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.
Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, commonly known as RFK Stadium and originally known as District of Columbia Stadium, is a defunct multi-purpose stadium in Washington, D.C. It is located about two miles (3 km) due east of the U.S. Capitol building, near the west bank of the Anacostia River and next to the D.C. Armory. Opened in 1961, it was owned by the federal government until 1986.
The Fort Lauderdale Strikers was a professional soccer team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They competed in the North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1977 to 1983. They played their home matches at Lockhart Stadium.
The Minnesota Strikers were an American soccer team that competed in the North American Soccer League (NASL) for the 1984 season and in the Major Indoor Soccer League from 1984 through 1988. The team was based in Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area and played their outdoor home games at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome and the Met Center for indoor games. Founded in 1967 as the Washington Darts and playing in Miami as the Gatos and the Toros before playing seven season as the Fort Lauderdale Strikers the team left Florida following the 1983 North American Soccer League season. After the 1987–88 season and playing four seasons in the MISL the team ceased operations.
The Washington Diplomats were an American soccer club representing Washington, D.C. Throughout their playing existence, the club played their home games at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium and indoor home matches at the neighboring D.C. Armory. Founded as an expansion franchise in 1974, the Diplomats competed in the now-defunct North American Soccer League, then the top-tier soccer league of the American soccer pyramid.
The Detroit Express were a soccer team based in suburban Detroit that played in the now defunct North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1978 to 1980. Its home field was the Pontiac Silverdome. The Express were co-owned by Roger Faulkner, Sonny Van Arnem, Gary Lemmen and Jimmy Hill who was also the managing director and chairman of the English club Coventry City. The team was coached by Ken Furphy.
The Miami Toros were a professional soccer team in the North American Soccer League from 1972 to 1976. The club was founded in 1967 as the Washington Darts, and moved to Miami, where they played the 1972 season in the NASL's Southern Division as the Miami Gatos. In 1973, the club rebranded as the Miami Toros. Their home field was at times the Miami Orange Bowl, Tamiami Field and Miami Dade College's North Campus Stadium.
Team America was a professional version of the United States men's national soccer team which played as a franchise in the North American Soccer League (NASL) during the 1983 season. The team was based in Washington, D.C., played its home games at RFK Stadium, and was intended by the NASL and the United States Soccer Federation to build fan support for the league and create a cohesive and internationally competitive national team. However, the team finished in last place and drew only 13,000 fans per game.
The Fort Lauderdale Strikers were an American professional soccer team based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida founded in 2006, that last played in the North American Soccer League (NASL), the second tier of the American soccer pyramid in 2016. The majority of their home games were played in Lockhart Stadium. The Strikers were named after the original Strikers, who played in the old North American Soccer League from 1977 to 1983.
The Fort Lauderdale Strikers were an American soccer team established in 1988 as part of the third American Soccer League. In 1990, it moved to the American Professional Soccer League where it spent five seasons before folding in 1994. The Strikers won the 1989 ASL championship, as well as the 1989 National Pro Soccer Championship.
Warren "Laga" Archibald is a Trinidadian former soccer player who played as an inside left. He spent one season in the United Soccer Association and nine in the North American Soccer League, earning 1973 MVP honours. He also played professionally in Mexico and Haiti and was a mainstay of the Trinidad and Tobago national team from 1968 to 1976.
Statistics of North American Soccer League in season 1970. This was the 3rd season of the NASL.
Leroy DeLeon is a Trinidad and Tobago retired footballer who played as a striker in the North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League.
The 1988 American Soccer League was the first season of the third American Soccer League which took place during the summer of 1988.
The 1989 American Soccer League was the second season of the third American Soccer League.
Soccer Bowl '80 was the championship final of the 1980 NASL season. The New York Cosmos took on the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. The match was played on September 21, 1980 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. The Cosmos won, 3–0, to claim their fourth league championship, and third in the past four seasons.
NASL Final 1970 was the North American Soccer League's postseason championship final of the 1970 season. As no championship game was played for the 1969 season, it was the first championship game since the 1968 season. The event was contested in a two-game aggregate match between the Rochester Lancers and the Washington Darts. The first leg was held on September 5, 1970 at Aquinas Memorial Stadium in Rochester, New York, with the Lancers victorious by a score of 3–0. The second leg was played on September 13, 1970 at Brookland Stadium in Washington, D.C. That day the Darts came out on top by the score of 3–1. Renato Costa, who played under the alias of "Raul Herrera" that year, scored three of Rochester's four goals. With the two-legged competition completed, the Rochester Lancers held a 4–3 aggregate lead and were crowned the 1970 NASL champions.
The 1980 Fort Lauderdale Strikers season was the fourth season of the Fort Lauderdale Striker's team, and the club's fourteenth season in professional soccer. This year the team made it to the finals of North American Soccer League by reaching the Soccer Bowl. They were this year's Runners-up.
The 1988 Fort Lauderdale Strikers season was the first season of the new team in the new American Soccer League. It was the first outdoor team to be fielded by the club in a professional league in four years, since the original North American Soccer League. It was the club's twenty-second season in professional soccer. This also marked the return of the Fort Lauderale Striker's name after moving the club back from Minnesota to Florida. Previously, the club had been represented as the Minnesota Strikers. During their inaugural year in the ASL, the team won the Southern Division and made it through the playoffs and into the ASL Championship. They were this year's Runner's-up.
Luis Marotte is an Uruguayan former footballer who played as a midfielder.
