Lower Tier Soccer | Top Tier Coverage
Protagonist soccer is a media organization dedicated to lower-tier soccer; UPSL, NPSL, BSSL
Protagonist Soccer brings you our prestigious Top 25 Tops of 2025 list and this year we’ve done it in style. Seven Kitnerd panelists from across the US Soccer podcasting and writing community weigh in and share their opinions about this year’s most impressive US-based club kits! In Part One, we explain the process, give you a list of notable exclusions, and start the countdown. from number 25 to number 15.
Read MoreBreaking the Lines’ Zach Lowy sits down with soccer broadcast journalist, Nico Cantor, and shares with us the story of how Nico landed in the soccer spotlight despite not having a prestigious playing career.
by Zach Lowy
Read MoreThis is it. We’ve made it to the final Who Are Ya of 2025 and what a club to close out the season with! Now, we know who Denton Diablos are but we wanted to catch up with the former champions of NPSL and find out how they plan on conquering USL League Two. Co-founder and friend of Protagonist, Damon Gochneaur, was happy to help end the year on a high note.
by Josh Duder
Read MoreDan offers his perspective on the death of Grant Wahl and the legacy of the best American soccer journalist.
Read MoreBeing a fan in soccer is more than just the drums, the chants, and the smoke. It’s about connecting to a club at a personal level and making it a part of who you are as a person. For Dan “Wheaties” Garrett that club is Livonia City FC of the Midwest Premier League. And though he may be a one person supporter group for now, he’s in it for the long haul.
by Rich Schenck
Read MoreEl Johnson, co-founder of 2cents FC and Forty-One , has been a trailblazer in thinking beyond a single podcast or website. Instead, he’s revolutionized the Black soccer content space through bigger thinking, seeking to build out a space for his work and the work of others to shine. His focus, building a table for himself and plenty of space for company.
by Dan Vaughn
Read MoreWhen Shashi Vaswani came to Laredo, Texas, he brought his passion for business and his love for soccer. Now almost 40 years later, he’s built a stadium that is the best in its class and a jewel on the border. PEG Energy Stadium is one of the finest amateur stadiums in the country and the new home of the Laredo Heat.
by Dan Vaughn
Read MoreAuthor of multiple soccer books and articles, Stephen Brandt continues his journey through NASL history for Protagonist Soccer. In this set of retrospective articles, we explore the brief history of the Philadelphia Fury and this is part two.
by Stephen Brandt
Read MoreBreaking the Lines’ Zach Lowy has a candid conversation with the Portuguese coach, Renato Paiva, about growing up under dictatorship, becoming a coach with Benfica, and managing futbol sides in South America.
by Zach Lowy
Read MoreThere are thousands of soccer teams in the US league system and we love finding clubs and getting to know them - then sharing that with you! A team we’ve been hoping to share for quite a while is the Lubbock Matadors.
by Josh Duder
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