January 28 – US third-tier professional league, the national Independent Soccer Association (NISA), that operates under a provisional license issued by the US Soccer Federation (USSF) , has said it is targeting a return to play in April 2025 with a championship match in October.
NISA has been plagued with difficulties finding sustainable teams to compete in its league and saw nine teams playing across six states during the 2024 season.
Since 2017, when the league was founded, NISA was awarded provisional licensing from the USSF in 2019 but has so far not managed to transition to a full license.
Competitively it has been up against the USL’s league One and now the much vaunted MLS Next Pro as tier three sanctioned leagues.
The demand for a third tier structure in the US is clearly present though for NISA the money hasn’t been. NISA has had 26 different teams playing across six seasons, with a number of other expansion sides announced but never taking the field.
Only LA Force has played continuously in NISA since the 2019 season.
The clubs that will stick with NISA and the format they will play in have still to be announced though an announcement in January.
“NISA’s open system is vital to the long-term success of the game in this country,” said a league press release.
“NISA believes that community clubs that represent their local culture and develop talent deserve a voice at the table. NISA, NISA Nation and its affiliates were created to provide them that voice, creating a true open system for community clubs to climb through the amateur system and eventually to the professional ranks.”
For those clubs that have transitioned to or been franchised as pro-teams, the loss of the third tier status has been crippling, though NISA said its efforts to keep the league alive
“has taken time, and U.S. Soccer Federation has been aware and supportive of our efforts.”
NISA teams had automatic berths at the US Open Cup, but for the current season those berths have been foregone, though NISA said it looks forward to rejoining the league in 2026.
“NISA and NISA Nation appreciate the support we’ve received, and we remain committed to building the environment we all desire,” said the league.
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