The body was founded in 2011 by clubs that had broken from the established American National Rugby League (AMNRL), plus expansion franchises.

In the inaugural Grand Final on August 27, the Philadelphia Fight defeated the New Haven Warriors to win their first ever national championship.

[11] In 2013 the USARL and AMNRL increased their focus on reunification, particularly after the United States' encouraging showing at the 2013 Rugby League World Cup.

The USARL subsequently invited AMNRL clubs to join their ranks as full members and initiated a four-team expansion.

[12] In 2014, the USARL expanded to 10 teams, adding expansion squads Atlanta Rhinos, Central Florida Warriors, and Tampa Mayhem.

Before the 2017 season, the D.C. Slayers and Bucks County Sharks left the competition, and the USARL abolished the division structure within the North Conference.

Additionally, four Utah teams, Riverton Seagulls, Herriman Roosters, Glendale Storm and Provo Broncos began playing USARL sanctioned matches as affiliates of PCRL.

6 clubs from both coasts, Los Angeles Mongrel, San Diego Barracudas, and Santa Rosa Dead Pelicans joined to represent the Western Conference, while Carolina Valkyries, Tampa Mischief, Jacksonville Axewomen and New York State Queens to represent the Eastern Conference.

Lastly, the USARL South would now become the Florida Rugby League, the rebranding affects both men's and women's teams in the region, including the Jacksonville Axemen and Axewomen, Southwest FL Copperheads, Tampa Mayhem and Mischief, and the Atlanta Rhinos.

The New England Immortals were founded in 2010 and consisted of the top players from the New England–based teams of the AMNRL – the Boston Thirteens, Connecticut Wildcats and the New Haven Warriors.

There are six stars which represent the six states that make up New England, while the red white and blue symbolize not only the national colors of the U.S., but also hardiness, valour, vigilance, and perseverance.

Due to the regulations of the separation outlined by the RLIF, only players registered in the AMNRL competition qualified for selection to the USA Tomahawks.

In April 2012, Head Coach Robin Peers named the 23-man roster that would make up the New England Immortal side that would represent their region against the British Royal Marines at Tucker Field in Cumberland, Rhode Island, at the end of the month.

[39] Despite the loss of the Connecticut, the expanded player pool from newly formed Oneida FC and the Rhode Island Rebellion saw a new breed Immortals, with only three returning veterans.

The Immortals took to the field for their second match since their inception, and despite putting up a hard fight, they were out classed by the more experienced Marines, losing by a score of 68–12.

[40] As of 2014, due to budgetary cuts and restructuring of the USARL competition, the Immortals have not played a match since their loss to the Royal Marines.

In 2014, the league established a touring developmental side, the USA Pioneers, to play friendly matches against foreign nations.

This representative consisted of overseas-imports from Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom and France; similar to Super League's Exiles.