2020 NPSL season

The 2020 National Premier Soccer League season was part of the 108th season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer in the United States and the 18th season of the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL). Miami FC, the defending league champions, left in the off-season and joined the National Independent Soccer Association and later the USL Championship.

National Premier Soccer League
Season2020
DatesFebruary 22 – March 26
Matches played16
Goals scored56 (3.5 per match)
Biggest home winLas Vegas Legends FC 8–0 Temecula FC (March 1)
Biggest away winClub Xolos USA U-23 0–5 FC Golden State (February 29)
Highest scoringLas Vegas Legends FC 8–0 Temecula FC (March 1)
2019
2021

On March 26, the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1]

Changes from 2019

Multiple changes were made to the league's conferences ahead of the season.[2] The Northeast Region was renamed to the "East Region." The Southeast Conference was moved from the South Region to the East Region and the Midwest Region's East Conference was renamed the “Rust Belt Conference.”

A new conference, the Gulf Coast Conference, was announced on November 12, 2019.[3] It would include new teams, mostly from the Gulf Coast Premier League, Jacksonville Armada U-23 from the Sunshine Conference, and the returning New Orleans Jesters.

Teams

Incoming teams

Team Location Notes
AFC Mobile Mobile, Alabama Joined from Gulf Coast Premier League
Austin United FC Austin, Texas Expansion
Carpathia FC Sterling Heights, Michigan Joined from United Premier Soccer League
Coyotes FC Temple, Texas Joined from United Premier Soccer League
FC Brownsville Brownsville, Texas Returned from one-year hiatus
First State FC Wilmington, Delaware Expansion
Fort Wayne FC Fort Wayne, Indiana Expansion
Las Vegas Legends FC Las Vegas, Nevada Expansion
LSA Athletico Lanier Gainesville, Georgia Joined from United Premier Soccer League
Maryland Bobcats FC Derwood, Maryland Joined from United Premier Soccer League
Metro Louisville FC Louisville, Kentucky Expansion
Milwaukee Torrent Wauwatosa, Wisconsin Returned from one-year hiatus
Muskegon Risers Muskegon, Michigan Joined from United Premier Soccer League
Nashville United Nashville, Tennessee Joined from Middle Tennessee Soccer Alliance
New Orleans Jesters New Orleans, Louisiana Returned from one-year hiatus
North Alabama SC Huntsville, Alabama Expansion
Project 51O Oakland, California Expansion
Pensacola FC Pensacola, Florida Joined from Gulf Coast Premier League
Port City FC Gulfport, Mississippi Joined from Gulf Coast Premier League
Tacoma Stars Waller, Washington Expansion
Tallahassee SC Tallahassee, Florida Joined from Gulf Coast Premier League
Valeo FC Newton, Massachusetts Expansion

Moved and/or rebranded teams

Team Previous Name Location Previous Location Notes
Club Xolos USA U-23 Deportivo Coras USA Riverside, California Rebrand
International Portland Select FC FC Mulhouse Portland Portland, Oregon Rebrand
Maryland Bobcats FC World Class Premier Elite FC Derwood, Maryland Rebrand
Miami Dutch Lions FC Dutch Lions FC Miami, Florida Conroe, Texas Relocation and rebrand
OSA Seattle FC OSA FC Seattle, Washington Rebrand

