The National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) is an American men's soccer league. The NPSL is a semi-professional league, comprising some teams that have paid players and some that are entirely amateur. The league is officially affiliated to the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) and has automatic qualification for the U.S. Open Cup. It is the successor of the Men's Premier Soccer League, a regional league originally based in the Western United States, which has now expanded nationwide to encompass teams from 29 states. The league's motto is "A National League with a Regional Focus".

History

The National Premier Soccer League began in 2003 as the Men's Premier Soccer League (MPSL) initially as an offshoot of the Women's Premier Soccer League, and marked the first instance of a women's soccer league spawning a men's league. The league's first two champions were the Arizona Sahuaros, who had defected to the MPSL from the USL D-3 Pro League, and the Utah Salt Ratz.

The league expanded into the Midwest in 2005 with the addition of several new teams and a new conference, and changed its name to National Premier Soccer League to reflect its new national footprint; a team from the expansion conference – Detroit Arsenal – won the league in its first year after its eastward expansion. The NPSL expanded further in 2007 with the addition of a new Northeast Conference and five new teams from the eastern United States. The first team from the East to win the national NPSL title was the Pennsylvania Stoners in 2008. The league has since continued to expand, adding more teams throughout the entirety of the country.

Since its inception, the league has managed to place at least one team actively playing under its banner into U.S. Open Cup competition. Though the showing of the NPSL in US Open Cup play was typically only one or two teams in its first six years, the 2009 and 2010 cups have seen four and three, respectively, NPSL teams in each tournament. The recent success of the NPSL in USASA qualifying has encouraged a movement by which the league could have automatic berths in the final tournament. The furthest a team from the NPSL has reached in the US Open Cup during the professional era (1997 and onward after the entry of MLS teams) has been the third round. However, the Brooklyn Italians have won the US Open Cup outright before the existence of either MLS or the NPSL.

Although no team has ever won the league twice, the Miami FC camp has won the championship twice as a club. Its reserve team (Miami FC 2) won the 2018 title, and its first team (Miami FC) won the 2019 championship.

Status

Officially the USSF does not recognize formal levels of the soccer pyramid below the professional 3rd tier. The USSF does not officially recognize distinctions between amateur soccer leagues in the United States. However, the USASA sanctions affiliated, but separately run, national leagues that are recognized in practical terms as playing at a higher level than the USASA state association leagues; for example, they receive automatic berths to the US Open Cup. In November 2022, USASA announced it had established a Tier 1, which would be its top national tier. This designation would be based on financial stability and sustainability. After 20 years of association with USASA, NPSL would become their first Tier 1 league.

The National Premier Soccer League attracts top amateur talent from around the United States. NPSL does not have any age limits or restrictions, thus incorporating both college players and former professional players alike.

Турнир по футболу в США "США - NPSL" - это одно из самых престижных соревнований в национальной ассоциации футбола США. Этот турнир привлекает внимание как профессиональных, так и любительских команд со всей страны.

США - NPSL (National Premier Soccer League) была основана в 2003 году и с тех пор стала одной из самых популярных и уважаемых лиг в Соединенных Штатах. В турнире участвуют команды из различных штатов, представляющие различные города и регионы.

Турнир "США - NPSL" предлагает зрителям и футбольным фанатам возможность насладиться высококачественным футболом и наблюдать за соревнованиями между сильными командами. Команды демонстрируют свои навыки и стремятся победить, чтобы стать чемпионами турнира.

В течение сезона команды соревнуются в регулярных матчах, а затем лучшие команды проходят в плей-офф, где борются за право стать обладателями главного приза - чемпионского титула "США - NPSL". Финальный матч турнира является настоящим спортивным событием, привлекающим тысячи зрителей и вызывающим огромный интерес у футбольных сообществ.

Турнир "США - NPSL" также предоставляет возможность молодым и талантливым игрокам проявить себя и привлечь внимание скаутов и тренеров профессиональных команд. Многие игроки, выступавшие в этом турнире, впоследствии становились частью профессиональных клубов и сборных команд США.

Турнир "США - NPSL" - это праздник футбола, который объединяет фанатов, игроков и тренеров со всей страны. Это возможность насладиться красивой игрой, поддержать свою любимую команду и испытать настоящие эмоции от футбольных матчей.