By DAN KARELL
Fans of the North American Soccer League finally have a date to look forward to and mark down in their calendars.
The NASL released the 2014 Spring Season schedule today, with the opening weekend of April 12 highlighted by a rematch from last season’s NASL Soccer Bowl with the New York Cosmos hosting the Atlanta Silverbacks.
All 10 NASL clubs will play a nine-game Spring Season from April 12 through June 8 before the league shuts down for the World Cup in Brazil. The winner of the Spring Season earns the right to host the Soccer Bowl against the eventual Fall Season champions.
In 2014, the NASL will welcome two new clubs – Indy Eleven and the Ottawa Fury – to the league, and will feature the first all-Canadian club match between the Fury and FC Edmonton. The 10-team league will add three more squads in 2015 with the introduction of the Virginia Cavalry and franchises in Jacksonville, Fla. and Oklahoma City, Okla. The Calvary initially planned to join the league in 2014, but have chosen to delay entry until 2015.
Here’s a look at all the matches in the NASL Spring Season:
NASL 2014 SPRING SEASON SCHEDULE
| Date | Home Team | Away Team | Time (ET) | |
| Saturday, April 12 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | Vs. | Ottawa Fury FC | 7.30pm |
| Saturday, April 12 | Indy Eleven | Vs. | Carolina RailHawks | 7.30pm |
| Saturday, April 12 | San Antonio Scorpions | Vs. | Minnesota United FC | TBC |
| Saturday, April 12 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | Vs. | FC Edmonton | 7.30pm |
| Sunday, April 13 | New York Cosmos | Vs. | Atlanta Silverbacks | 5pm |
| Saturday, April 19 | Atlanta Silverbacks | Vs. | San Antonio Scorpions | 7.30pm |
| Saturday, April 19 | Carolina RailHawks | Vs. | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | TBC |
| Saturday, April 19 | FC Edmonton | Vs. | New York Cosmos | TBC |
| Saturday, April 19 | Indy Eleven | Vs. | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 7.30pm |
| Saturday, April 19 | Ottawa Fury FC | Vs. | Minnesota United FC | TBC |
| Saturday, April 26 | New York Cosmos | Vs. | San Antonio Scorpions | 7pm |
| Saturday, April 26 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | Vs. | Indy Eleven | 7.30pm |
| Saturday, April 26 | Minnesota United FC | Vs. | FC Edmonton | TBC |
| Saturday, April 26 | Ottawa Fury FC | Vs. | Carolina RailHawks | TBC |
| Saturday, April 26 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | Vs. | Atlanta Silverbacks | 7.30pm |
| Saturday, May 3 | Atlanta Silverbacks | Vs. | Ottawa Fury FC | 7.30pm |
| Saturday, May 3 | Carolina RailHawks | Vs. | New York Cosmos | TBC |
| Saturday, May 3 | FC Edmonton | Vs. | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | TBC |
| Saturday, May 3 | Minnesota United FC | Vs. | Indy Eleven | TBC |
| Saturday, May 3 | San Antonio Scorpions | Vs. | Tampa Bay Rowdies | TBC |
| Saturday, May 10 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | Vs. | Atlanta Silverbacks | 7.30pm |
| Saturday, May 10 | Indy Eleven | Vs. | FC Edmonton | 7.30pm |
| Saturday, May 10 | Ottawa Fury FC | Vs. | Tampa Bay Rowdies | TBC |
| Saturday, May 10 | San Antonio Scorpions | Vs. | Carolina RailHawks | TBC |
| Monday, May 12 | New York Cosmos | Vs. | Minnesota United FC | 7.30pm |
| Saturday, May 17 | Carolina RailHawks | Vs. | Atlanta Silverbacks | TBC |
| Saturday, May 17 | Indy Eleven | Vs. | Ottawa Fury FC | 7.30pm |
| Saturday, May 17 | Minnesota United FC | Vs. | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | TBC |
| Saturday, May 17 | San Antonio Scorpions | Vs. | FC Edmonton | TBC |
| Saturday, May 17 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | Vs. | New York Cosmos | 7.30pm |
| Saturday, May 24 | FC Edmonton | Vs. | Atlanta Silverbacks | TBC |
| Saturday, May 24 | Minnesota United FC | Vs. | Carolina RailHawks | TBC |
| Saturday, May 24 | New York Cosmos | Vs. | Indy Eleven | 7pm |
| Saturday, May 24 | Ottawa Fury | Vs. | San Antonio Scorpions | TBC |
| Saturday, May 24 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | Vs. | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 7.30pm |
| Saturday, May 31 | Atlanta Silverbacks | Vs. | Minnesota United FC | 7.30pm |
| Saturday, May 31 | Carolina RailHawks | Vs. | Tampa Bay Rowdies | TBC |
| Saturday, May 31 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | Vs. | New York Cosmos | 7.30pm |
| Saturday, May 31 | Indy Eleven | Vs. | San Antonio Scorpions | 7.30pm |
| Saturday, May 31 | Ottawa Fury FC | Vs. | FC Edmonton | TBC |
| Saturday, June 7 | Atlanta Silverbacks | Vs. | Indy Eleven | 7.30pm |
| Saturday, June 7 | San Antonio Scorpions | Vs. | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | TBC |
| Saturday, June 7 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | Vs. | Minnesota United FC | 7.30pm |
| Sunday, June 8 | FC Edmonton | Vs. | Carolina RailHawks | 4pm |
| Sunday, June 8 | New York Cosmos | Vs. | Ottawa Fury FC | 5pm |
——–
What do you think of the schedule? Do you like your team’s chances to win the spring season?
Share your thoughts below.
Wow.
I didn’t think that it was possible but when about my fallen Puerto Rico Islanders, I’m so overcome by the enormous void that they have left in my life that my brain does even dumber things than normal–
Like posting comments with my email address where my username should be…
And then I can’t find a “contact” feature to request it removed or let the great staff here know that I’m not just fishing for more attention.
I really, really miss PRIFC.
That sucks bro. I feel for ya. They were a great club. Hopefully a private owner will come along and get them up and running again.
Hey man,
Have you considered following the Nashville FC model and trying to get a fan owned NPSL version going? That may attract wealthier ownership…
http://www.nashvillefc.net/
Here’s more…
https://www.facebook.com/NashFC/info
I guess that I should be over seeing yet another NASL schedule that does not include my beloved Puerto Rico Islanders. Again…
It STILL hurts.
Did they cease to exist because the government cut funding to the Islanders?
Yep. The still had the partnership with the city of Bayamon but they lost their all their funding from the commonwealth government when another party to control of the governor’s mansion (maybe be an overs implication, but that’s pretty much the deal).
A joke, plain and simple. Giving some teams 5 home games and others 4… an absolute embarrassment.
Per NASL website:
“…Virginia Cavalry FC’s decision to defer its inaugural season until 2015 means the ten clubs participating in 2014 must each play a nine-game season, with an unavoidable uneven balance between each club’s total number of home and away games. Having considered adding a tenth game and factored in several components including stadium availability, cold weather climate challenges and participation in domestic cup competitions, NASL owners agreed to the nine-week 2014 schedule…”
Maybe they will reverse it for the Fall Season?
The Fall season will be 18 games, one home, one away.