By JOHN BOSCHINI
Three Puerto Rican soccer teams have been dropped from USL-Pro with immediate effect, the league announced Tuesday morning. The move has reduced the number of active teams to 12.
Puerto Rico United, River Plate Puerto Rico and Sevilla FC Puerto Rico had been playing in the USL Pro's International Division, but it has now emerged that all three have encountered severe financial difficulties and no longer meet the league's standards and obligations.
The games already played against the Puerto Rican teams will still be counted as legitimate results. The remaining 12 teams will play make-up games amongst themselves to ensure that each team plays a 24-game regular season. The league has not announced a new schedule or released plans for realignment.
On Monday, River Plate Puerto Rico announced that it had terminated all of its foreign-based players' contracts after promised sponsorship money failed to materialize. The club's current owners are still determining whether or not to dissolve the club completely.
This comes on the heels of Spain's Sevilla FC cutting ties with Sevilla FC Puerto Rico earlier this month. The three teams are still members of the Puerto Rico Soccer League and will continue in that competition.