Jeff Carlisle of ESPNFC reported on Saturday that transitional NASL sides New York Cosmos, Miami FC, and Jacksonville Armada will be permitted to compete in this year’s U.S. Open Cup thanks to a decision made by the U.S. Soccer Federation on Friday.
According to Carlisle, the teams will have until Monday at 4:00pm ET to decide whether or not they will choose to enter the competition.
On February 27, the NASL confirmed that it would cancel its 2018 campaign after the USSF’s Board of Directors decided to revoke NASL’s Division II status. These unusual circumstances were taken into account, Carlisle reports, when the USSF determined the U.S. Open Cup eligibility of the three aforementioned sides.
Through 2018, the three NASL sides will field teams in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), commonly considered fourth tier of American Soccer, until the ongoing legal issues with NASL are resolved.
The allowance of the three NASL teams to compete in this year’s U.S. Open Cup has also elicited quite a bit of controversy as well. Given the revoking of NASL’s Division II status, the three sides technically would not automatically qualify for the tournament, and would have to play for qualification at the NPSL level.
Their entry into the tournament, granted by the USSF, therefore has not been received well by many fans and supporters of the lower tiers of American soccer. The outcome of this discontent will surely be seen as the tournament kicks off this year.
thank you, ussoccer, you chose rightly to not carry your dispute with the nasl over to the clubs, who have nothing to do with it.
That’s not at all like the NASL to accept handouts like this 😮
I think if there was name and legal continuity they should be allowed but not if they are new teams that essentially started over (in part to avoid financial consequences of folding). NY Cosmos B and Miami FC 2 sound like they are either new teams or the substitution of second teams for first teams. If MLS can’t use or even compete with its USL affiliate teams/players then nor should these teams. And the Bs and 2s should be a telltale they aren’t the same teams in some way that matters.
I am sure this saves legal fees but if this is their game then they shouldn’t be in USOC. Houston can’t say well RGV will take our spot this year, for various reasons.