Though a decision regarding the fates of the USL and NASL is still likely to arrive in the near future, American soccer fans will have to wait a bit longer for the final decision.
U.S. Soccer was expected to deliver judgement regarding the USL’s Division 2 application on Tuesday, but instead pushed the decision into next week while re-confirming MLS and the NWSL as the respective division one league’s in the country.
“After continuing discussions with the NASL and USL, the U.S. Soccer Board of Directors postponed the decision on sanctioning/re-certification of leagues for Division 2 and Division 3,” the federation’s statement read. “We expect to have further discussion in the next 7-10 days as we focus on the resolution of this important matter. The U.S. Soccer Board of Directors also re-certified MLS and NWSL as Division 1 leagues.”
With the NASL fighting for survival and the USL rapidly expanding in recent years, there is an expectation that USL will take the Division 2 place in the U.S. soccer pyramid, as both leagues are currently involved in negotiations with USSF president Sunil Gulati.
After losing Minnesota United, the Tampa Bay Rowdies, and the Ottawa Fury, the NASL took another major blow earlier this week as the New York Cosmos reportedly ceased operations, releasing all players and staff while attempting to negotiate a last-minute sale. Aside from the confirmed losses, several other NASL teams have been rumored to be negotiating exits into the USL ahead of any sanctioning decision.
I will never get the obsession of labeling a league second division ( or third )
Obsession is really the only word that you can use.
Even in a situation where the leagues are completely unaffiliated, completely unrelated, no chance of being relegated. One league needs to be second div and one needs to be third. Third wants to be reclassified as second. Nope, the obsession needs to be fed!
US soccer and the soccer fans want the whole world to know. NASL was second to none. Second Division to none that is. Sounds the same, but completely opposite.
We need to bring Pro/Rel to the US, so we can label more teams 2nd division.
Pro-rel is coming to the 2nd and 3rd divisions.
The NASL is like a clump of hair stuck in the shower drain. Can we just make USL D2 and move on building our pyramid?
This is what will happen, but I don’t agree. 2nd division should not be a reserve league. This years USL final was between Red Bulls and Sporting. How many people really count themselves as uniquely fans of RBII, other than the players loved ones? Their stadium seems truly empty when they play.
And 3rd division should at least be professional. Right now the only thing below USL is amateur and kind of a mess, really spread out and full of part-timers, making it hard to scout I think.
US soccer’s forthcoming decision must take into account the need for 3 professional divisions with a common goal to develop young players in meaningful environments, ie. with fans and incentives.
Need more strong local ownership and passionate followings. Maybe USL can plan to grow and split? A dilemma, considering the size of our country. But it’s on the right path. MLS and their academies are only part of the solution.
USL did split one time. It split when Nike sold USL to the current owner and 7-8 teams wanted to purchase it and have a board of owners run it. Those teams became the current NASL league that is falling due to over-reaching by some owners and MLS/USL cherry picking others.
Likely the end result as it’s being rumored from a source that Indy XI is going to be in USL next season. My guess is that the discussion and exit of NASL teams was simply too much for NASL to survive.