The North American Soccer League (NASL) was the top-level major professional soccer league in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984. It is considered the first soccer league to be successful on a national scale in the United States. The league final was called the Soccer Bowl from 1975 to 1983 and the Soccer Bowl Series in its final year, 1984. The league was headed by Commissioner Phil Woosnam from 1969 to 1983. The NASL laid the foundations for soccer in the United States that helped lead to the country hosting the 1994 FIFA World Cup and the set-up of Major League Soccer (MLS) in 1996.
The Los Angeles Aztecs were an American professional soccer team based in Los Angeles, California that existed from 1974 to 1981. The Aztecs competed in the North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1974 to 1981 as well as the 1975 NASL Indoor tournament, the 1979–80 and 1980–81 NASL Indoor seasons, and won the NASL Championship in 1974. During their eight years of existence, the Aztecs played at four different venues and were controlled by four different ownership groups, European soccer legends George Best and Johan Cruyff played for the team, and from 1975 to 1977 English singer Elton John was a part-owner.
The Western Conference is one of Major League Soccer's two conferences, along with the Eastern Conference. As of 2023, the division of the Conferences broadly follows the path of the Mississippi river from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, with clubs on, or west of the River in the Western Conference.
The San Diego Jaws were a professional soccer team based in San Diego, California, playing their home games at the Aztec Bowl on the campus of San Diego State University. Founded in 1976, the team was a member of the North American Soccer League, and was the league's second attempt to place a franchise in San Diego with the Toros having folded in 1968 after two seasons. The franchise lasted only one season and relocated to Las Vegas for the 1977 NASL season.
The history of Vancouver Whitecaps FC, a professional soccer team based in Vancouver, Canada, spans over four decades. The first team to use the "Whitecaps" name was the Vancouver Whitecaps of the now-defunct North American Soccer League, playing from 1974 to 1984. After two years while the core of the players were focused on preparations for the 1986 World Cup, a second version of the club was founded in 1986 as the Vancouver 86ers. This team bought back the Whitecaps name in 2000 and has operated continuously in various leagues since 1986. A Whitecaps FC team began play in Major League Soccer starting in 2011 making it the first time since 1984 that a "Whitecaps" team played in the top tier of soccer in the United States and Canada.
Division 1 professional soccer returned to Vancouver in 1974 with the Vancouver Whitecaps as interest began to grow in U.S. soccer, and the NASL grew after stabilizing in terms of attendance and number of teams with six to eight teams. In 1974 the Whitecaps were one of five expansion teams that were the first teams since 1968 west of Dallas, Texas and St. Louis, Missouri.
The 1975 Vancouver Whitecaps season was the second season of the Whitecaps, and their second season in the North American Soccer League and the top flight of Canadian soccer.
The 1977 Vancouver Whitecaps season was the fourth season of the Whitecaps, and their fourth season in the North American Soccer League, which was at the time, the top flight of American Canadian soccer.
The 2005 Portland Timbers season was the 5th season for the Portland Timbers—the 3rd incarnation of a club to bear the Timbers name—of the now-defunct USL First Division, the second-tier league of the United States and Canada at the time.
The 2012 Seattle Sounders FC season was the club's fourth season in Major League Soccer, the United States' top-tier of professional soccer. For the Sounders FC organization, it was their fourth year of existence, and including all previous clubs, it was the 32nd season of a soccer team bearing the Sounders name.
The 2012 Chivas USA season was the club's eighth year of existence. It was the club's eighth consecutive season in Major League Soccer, the top division in American soccer. Chivas USA competed in Major League Soccer's Western Conference.
The 2012 San Jose Earthquakes season was the club's 15th year of existence, as well as its 15th season in Major League Soccer and its fifth consecutive season in the top-flight of American soccer. Including all previous franchises, this is the 30th year with a soccer club in the San Jose area sporting the name "Earthquakes".
The 2013 Seattle Sounders FC season was the club's fifth season in Major League Soccer, the United States' top-tier of professional soccer. For the Sounders FC organization, it was their fifth year of existence, and including all previous clubs, it was the 33rd season of soccer in Seattle.
The 1979 New York Cosmos season was the ninth season for the New York Cosmos in the now-defunct North American Soccer League. 1979 saw the club continue their premiership streak to three seasons with the league's highest point total, and match their wins record while achieving a record point total, but the Cosmos' quest for a third straight NASL championship ended with a loss in the conference finals to the Vancouver Whitecaps.
The 2014 Vancouver Whitecaps FC season was the Whitecaps' fourth season in Major League Soccer, the top tier of soccer in the United States and Canada.
The 1978 Vancouver Whitecaps season was the fifth season of the Whitecaps, and their fifth year in the North American Soccer League and the top flight of Canadian soccer.
The 2021 season was the San Jose Earthquakes' 39th year of existence, their 24th season in Major League Soccer and their 14th consecutive season in the top-flight of American soccer.
The 2021 Portland Timbers season was the club's 35th season of existence and the 11th season for the Portland Timbers in Major League Soccer (MLS), the top-flight professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. The season covers the period from the end of the Timber's last match in MLS or MLS Playoffs in 2020 to their final match in MLS Cup Plays on December 11, 2021.
The 2023 Portland Timbers season was the 37th season in their existence and the 13th season for the Portland Timbers in Major League Soccer (MLS), the top-flight professional soccer league in the United States and Canada.
The 1979 Vancouver Whitecaps season was the club's sixth season in the North American Soccer League.
