Garrett Pog

Current Standings

Schedule

The 2025 Midwest Premier League season is in full steam, and the opening weeks have brought no shortage of surprises. New contenders are pushing perennial powerhouses, reshaping early expectations across the board. Several expansion clubs have wasted no time proving they can compete for top spots, adding even more intrigue to an already unpredictable campaign. Competitive balance has been especially apparent in divisions like Gateway North and South as well as the always-tight Heartland Division 2, where every match seems to carry weight towards promotion hopes. With June approaching, the race is only getting more intense.

Gateway Conference

The Gateway North Division has had an unpredictable start to its inaugural campaign, shaped in part by the early withdrawal of Warrior FC after just three matches. Their exit forced the league to adopt a points-per-game (PPG) system to ensure fairness moving forward, a shift that’s added an extra layer of volatility to the standings. Leading the charge so far is expansion side AFC Omaha, who have made an immediate impact with a statement 2-1 away win over SESA and a hard-fought home draw against Linoma FC in which has been coined as the “402 Derby”. In a division where every match carries significant weight under the PPG format, consistency is crucial—any slip in form could quickly derail a team’s push for the top. SESA and Pearl City SC have shown they’re far more competitive than in previous campaigns, staying close on Omaha’s heels as the race tightens. Meanwhile, 2024 Gateway Conference champions Cedar Rapids Inferno find themselves in the middle of the pack, averaging just 1.0 PPG from four matches, while Linoma FC remains a wildcard with only one match played so far—a promising draw at Omaha that suggests they could be a serious factor once their schedule catches up.

In the Gateway South Division, St. Louis Development Academy emerged as the early leader in May, making a strong first impression in their debut MWPL season with two convincing wins—including a dramatic 5-3 comeback over BOHFS St. Louis after trailing by three goals. However, their unbeaten run came to an end on June 4th with a 2-0 road loss to AFC Columbia, who responded to a slow start by securing their first win of the season in front of their home fans. Despite the setback, STLDA remains a serious contender at the top of the table, and head coach Jim Wipke reflected on the team’s early experience: “Coming into the Midwest Premier League (MWPL) we really did not know what to expect. Honestly we are just trying to learn as we go here. I can tell you that we have been very fortunate in our first two games that the ball has bounced our way. I can speak for our team in saying we are very impressed with the talent and competitive nature of the MWPL.” The chase remains tight, with Ehtar Belleville FC, Club Atletico Saint Louis, and BOHFS St. Louis all sitting on three points—Club Atletico STL with a game in hand. The St. Louis Stars have only played once, a narrow defeat, but will look to make their mark as more fixtures unfold. After a tough opening stretch, AFC Columbia’s recent win could prove to be a turning point as they aim to climb the standings in what promises to be a closely contested division.

Great Lakes Conference

In the Great Lakes East Division, Michigan Stars U23 have set the early pace with an impressive start to their 2025 campaign, collecting 10 points from their first four matches. Wins over Badgers FC, Troy United FC, and Legends FC, along with a hard-fought draw against Inter Detroit, have positioned them as early leaders in a competitive field. Hot on their heels is Liquid Football, who remain perfect through three games, sitting just one point behind with a game in hand. The middle of the table is tightly packed, with MI Futsal Factory, Inter Detroit, Cedars FC, Troy United FC, and FC Pontiac all jostling for position as they look to build momentum heading into the heart of the season. Of note, 2024 Great Lakes champions Cedars FC have only played once so far—a dominant win over Michigan Jaguars FC that hints at their continued strength. At the other end of the table, the Jaguars, along with expansion sides Legends FC and Detroit Badgers FC, are still searching for their first points of the season and hoping to turn things around soon.

In the Great Lakes West Division, expansion side Goshen City FC has made an immediate impact, climbing to the top of the standings with 8 points from their first four matches. Their strong start has been powered by convincing wins over Tulip City United SC and 1927 SC, along with hard-earned draws against both Holland Rovers FC and Grand Rapids SC. Holland Rovers, currently level on points with Goshen, are enjoying one of their best starts in MWPL play and sit second only on goal difference. Just one point behind is Lansing Common FC, who remain unbeaten through three games with two wins and a draw, continuing to show the consistency that has defined their past campaigns. The lower half of the table includes 1927 SC and Tulip City United SC, each managing a single victory so far, while newcomers Midwest United FC U23 and Grand Rapids SC are still searching for their first win of the season. With just a few games separating top and bottom, the division remains wide open heading into the summer months.

Heartland Conference

Heartland Division 2 has seen a commanding start from expansion side RKC Third Coast II, who have burst onto the scene with two emphatic wins to begin their inaugural MWPL campaign. The Wisconsin-based club opened with a 5-0 victory over Steel City FC, followed by a 6-0 dismantling of Chicago City Dutch Lions, showcasing both attacking flair and defensive discipline. “We’ve only played 2 games but things have gone pretty well for the boys,” said club owner Wayne Howard. “The goal is to win the league, so off to a nice start but it’s a long season and we need to stay focused on improving every day and really start to execute how we want to execute. Hopefully that progress continues through the next two months.” RKC’s early dominance has made them the team to beat, but the battle for the lone promotion spot is already heating up. Chicago-based sides Berber City FC and Chicago Ghost FC have each started well with 4 points and are keeping the pressure on. Edgewater Castle FC and Strikers Fox Valley SC both sit on three points from two games and look poised to stay in the mix, while Steel City FC has also collected three points, though from three matches. Still looking to get off the mark are Rockford FC and Chicago City Dutch Lions, both of whom have games in hand and plenty of time to rebound as the season unfolds.

Heartland Division 1 is shaping up to be one of the most competitive races in the Midwest Premier League this season, with battles heating up at both ends of the table. At the top, reigning champions RWB Adria Chicago have picked up where they left off, collecting 14 points from their first six matches. Their only setbacks so far came in fixtures against Chicago House AC and newly promoted Green Bay Glory—the two clubs currently chasing them in the standings. Chicago House AC sits second with 10 points from just four games, maintaining an unbeaten start and holding games in hand that could prove decisive. Green Bay Glory, also off to a strong start in their first season in Division 1, follow closely behind with 10 points from five matches, proving they belong among the division’s elite. Fellow promoted side AFC Roscoe has also shown promise, sitting in the middle of the table with six points from four matches. Bavarian United SC has made a quiet but solid start, earning three points from their first two games and still very much a factor as the season develops. At the other end of the table, the relegation battle is already taking shape, with DeKalb County United and Czarni Jaslo both still searching for their first points—DeKalb from three games and Czarni from five. With only two relegation spots and plenty of matches left, the fight to avoid the drop promises to be as intense as the race for the Heartland Conference title.