2024 National Independent Soccer Association season

Last updated
National Independent Soccer Association
Season 2024
DatesApr. 6 – Sep. 29 (regular season)
Oct. 4–27 (playoffs)
Champions Los Angeles Force
Matches played84
Goals scored266 (3.17 per match)
Top goalscorer Patrick Okonkwo (5 goals)
Best goalkeeperSeth Torman [1] Los Angeles Force
Biggest home win4 games by 4 goals
Biggest away win Capo FC 0–5 Los Angeles Force (Sep. 7)
Highest scoring Maryland Bobcats 5–3 Club de Lyon (Jul. 17)
Longest winning run Maryland Bobcats (11 games)
Longest unbeaten run Maryland Bobcats (17 games)
Longest winless run Arizona Monsoon (16 games)
Longest losing run Arizona Monsoon (18 games)
2023
2025
All statistics correct as of October 19, 2024.

The 2024 NISA season is the sixth season of the National Independent Soccer Association's third-division soccer competition. The 2023 champions, Flower City Union, are not defending their title, after announcing their departure from the league during the off-season. [2]

Contents

Teams

Of the nine teams that played in the 2023 season, five return for 2024, two (Flower City Union [3] and Chattanooga FC [4] [5] ) are moving on to different leagues, and two, Albion San Diego and Gold Star FC, are on hiatus, with the aim to return in 2025.

The five teams are joined by four expansion clubs: Arizona Monsoon, Capo FC, Georgia Lions FC and Irvine Zeta. [6] On April 3, NISA announced that the Georgia Lions FC had been taken over by new leadership and were being rebranded as Georgia FC to start the 2024 season. [7]

Stadiums and locations

Usa edcp location map.svg
Black pog.svg
Southern California
Locations of announced clubs
  • Red pog.svg West Conference
  • Blue pog.svg East Conference
USA California Southern location map.svg
Southern California clubs
  • Red pog.svg West Conference
TeamLocationStadiumCapacity
Arizona Monsoon Glendale, AZ Matt O. Hanhila Field 3,000
Capo FC San Juan Capistrano, CA JSerra Catholic High School
Club de Lyon Daytona Beach, FL Daytona Stadium 9,601
Georgia FC Atlanta, GA Atlanta Silverbacks Park [7] 5,000
Irvine Zeta Irvine, CA Championship Soccer Stadium 5,500
Los Angeles Force Long Beach, CA Veterans Memorial Stadium 11,600
Maryland Bobcats Boyds, MD Maryland SoccerPlex 4,000
Michigan Stars Washington, MI Romeo High School 4,000
Savannah Clovers Savannah, GA Memorial Stadium 5,000

Personnel and sponsorship

Note: The league has signed a deal with Hummel to be the official kit manufacturer, but it still allows clubs to find their own provider. [8]
TeamHead coachCaptain(s)Kit manufacturerShirt sponsor
Arizona Monsoon Flag of Mexico.svg Carlos Padilla Flag of the United States.svg Capelli
Capo FC Flag of the United States.svg Peter Carey Flag of the United States.svg New Balance DirecTV
Club de Lyon Flag of Argentina.svg Hector Almandoz Flag of Venezuela.svg Victor Rojas Flag of Germany.svg Adidas
Georgia FC Flag of the United States.svg Kerem Daser
Irvine Zeta Flag of the United States.svg Tyler Silva Flag of Japan.svg Shinya Kadono Flag of Spain.svg Kelme
Los Angeles Force Flag of Israel.svg Dekel Keinan Flag of the United States.svg Brandon Gomez Flag of the United States.svg Xara
Maryland Bobcats Flag of France.svg Alex Kao Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg Josselin Possian Flag of Denmark.svg Hummel Holiday Inn College Park
Michigan Stars Flag of Montenegro.svg Enis Dokovic Flag of Zimbabwe.svg Tatenda Mkuruva Flag of Germany.svg Adidas HTC
Savannah Clovers Flag of England.svg David Proctor Flag of the United States.svg Shandon Wright Flag of England.svg Umbro Castro Wood Floors

Coaching changes

TeamOutgoing coachManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming coachDate of appointment
Los Angeles Force Flag of the United States.svg Matt MorseFiredDecember 8, 2023 [9] Pre-season Flag of Israel.svg Dekel Keinan December 8, 2023 [10]
Club de Lyon Flag of the United States.svg Victor Balaguer Flag of Argentina.svg Hector Almandoz March 4, 2024 [11]

Regular season

The teams are divided in two conferences, playing an unbalanced schedule weighted on regional play. [6] The season was scheduled to start on March 23, but was delayed until April 6 because the four expansion teams needed more time to prepare for the season. [12]

Standings

East Conference

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1 Maryland Bobcats 1916215018+3250Disqualified
2 Michigan Stars (Q)2011363825+1336 Semifinals
3 Club de Lyon 19541030421219
4 Savannah Clovers 20531224421818
5 Georgia FC 20521324391514
Source: NISAofficial.com
Rules for classification: 1) points per game; 2) goal differential; 3) goals for; 4) head-to-head; 5) goals against
(Q) Qualified for the phase indicated