Outgoing teams

Team Location Notes
AFC Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, Michigan Joined USL League Two
Asheville City SC Asheville, North Carolina Joined USL League Two
Atlanta SC Atlanta, Georgia Joined National Independent Soccer Association
Brooklyn Italians Brooklyn, New York Not listed on NPSL website
Chattanooga FC Chattanooga, Tennessee Joined National Independent Soccer Association
City of Angels FC Los Angeles, California Not listed on NPSL website
Detroit City FC Hamtramck, Michigan Joined National Independent Soccer Association
East Bay FC Stompers Hayward, California Hiatus[4]
FC Wichita Wichita, Kansas Not listed on NPSL website
Grand Rapids FC Grand Rapids, Michigan Joined USL League Two
Greenville FC Greenville, South Carolina Hiatus[5]
Katy 1895 FC Katy, Texas Not listed on NPSL website
Miami FC Miami, Florida Joined National Independent Soccer Association
Michigan Stars FC Pontiac, Michigan Joined National Independent Soccer Association
Minnesota TwinStars FC Minnetonka, Minnesota Not listed on NPSL website
New Jersey Copa FC Metuchen, New Jersey Not listed on NPSL website
New York Cosmos B New York City, New York Not listed on NPSL website
Orange County FC Irvine, California Not listed on NPSL website
San Ramon FC San Ramon, California Hiatus[6]
Sioux Falls Thunder FC Sioux Falls, South Dakota Not listed on NPSL website
Tyler FC Tyler, Texas Not listed on NPSL website

2020 teams

Standings and results

Only two of the three West Region conferences had begun play prior to the season being cancelled.

Southwest Conference

Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts
1 FC Arizona 3 2 0 1 6 3 +3 7
2 Las Vegas Legends 2 2 0 0 11 0 +11 6[lower-alpha 1]
3 FC Golden State 2 2 0 0 7 0 +7 6
4 Oxnard Guerreros FC 1 1 0 0 6 1 +5 3[lower-alpha 2]
5 ASC San Diego 3 1 2 0 3 7 4 3
6 A.S. Los Angeles 2 1 1 0 4 3 +1 3
7 Temecula FC 3 0 2 1 2 12 10 1
8 High Desert Elite FC 2 0 2 0 1 4 3 0[lower-alpha 3]
9 Club Xolos USA U-23 2 0 2 0 1 11 10 0
Updated to match(es) played on March 7, 2020. Source: NPSL standings
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head to head; 3) goal differential in head to head results; 4) wins; 5) total goal differential; 6) fewest losses; 7) coin toss. If three or more teams are tied on points, a mini-table involving only the tied teams is used, and teams are ranked in the mini-table on points. If two teams are tied on points in the mini-table, the two-team rules for classification apply. If three or more teams are tied on points in the mini-table, they are ranked based on 1) wins in conference competition; 2) total goal differential in conference competition; 3) fewest losses in conference competition; 4) coin toss.
Notes:
  1. Las Vegas Legends and FC Golden State were tied on points and hadn't played one another. Las Vegas Legends won the tiebreaker on total goal differential (+11 tp +7).
  2. Oxnard Guerreros FC, A.S. Los Angeles, and ASC San Diego were all tied on points. Oxnard Guerreros FC won the first tiebreaker based on total goal differential (+5 to +1 to +4). ASC San Diego won the second tiebreaker based on head to head results versus A.S. Los Angeles.
  3. High Desert Elite FC and Club Xolos USA U-23 were tied on points and hadn't played one another. High Desert Elite FC won the tiebreaker based on total goal differential (-3 to -10).

Golden Gate Conference

Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts
1 Academica SC 2 2 0 0 5 0 +5 6
2 Project 51O 1 1 0 0 2 1 +1 3[lower-alpha 1]
3 Napa Valley 1839 FC 2 1 1 0 2 2 0 3
4 Sacramento Gold 2 0 0 2 3 3 0 2
5 FC Davis 2 0 1 1 1 3 2 1[lower-alpha 2]
6 Sonoma County Sol 2 0 1 1 2 5 3 1
7 El Farolito 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0
Updated to match(es) played on March 8, 2020. Source: NPSL standings
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head to head; 3) goal differential in head to head results; 4) wins; 5) total goal differential; 6) fewest losses; 7) coin toss. If three or more teams are tied on points, a mini-table involving only the tied teams is used, and teams are ranked in the mini-table on points. If two teams are tied on points in the mini-table, the two-team rules for classification apply. If three or more teams are tied on points in the mini-table, they are ranked based on 1) wins in conference competition; 2) total goal differential in conference competition; 3) fewest losses in conference competition; 4) coin toss.
Notes:
  1. Project 51O and Napa Valley 1839 FC were tied on points. Project 51O won the tiebreaker based on head to head results.
  2. FC Davis and Sonoma County Sol FC were tied on points and never played head to head. FC Davis wins the tiebreaker based on total goal differential (-2 to -3).

