Midwest Premier League

EXPANSION INTEREST FORM

Duncan Riddle

Partnership with The League for Clubs

The Midwest Premier League (MWPL) is excited to announce a strategic partnership with The League for Clubs (TLFC). Both leagues will collaborate on building a new regional-to-national amateur soccer structure.

Effective immediately, the partnership will see the MWPL and TLFC join forces to strengthen the amateur soccer footprint in the Midwestern states within Region II of the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA).

This partnership is in alignment with the MWPL’s 2030 plan, which was created to guide the growth of the league and its member clubs. Starting next season, new conferences within The League for Clubs will be established, which will sit above the existing Midwest Premier League conference structure. A merit-based system of promotion and relegation will be developed between the two leagues, to be implemented as early as 2027.

“As a club led league, the MWPL is focused on assisting its member clubs to maximize their potential. This strategic partnership gives our clubs the opportunity to expand their footprint by playing in a national league” said MWPL Commissioner Duncan Riddle.

“When The League for Clubs began, we vowed to partner with like-minded and well-run regional leagues. Early on, we knew that our ideals aligned with those of MWPL leadership and membership. The foresight and thoughtfulness of their 2030 Plan is admirable and much needed in American soccer,” added TLfC Commissioner Casey Cantor. “With this partnership we can continue to work towards a merit-based system that allows clubs to develop both on and off the field at the state and regional levels with the goal of earning the opportunity to compete nationally. We’re honored to learn from, collaborate with and build with the MWPL for many years to come.”

For more on TLFC, visit their website, www.theleaguefc.com, or follow them on social media, @TheLeague_fC

Midwest Premier League Hires Experienced, Visionary Commissioner

New leader brings perspective from English Premier League, national American soccer roles

Chicago, IL – The Midwest Premier League is excited to welcome Duncan Riddle as its League Commissioner for the upcoming 2025 season. Riddle spent nearly a decade at Aston Villa F.C. where he led community and stakeholder relations, before moving across the Atlantic to serve as Executive Director of the United States Adult Soccer Association, the national governing body for adult soccer and the MWPL.

“I am very honored to take on this role,” said Riddle. “The beautiful game continues to grow and mature in America, and this is an exciting time to be involved. I have watched the MWPL grow and evolve in my time in the States, and I am convinced that even more success can be achieved.”

At Aston Villa, Riddle got his start in the club’s community coaching and outreach programs before moving into business and administration roles, where he was most notably responsible for AVFC’s relationship with Acorns Children’s Hospice. As a result, the club was the first professional sports team to promote a charity on their jerseys.

Midwest Premier League Board President Steve Beckman had the following to say about the addition of Riddle: “Duncan’s proven himself in soccer administration at every level and that makes him a great fit for our league. He helped establish the MWPL’s affiliation with USASA and I’m excited about what he can help us accomplish in the future. His deep familiarity with the challenges of amateur soccer will be extremely helpful to us as we continue to grow our league and find new ways to support our member clubs.”

During his time with USASA, Riddle helped increase participation in the National Amateur Cup, launched the annual USASA Soccer Fest, implemented new technologies within the organization, and managed relationships with corporate partners and various soccer organizations across the country. After 12 years of service, he recently left USASA to start his own consultancy business.

The English-born Riddle holds a UEFA ‘A’ coaching license and spent time working with all age groups in the academy at Birmingham City FC before joining Aston Villa F.C. in 2002. Riddle joins a commissioners group that includes Associate Commissioners Shawn Carroll and Aaron Vnuk, who are returning for their third-straight seasons with the league.

The Midwest Premier League is an American regional soccer league run by its member clubs. The goals of the league are to focus on sustainability, the promotion of high-level competition between clubs, and the support of all of its members through the sharing of ideas and best practices. The league’s 2024 season involved 37 clubs from 6 different states and included the league’s first-ever system of promotion and relegation.

The expansion deadline for the 2025 MWPL season is December 1st, 2024. Interested clubs can follow this link for more information.