West Conference

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1 Los Angeles Force (Q)1814224012+2844 Finals
2 Irvine Zeta (Q)1811433312+2137 Semifinals
3 Capo FC 1643918291115
4 Arizona Monsoon 160115745381
Source: NISAofficial.com
Rules for classification: 1) points per game; 2) goal differential; 3) goals for; 4) head-to-head; 5) goals against
(Q) Qualified for the phase indicated

Results

East Conference

Home \ Away CDL GEO MAR MIC SAV CDL GEO MAR MIC SAV CDL GEO MAR MIC SAV
Club de Lyon 2–11–41–20–2Can.0–32–31–41–0
Georgia FC 1–10–34–13–01–30–20–21–33–30–31–0
Maryland Bobcats 5–32–12–22–02–22–12–05–13–03–1
Michigan Stars 3–22–02–03–21–33–01–23–01–33–0
Savannah Clovers 1–12–10–31–10–40–22–32–24–01–2
Source: nisasoccer.com
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

West Conference

Home \ Away ARI CAP ZET LAF ARI CAP ZET LAF ARI CAP ZET LAF
Arizona Monsoon 2–30–11–3PP0–30–3PP0–30–3
Capo FC 1–10–21–22–00–21–23–20–10–5
Irvine Zeta 4–01–11–03–02–20–13–03–10–2
L.A. Force 4–00–22–23–02–01–03–12–12–2
Source: nisasoccer.com
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Playoffs

In a format change from the previous seasons, the top two clubs in each conference will advance to their respective conference championship the weekend of October 4-6. The regular season head-to-head winner between conference champions will host the NISA championship the weekend of October 25-27. [6] NISA announced that the Maryland Bobcats were ineligible for the playoffs due to noncompliance with league and USSF standards, despite having the best record in the league. [13]

Semifinal
October 12
Final
October 19
      
2 Irvine Zeta 3
3 Michigan Stars 0
1 Los Angeles Force (p)1 (3)
2 Irvine Zeta 1 (2)

October 12Semifinals Irvine Zeta 3–0 Michigan Stars Irvine, California
7:00 pm PDT
Report
Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium
October 19Finals Los Angeles Force 1–1 (a.e.t.)
(3–2 p)
Irvine Zeta Long Beach, California
7:00 pm PDT
Report
Stadium: Veterans Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 1,447
Penalties

Player statistics

As of June 9, 2024

See also

Notes

    Related Research Articles

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">National Independent Soccer Association</span> Third division American soccer league

    The National Independent Soccer Association (NISA) is a professional men's soccer league in the United States. The league is in the third tier of American soccer and began play in 2019. NISA initially used a fall-to-spring season format with a winter break but have switched to spring-to-fall which is more common in the United States.

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    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Syracuse Pulse</span> Football club

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    References

    1. Simonson, Andrew (October 13, 2024). "Former Pelham star Seth Torman wins NISA Golden Glove with Los Angeles Force". Shelby County Reporter. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
    2. Flower City Union [@FlowerCityUnion] (February 15, 2024). "Our time in NISA will forever be a substantial part of our history. We are grateful to NISA and we wish the league nothing but the best moving forward. That being said, stay tuned for an announcement coming next week!" (Tweet). Retrieved February 15, 2024 via Twitter.
    3. "Media Alert: NISA Delivers Statement on Flower City Union Departure". nisaofficial.com. National Independent Soccer Association. 15 February 2024. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
    4. "Chattanooga FC to Join MLS Next Pro". www.MLSNextPro.com. MLS Next Pro. November 14, 2023. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
    5. MacCoon, Patrick (November 14, 2023). "Chattanooga Football Club announces move to new league, upgrades for Finley Stadium". timesfreepress.com. Chattanooga Times Free Press. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
    6. 1 2 3 "NISA Announces 2024 Clubs and Format". www.nisasoccer.com. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
    7. 1 2 "Media Alert: Atlanta Club Re-Organizes Front Office to Begin Inaugural NISA Season as Georgia FC". NISAOfficial.com. National Independent Soccer Association. April 3, 2024. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
    8. "NISA announces kit sponsorship deal". Twitter.com. Retrieved August 21, 2019.
    9. "Thank you, Coach Matt Morse, for the strong 2023 rebuild season". December 8, 2023. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
    10. "We are excited to welcome Dekel Keinan as the Head Coach of the LA Force!". December 8, 2023. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
    11. "We bring a world champion to Orlando! Club De Lyon is proud to present the new Head Coach for the NISA PRO 2024 season. Welcome Mr. Hector "Cohio" Almandoz". March 4, 2024. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
    12. "NISA Adjusts Opening to Season Schedule". nisaofficial.com. National Independent Soccer Association. March 15, 2024. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
    13. "NISA Announces 2024 Playoffs Schedule". National Independent Soccer Association. October 2, 2024. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
    14. 1 2 3 "NISA top scorers". flashscore.com. Flashscore. Retrieved May 1, 2024.