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.
John Andrew Harkes is an American soccer coach and former professional player who last coached Greenville Triumph SC.
Eric Boswell Wynalda is an American soccer coach, television commentator, and retired player. He was formerly an analyst and color commentator for soccer coverage on Fox Sports 1 and ESPN. Previously, he served as head coach and technical director of Las Vegas Lights FC in the USL Championship and he was previously the host of WTF: Wynalda Talks Football on SiriusXM FC.
Steve Ralston is an American former soccer player and manager who played as a midfielder. He spent most of his playing career in Major League Soccer with the Tampa Bay Mutiny and the New England Revolution, retiring in 2010 as the league's all-time career leader in assists (135), appearances (378), starts (372), and minutes played (33,143). He also held the U.S. record for professional appearances (412) in 2010. He served as assistant manager at several teams, including the Houston Dynamo and San Jose Earthquakes, including a brief stint as the interim head coach at the Earthquakes in 2018.
Frank Walter Yallop is a British-Canadian professional soccer coach. Yallop is currently the head coach and sporting director of USL Championship side Monterey Bay FC.
Roy Lee Lassiter is an American former professional soccer player. who played as a forward. He played the first few years of his professional career in Costa Rica. He returned to the United States to play in Major League Soccer when that league was launched in 1996, and from 1996 to 1999 he was one of the most prolific goal scorers in MLS. Lassiter is currently the assistant coach of MLS Next Pro club Houston Dynamo 2.
Ryan William Nelsen is a former New Zealand professional football player and former head coach of Major League Soccer side Toronto FC.
The Atlanta Silverbacks FC were an American professional soccer club based in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1998 as Atlanta Ruckus, the club played in many leagues over the years before folding after the 2015 season. The team played its home games at Atlanta Silverbacks Park, a large soccer complex featuring a 5,000-seat soccer-specific stadium in Atlanta, 15 miles northeast of downtown. The team's colors were red, black, grey, and white.
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.
Rodney William Marsh is an English former footballer and football coach; he later worked as a broadcaster. A forward, he won nine caps for England between 1971 and 1973, scoring one international goal.
Fotios "Frank" Klopas is an American former soccer player who played as a forward. Following his retirement, he served as a color commentator for the Chicago Fire before later working as a front office executive and head coach for both the Fire and Montreal Impact. He is currently the head coach for the Fire.
Derek Smethurst is a retired South African soccer forward who played professionally in South Africa, England and the United States.
Steve Wegerle is a South African former professional soccer player who played as a winger.
Perry Van der Beck is an American former soccer player, former coach and technical director, and the former Vice President of Competition and Operations for the United Soccer League.
Laurence John Calloway is an English retired footballer who played as defender, spending thirteen years in the English leagues and five years in the North American Soccer League. Since retiring from playing professionally, Calloway has coached teams in several US leagues.
Farrukh Quraishi is an Iranian retired footballer. He spent six seasons in the North American Soccer League playing for the Tampa Bay Rowdies and Calgary Boomers. Since retiring from playing, he has held numerous executive positions with the United States Soccer Federation. Quraishi won the 1974 Hermann Trophy. Most recently he was the President and General Manager of the modern Tampa Bay Rowdies.
Peter Thomas Anderson is an English former football midfielder and manager.
Fabrice Jean-Ian "Fafà" Picault is a professional footballer who plays as a winger. Born in the United States, he was initially called up by the Haiti national team in 2014 for a friendly against Chile but did not make an appearance. Picault was then called up by the United States national team in 2016 before eventually switching back to represent the Haiti national team in 2023.
The 2013 season was the Atlanta Silverbacks's seventeenth season of existence, and their third consecutive season playing in the North American Soccer League, the second division of the American soccer pyramid.
Kwadwo Poku is a Ghanaian former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder.
