The United States Association of Rugby League became the sport’s governing body in October 2014. It is the successor to a number of national governing bodies since rugby league first came to the USA in 1953, including Super League America, which became the United States RL, and the American National Rugby League, which was dissolved in 2013. 

USARL, formed in 2011 by eight teams as a breakaway competition to the AMNRL, was incorporated as a not-for-profit entity in 2012 to meet RLIF regulations. The association realigned and a new conference structure was implemented. Competition was still limited to the East Coast, but with expanded North and South Conferences, while the pre-existing Midwest Conference had withered to just one club based in Chicago.

The principal member of the governing USAR Inc. is the USARL LLC, which represents the clubs. The USARL Inc. board is six strong, with two drawn from the club entity and the rest independents.