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 Chicago Sting (1974–1988) was an American professional soccer team representing Chicago. The Sting played in the North American Soccer League from 1975 to 1984 and in the Major Indoor Soccer League in the 1982–83 season and again from 1984 to 1988. They were North American Soccer League champions in 1981 and 1984, one of only two NASL teams to win the championship twice.
The Tampa Bay Rowdies were an American professional soccer team based in Tampa, Florida, that competed in the original North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1975 to 1984. They enjoyed broad popular support in the Tampa Bay area until the NASL folded in 1984, after which the team played in various minor indoor and outdoor leagues before finally folding on January 31, 1994. The Rowdies played nearly all of their outdoor home games at Tampa Stadium and nearly all of their indoor games at the Bayfront Center Arena in nearby St. Petersburg, Florida. Although San Diego played indoors until 1996, the Rowdies were the last surviving NASL franchise that played outdoor soccer on a regular basis.
The Dallas Tornado was a soccer team based in Dallas, Texas that played in the North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1967 to 1981. Of the twelve teams that comprised the U.S. in 1967, the Tornado franchise played the longest–15 seasons.
Derek Smethurst is a retired South African soccer forward who played professionally in South Africa, England and the United States.
Ricky Hill is an English football coach and a former player who is the manager of the Turks and Caicos Islands national team. He spent most of his playing career at Luton Town FC for 14 years, while representing England at Senior, U21 and U18 International levels. Hill was the fourth Black player to play for England’s Senior National team and the first British South Asian to represent England at the Senior level. Hill began his managerial career as a Player/Coach with the Tampa Bay Rowdies in 1992 and in that season saw the Rowdies appear in both the League Championship final and the Professional Cup final, in addition to Hill also being awarded ‘Coach of the Year’ amongst other notable player accolades such as Best Passer and All-Star First Team. Spanning 25 years managing various professional clubs across the US, UK, and the Caribbean, Hill made 4 US championship appearances at the professional level, reinforcing his standing as one of the most successful Black coaches in the history of US professional soccer. Most recently, Hill authored Love of the Game – Ricky Hill: The Man Who Brought the Rooney Rule to the UK which was nominated as a finalist for the 2022 Sports Books Awards in association with The Sunday Times (UK).
Arnold "Arnie" Mausser is an American former soccer goalkeeper who played with eight different NASL teams from 1975 to 1984. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
Steve Wegerle is a South African former professional soccer player who played as a winger.
Winston DuBose is an American former soccer goalkeeper who spent eight seasons in the North American Soccer League, four in the American Professional Soccer League and one in the American Indoor Soccer Association. He also earned fourteen caps with the United States men's national soccer team.
Mike Connell is a former professional footballer who spent most of his career as a defender. He played professionally in his native South Africa as well as in the North American Soccer League (NASL), mostly with the Tampa Bay Rowdies.
John Leslie Sissons is an English former footballer who played for West Ham United, Sheffield Wednesday, Norwich City and Chelsea.
Boris Bandov is a Bosnian-American former professional soccer player who currently coaches youth soccer. Bandov spent ten seasons in the North American Soccer League, two in the Major Indoor Soccer League and one in the United Soccer League. While born in Bosnia-Hercegovina, he became a U.S. citizen in 1976. He earned thirty-three caps, scoring two goals, with the U.S. national team between 1976 and 1983.
Ade Coker is a former soccer player who played as a striker. Coker began with English club West Ham United then moved to the North American Soccer League and the Major Indoor Soccer League. Born in Nigeria, he earned five caps for the United States national team.
Peter Nogly is a former German football player and coach.
Jan van der Veen is a retired Dutch professional association football player who played for Sparta Rotterdam, Royal Antwerp, Go Ahead Eagles, Willem II and Helmond Sport. He also played in the NASL between 1978 and 1983 for the San Diego Sockers, Tampa Bay Rowdies and California Surf. Jan scored Tampa Bay's lone goal in the 22nd minute of Soccer Bowl '79 (NASL league final), which the Rowdies lost 2-1. He also played in the Major Indoor Soccer League for the Phoenix Inferno and the Wichita Wings.
Geoff Wegerle is a South African former football (soccer) forward who played professionally in Europe, South Africa and the North American Soccer League.
Stewart McNab Adam Scullion is a Scottish former footballer, who played as a winger. Born in Bo'ness, Scotland, he started his professional career in the Football League, helping Watford to the Third Division title, and then spending three seasons at Sheffield United. After a second spell at Watford, he joined Tampa Bay Rowdies in the North American Soccer League. He was their second highest goalscorer in his first season, and in both years was named in the league's second All-star team. Scullion briefly returned to England with Wimbledon, before finishing his professional career in America with the Portland Timbers.
Over the course of three weekends in March 1976, the North American Soccer League hosted its second league-wide indoor soccer tournament. Twelve of the twenty NASL teams participated.
Luís Fernando Trieweiler, better known as Luís Fernando Gaúcho, is a Brazilian retired footballer who played in the 1970s and 80s in Brazil, the United States and Portugal. He was known simply as Luís Fernando while playing in the North American Soccer League.
The 1976 Tampa Bay Rowdies indoor season was the second indoor season of the club's existence. The Rowdies were able to replicate their 1975 outdoor success by winning the North American Soccer League's 1976 indoor championship.
