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Number of American soccer clubs documented for this season: 9 (You can see all of these clubs)
For the selected season, this site documents and maps all "top tier" American soccer clubs in the NASL (North American Soccer League). Note that we do NOT cover reserve teams.
Founded: 1967 [folded 1973, re-formed 1979, folded 1981] Stadium: Grant Field Stadium Address: 155 North Ave NW, Atlanta, GA 30332 League: NASL (North American Soccer League)
History: The Atlanta Chiefs were a soccer team based out of Atlanta, Georgia that played in the NPSL and NASL from 1967 to 1972. The Atlanta Chiefs were the brainchild of Dick Cecil, then Vice President of the Atlanta Braves, the MLB baseball franchise who were the Chiefs' owners. Cecil was intrigued with the 1966 World Cup in England and decided that a professional soccer team would add valuable events for Atlanta Stadium. Cecil was in charge of such as concerts including the Beatles. Cecil proceeded to travel through Europe and Africa signing players including Kaizer Motaung as well as Phil Woosnam, Vic Crowe, Peter McParland of Aston Villa. Kaizer Chiefs FC, currently active club in the South African Premier Soccer League was founded by former Chiefs player, Kaizer Motaung, deriving their name and logo from that of the Atlanta Chiefs.
While the Chiefs were one of only a few clubs to survive the 1969 season, they lasted only a few more years. The club renamed itself the Atlanta Apollos after it was sold to the owners of the Atlanta Hawks in 1973 and played at Bobby Dodd Stadium that season.
The Atlanta Chiefs name and logo (altered slightly) were revived in 1979 when the Colorado Caribous franchise moved to Atlanta, with Cecil and Ted Turner as owners. The team again played at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium for three seasons and also at Omni Coliseum for two NASL Indoor seasons until folding after the 1981 season.
Notes: Stadiums used: Atlanta Stadium (1967-1969, 1971-1972), Tara Stadium (1970), Grant Field (1973), Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium (1979-1981).
Dallas Tornado
Founded: 1967 [folded 1981] Nickname: The Tornado Stadium: Texas Stadium Stadium Address: 2401 East Airport Freeway, Irving, TX 75062 League: NASL (North American Soccer League)
History: Dallas Tornado were a soccer team based in Dallas that played in the NASL. The franchise was one of the original clubs that played in the United Soccer Association, one of the two precursors to the NASL, in 1967. In fact the USA was made up of international clubs playing in U.S. cities as American teams. The team that played as the Dallas Tornado were Dundee United of the Scottish Football League.
Notes: Stadiums used: Cotton Bowl (1967-1968), P.C. Cobb Stadium (1969), Franklin Field (1970-1971), Texas Stadium (1972-1975, 1980-1981), Ownby Stadium on the SMU campus (1976-1979).
History: The Miami Gatos were a soccer team based out of Miami that played in the North American Soccer League. The club was previously known as the Washington Darts. After the 1972 season, the team was renamed the Miami Toros.
After the 1976 season, the team moved to Fort Lauderdale and became known as the Fort Lauderdale Strikers and later moved to Minnesota and became known as the Minnesota Strikers.
Notes: Stadiums used: Miami Orange Bowl (1972-1975), Tamiami Park (1976).
Montreal Olympique
Founded: 1971 [folded 1973] Stadium: Autostade Stadium Address: Goose Village, Montreal, QC H2E 1M9 League: NASL (North American Soccer League)
History: The Montreal Olympique were a soccer team based out of Montreal that played in the NASL.
New York Cosmos
Founded: 1971 [folded 1985] Nickname: Cosmos Stadium: Hofstra Stadium Stadium Address: Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY 11549 League: NASL (North American Soccer League)
History: The New York Cosmos (1971-1985), known simply as the Cosmos for the 1977 and 1978 seasons, was a soccer franchise based in New York City and its suburbs that operated in the North American Soccer League from 1971 to 1984. Founded by brothers Ahmet and Nesuhi Ertegün as well as Warner Bros. President Steve Ross, it was without any doubt the strongest NASL franchises, both athletically and financially.
