The USL Cup was the championship final of the United Soccer League (USL Championship), the second division of professional men's soccer in the United States and Canada. It represented the culmination of the USL Championship playoffs, a knockout tournament contested by the top teams from the regular season conference standings. The match was a standalone event, often hosted by the finalist with the better regular-season record, and decided the ultimate champion of the league. Winning the USL Cup was a prestigious achievement, conferring national glory and sometimes a berth in continental competition. While the league has since rebranded its championship event, the USL Cup name remains iconic in the history of American soccer's lower divisions, symbolizing the competitive growth of the sport outside Major League Soccer.