NASL Reportedly Expects One-Year Sanctioning From USSF

The NASL is reportedly expecting to get sanctioned as a Division 2 league, but only for one year, according to Canadian Soccer News.

The fledgling league announced last week that it would submit its sanctioning application with eight teams, including two surprises. As of right now, the league would be consisted of the Atlanta Silverbacks, Carolina RailHawks, FC Edmonton, FC Tampa Bay, Montreal Impact, Miami FC Blues, NSC Minnesota Stars and the Puerto Rico Islanders. The Silverbacks folded before the 2009 season and the Stars was believed to have been left for dead at the end of this season.

Recently, it was reported that the Stars had been saved by an investment group based in Ottawa, Ontario that planned to ultimately start a team in the Canadian capital or move the Stars there. With the added news that the Canada Soccer Association would no longer be granting waivers to Division 2 teams to play in U.S.-based leagues, this would seem to cast the longterm prognosis of that team’s NASL involvement into doubt.

The NASL has already announced that a ninth team, based in San Antonio, will be joining the league for the 2012 season.

The news of the one-year temporary sanctioning has been largely expected for some time, but it does allow the league some breathing room to continue operating next year while it shores up its members.