About NISA

History, Format, Organization, Media Coverage

The National Independent Soccer Association (NISA) is a third-tier professional men’s soccer league in the USA. It was announced in 2017, and its inaugural season took place in 2019-20 but was later abandoned due to COVID-19.

The NISA league operates on a spring-to-fall schedule, as is customary in the United States. Teams are divided into East and West Conferences, with the number of participants varying each year. During the regular season, teams play an uneven number of matches with a focus on regional competition. Following the regular NISA season, the top two teams from each conference progress to the playoffs, known as the NISA Championship. The playoffs lead to the NISA Championship Final, typically held in October or November, to determine the league champion.

Originally, NISA intended to adopt a format similar to European soccer, making its initial structure unique in the USA. The league began with a fall-to-spring schedule, and although its inaugural season was cancelled due to the pandemic, the second season concluded in July. NISA also announced plans for a promotion/relegation system in conjunction with the now-defunct North American Soccer League (NASL), which folded in 2017.

Detroit City FC won the first NISA title, defeating Los Angeles Force to claim the crown in 2021. The Michigan-based club, known as Le Rouge, made history by winning back-to-back titles in the following season, although that title was not determined through the NISA Championship Final. Michigan Stars FC, Flower City Union, and Los Angeles Force ended Detroit’s dominance by winning the next three editions.