Members Cup

The league intends to hold the second edition of its Members Cup tournament in autumn 2020, beginning in mid-August and concluding with the 2020 NPSL Members Cup Final in November.[7][8] On July 16, the league announced a four team tournament hosted by Erie Commodores FC, and including 2019 National Semifinalist Cleveland SC, along with FC Buffalo and Pittsburgh Hotspurs.[9] Pittsburgh won the "Rust Belt Group" on July 29 with a win over the Commodores.[10]

In addition, the July 29 match between Buffalo and Cleveland also served as a group stage game for the 2020 NISA Independent Cup, which both teams were also taking part in alongside former NPSL member Detroit City FC in that tournament's "Great Lakes Region".[11]

Teams

Team City Stadium Founded Head coach
Rust Belt Group
Cleveland SC Cleveland, Ohio Krenzler Field 2018 Lewis Dunne
Erie Commodores FC Erie, Pennsylvania McConnell Family Stadium 2009 Dale White
FC Buffalo Buffalo, New York All-High Stadium 2009 Frank Butcher
Pittsburgh Hotspurs Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania The Ellis School 2019 Tom Campbell
Location of the teams

Standings

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Pittsburgh Hotspurs (C) 2 1 1 0 5 2 +3 4
2 Cleveland SC 2 1 1 0 5 3 +2 4
3 FC Buffalo 2 1 0 1 4 5 1 3
4 Erie Commodores FC 2 0 0 2 2 6 4 0
Source: NPSL.com
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head to head (if applicable); 3) goal differential in head to head results (if applicable); 4) wins; 5) total goal differential; 6) fewest losses; 7) coin toss.
(C) Champion.

Fixtures and results

Home \ Away CSC ERI FCB PIT
Cleveland SC 2–2
Erie Commodores FC 2–3 0–3
FC Buffalo 1–3
Pittsburgh Hotspurs
Source: NPSL.com
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

See also

References

  1. "A Message from Kenneth Farrell, NPSL Chairman of the Board". National Premier Soccer League. 26 March 2020. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  2. "NPSL Announces Conference Alignment Ahead of 2020 Season". National Premier Soccer League. 16 January 2020. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  3. Buhring, Lori (12 November 2019). "New NPSL conference announced, Tallahassee SC a part of GCC". WTXL. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  4. Zimmerman, Douglas (27 January 2020). "Soccer: Oakland Roots announce schedule, Olympic Club US Open Cup date set, 3 UPSL, NPSL clubs not playing in 2020". SFGate. Retrieved 16 April 2020. East Bay Stompers responded with the following statement: “The East Bay FC Stompers have elected to go inactive for the 2020 NPSL season. We have been in talks with multiple groups interested in purchasing the NPSL spot from our club. We also have a few other interesting offers from investors wishing to join the club and restructure. The EBFC Stompers are taking the year to evaluate our options moving forward but fully intend to return to the NPSL in 2021, at this moment.”
  5. "Greenville FC to take a hiatus from 2020 NPSL Play". Greenville FC. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  6. Staff, San Ramon FC (30 January 2020). "Club Announcement on 2020 NPSL Season". San Ramon FC. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  7. Norling, Ashle (26 March 2020). "2020 NPSL Season Cancelled". E Pluribus Loonum. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  8. Wharton, Chuck (30 March 2020). "NPSL: First competition to fall to COVID-19". MLS Multiplex.
  9. "2020 NPSL Members Cup to Begin in Erie, PA". National Premier Soccer League. 16 July 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  10. Krysinsky, John (30 July 2020). "Pittsburgh Hotspurs capture NPSL's Members Cup". Pittsburgh Soccer Now. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  11. Tsujimoto, Ben. "FC Buffalo to join NISA Independent Cup, unveils anti-racism jerseys". The Buffalo News. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
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