Major Soccer League

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The Major Soccer League ( MSL ; to 1990 Major Indoor Soccer League , MISL ) was an American Indoor Football League , which existed from 1978 to 1992. From 1984 to 1992 it was the highest American league in professional football.

history

The MISL was founded in 1978 when soccer was gaining popularity in the US with the success of the North American Soccer League . When this broke up in 1984 after a severe financial crisis, the MISL took over several teams from it and ultimately the top position in the football leagues in the USA. Before the 1990/91 season, the league changed its name to Major Soccer League . Due to the great competition with the indoor league National Professional Soccer League (NPSL), the teams and the league were increasingly in financial difficulties until 1992, so that the league dissolved in the summer of 1992.

mode

The number of participants varied between six and fourteen teams. From 1979 to 1988 the teams were divided into Western and Eastern Divisions, and in the 1980/81 season also into the Central Division. In the group stage the teams in a division played against each other several times. The four best teams in each division played the two finalists in knockout mode, who were then allowed to play for the championship. The most successful team were the San Diego Sockers , who won the championship eight times after entering the league in 1982.

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