshine Division
Last year this was its own conference, but it has hemorrhaged clubs and is now a Division within the Gulf Coast Conference. Five teams (Florida Premier, Jacksonville Armada U23, Prime Time, Seminole Ice, and AGC) have departed, leaving only three.
Florida Gulf Coast Dutch Lions FC (Fort Myers, FL)Sixth-place in 2025 with a 2-1-5 record.
Fusion FC (Sarasota, FL)Second-bottom last year finishing on 1-1-6.
West Florida Flames (Tampa Bay, FL)Conference winners in 2025, they went unbeaten last year (6-2-0).
Third Coast Division
Last season’s bottom club, TLH Reckoning have departed and are replaced by Valdosta from southern Georgia. Otherwise, it’s as you were in the Third Coast.
Gulf Coast United (Gulfport, MS)Finished fourth in 2025 with a 4-2-3 record.
Legacy FC (Panama City, FL)Formerly Florida Roots, they were second-last with a 3-2-5 record.
Pensacola FC (Pensacola, FL)2025’s Invincibles, they finished 9-0-0 and were divisional champions. Beaten 2-1 by LA Krewe Rush in the Conference playoffs.
Pensacola FC Academy (Pensacola, FL)Went 3-3-4 and finished runners-up to complete a 1-2 for Pensacola in 2025.
Union 10 FC (Mobile, AL)Ended last year in third with a 4-0-6 record.
Valdosta FC (Valdosta, GA)A new expansion side who launched a men’s team in the League For Clubs last year.
The winners of the Third Coast Division will host the Gulf Coast Conference Finals in July.
Mississippi Delta Conference
Formerly the Delta Basin Division of the Gulf Coast Conference, the clubs from the Mississippi Delta area have been given conference of their own for 2026.
Baton Rouge United (Baton Rouge, LA)Finished last in the Delta Basin Division in 2025 on a 1-1-6 record.
Hattiesburg FC (Hattiesburg, MS)Went 4-2-2 in 2025 to finished second.
LA Krewe Rush (Lafayette, LA)Champions of the Delta Basin Division in 2025, going 5-2-1. Krewe advanced past McLean Soccer to the Region Finals where they were beaten 4-0 by Chattanooga FC.
Little Rock Rangers SC (Little Rock, AR)Little Rock return to the WPSL after competing in the league in the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
Mississippi Blues SC (Jackson, MS)Finished third in 2025 on a 3-3-2 record.
Shreveport United (Shreveport, LA)Went 3-0-5 in 2025 and finished in fourth (second-last).
Southeast Conference
This monster of a single divisional conference is a merger of the Southeast Conference’s Peachtree and Pioneer divisions from 2025. FC Birmingham and Jackson Ignite have departed the league.
865 Alliance (Knoxville, TN)One of the region’s best teams in 2025, they went unbeaten (7-1-0) in the Pioneer Division and were deducted 12 of their 46 goals for due to goal differential cap. Couldn’t progress to the playoffs however due to a one-year suspension from further playoff participation earned in 2024.
Atlanta Fire United (Atlanta, GA)Last place in the Peachtree Division in 2025 with a 1-1-6 record.
Chattanooga FC (Chattanooga, TN)Earned a playoff spot in 2025 despite finishing second (5-1-1) in the Peachtree Division due to Decatur’s suspension. Provided their worth by marching all the way to the National Semi-Finals.
Decatur FC (Decatur, GA)Like 865, they were one of the region’s best regular season’s performers and won the Peachtree Division with a 7-0-0 record. But, like 865, they couldn’t progress to the playoffs due to roster issues. Their place was taken by Chattanooga.
Georgia Impact (Canton, GA)2-2-4 in 2025 and a third place finish in the Peachtree Division.
Nashville Rhythm F.C. (Nashville, TN)Earned a playoff spot in 2025 despite finishing second (5-2-1) in the Pioneer Division due to 865’s suspension. Beaten by Chattanooga in the Conference Play-offs.
TN Tempo FC (Nashville, TN)3-2-3 in 2025 and a third place finish in the Pioneer Division.
UFA Gunners (Milton, GA)Ended 2025 in fourth place in the Peachtree Division with a 1-2-5 record.
The winners of the Southeast Conference will host the South Region Playoffs in July.
The 28th WPSL season kicks off in mid-May, culminating with the WPSL Championships in July. The 2026 WPSL schedule will be announced in March.
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