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 was 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 Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL), known in its final two seasons as the Major Soccer League, was an indoor soccer league in the United States that played matches from fall 1978 to spring 1992.
Richard Dean Davis is an American former soccer midfielder, and former captain of the U.S. National Team for much of the 1980s. He is considered by fans the best U.S.-born player of the North American Soccer League era and is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
David Joseph Brcic is an American former professional soccer player who played as a goalkeeper in the North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League. He also competed at the 1984 Summer Olympics and earned four caps with the United States men's national soccer team.
Oscar Albuquerque is a Canadian former soccer midfielder. He spent most of his professional career playing indoor soccer with U.S. teams. He is currently the president of Pro Soccer International, an ownership group which holds the rights to American Indoor Soccer League teams in Chicago and Rockford, Illinois.
Alan Mayer is an American retired soccer goalkeeper. He played professionally in the North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League and earned six caps with the United States men's national soccer team.
Hernan "Chico" Borja was an Ecuadorian-born American soccer player and coach. He spent time in the several U.S.-based leagues including the North American Soccer League, Major Indoor Soccer League and the American Soccer League. He also earned eleven caps with the U.S. national team.
Alan Trost is an American former professional soccer player who played as a midfielder. He played collegiate soccer at Saint Louis University where he won the 1969 and 1970 Hermann Trophy as the player of the year. His professional career includes years in both the North American Soccer League (NASL) and Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL). He also was a member of the 1972 U.S. Olympic soccer team. He went on to earn 14 caps with the U.S. national team, scoring one goal. He coached professionally with the St. Louis Steamers of MISL and continues to coach youth soccer. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
Michael Fox is an American retired soccer midfielder. He began his professional career with the New York Cosmos in 1983 and ended it with the Los Angeles Heat in 1994. In between those two teams, he played for numerous teams in multiple indoor and outdoor league. He also earned seventeen caps with the U.S. national team and was a member of the U.S. 1984 Olympic soccer team.
Jeffrey Durgan is a retired U.S. soccer defender who played professionally for the New York Cosmos and seven times for the U.S. national team.
Dan Canter was a U.S. soccer defender. He played three seasons in the North American Soccer League and three in Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned nine caps with the U.S. national team, scoring two goals, between 1983 and 1985.
Hayden Knight is a retired Trinidad-American soccer defender and current high school soccer coach. He earned three caps with the United States men's national soccer team in 1984.
Mirko "Mark" Liveric is an American retired soccer forward who spent eight years in the North American Soccer League and seven in the Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned sixteen caps, scoring three goals, with the U.S. national team.
Steve Pecher is an American former soccer defender who is currently the Missouri Girls Director of St Louis Scott Gallagher.
Gary Etherington is a retired soccer player who began his professional career in the North American Soccer League before moving to the Major Indoor Soccer League. He earned seven caps with the U.S. national team. Since retiring, Etherington has coached youth soccer and is a soccer equipment salesman.
Sam Bick is a former American soccer midfielder. He spent nine seasons in the North American Soccer League and seven seasons in the Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned two caps with the United States men's national soccer team in 1976.
Jose “Poli” Garcia is an American former soccer player. He spent at least four seasons in the American Soccer League, three in the North American Soccer League and four in the Major Indoor Soccer League. He was the 1979 American Soccer League MVP and earned two caps with the United States in 1975.
Lawrence Adam Michael Abrahams is an English retired professional footballer who played as a striker in England, the United States, and Australia. In a career which lasted from 1977 to 1987, Abrahams played 283 career league games, and scored 142 league goals.
Antonio "Toni" Carbognani is an Argentine retired professional footballer who played as a midfielder for the New York Cosmos and the Memphis Rogues in the NASL. He later managed the Memphis Express of the USL Premier Development League.
Vidal Fernandez is a Mexican-American former soccer player who played professionally in the North American Soccer League, Major Indoor Soccer League and Western Soccer Alliance.