It became known around the world for signing the great Brazilian player Pelé who, though past his prime, was nonetheless one of the team's, and the league's, top gate draws during his tenure with the Cosmos. The NASL folded after the 1984 season, but the Cosmos attempted to operate as an independent team in 1985 before it ceased activity too.
During the fall of 1984, San Diego, Chicago, New York, and Minnesota joined the MISL for the indoor season. San Diego, Chicago and Minnesota remained with the MISL. New York played exhibition games during 1985 before folding.
Founded: 1973 [folded 1976] Nickname: Atoms Stadium: Veterans Stadium Stadium Address: 3501 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19148 League: NASL (North American Soccer League)
History: The Atoms were founded by Philadelphia construction mogul Thomas McCloskey in 1973 at the urging of Kansas City Chiefs and Dallas Tornado owner Lamar Hunt. Playing a largely American line-up, they won the NASL title in their first year of existence, ironically by defeating Hunt’s Dallas club 2-0. After this championship match, Philadelphia goalkeeper and Delaware Valley native Bob Rigby became the first soccer player to be featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
The Atoms could not sustain the success of their first season as the club missed the playoffs in each of their remaining three NASL campaigns. Attendance began to flag and, after the 1975 season, the team was sold to a group of Mexican clubs, which included Club Deportivo Guadalajara. Fielding a primarily Mexican side (almost 20 years before Chivas USA would try a similar approach in Major League Soccer), attendances continued to wane and the club folded after the 1976 season.
Although Clive Toye reports in his recent book that the franchise was sold to an ownership group from Montreal, he apparently confuses the fate of the next Philadelphia NASL team for that of the Atoms; the Atoms were, in fact, going to be relocated to San Antonio by their Mexican owners, who planned to replace the San Antonio Thunder franchise (which itself had just relocated to Honolulu to play as Team Hawaii). This plan never came to fruition, and the Philadelphia franchise was placed into receivership by the NASL.
The franchise was removed from receivership two years later when the Philadelphia Fury began their three year run in Philadelphia in 1978.
Notes: Stadiums used: Veterans Stadium (1973-1975), Franklin Field (1976).
Rochester Lancers
Founded: 1967 [folded 1980] Stadium: Aquinas Stadium Stadium Address: Ridgeway Ave & Mount Read Blvd, Rochester, NY 14623 League: NASL (North American Soccer League)
History: The Rochester Lancers were a soccer team based out of Rochester, New York that played in the American Soccer League from 1967 until 1969 and the North American Soccer League from 1970 to 1980 at Aquinas Stadium (renamed Holleder Memorial Stadium in 1974).
St. Louis Stars
Founded: 1967 [folded 1977] Stadium: Civic Center Busch Memorial Stadium Stadium Address: 250 Stadium Plaza, St. Louis, MO 63102 League: NASL (North American Soccer League)
History: The St. Louis Stars were the first ever professional soccer team in St. Louis. The team was headed by Bob Hermann who later went on to create the Hermann Trophy, college soccer's version of the Heisman Trophy.
Notes: Stadiums used: Civic Center Busch Memorial Stadium (1967-1968, 1971-1974), Francis Field (1969-1970, 1975-1977).
Toronto Metros
Founded: 1971 [folded 1984] Nickname: Blizzard, Metros, Metros-Croatia Stadium: Varsity Stadium Stadium Address: 277 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON M5S 3J3 League: NASL (North American Soccer League)
History: The Toronto Metros were a soccer team based out of Toronto that played in the NASL. They played from 1971 to 1974. Their home field was Varsity Stadium. The Metros merged with National Soccer League side Toronto Croatia in 1975 to form NASL club Toronto Metros-Croatia.
The Toronto Metros-Croatia were formed in 1975 when the Toronto Metros of the North American Soccer League were merged with Toronto Croatia of the National Soccer League. The team competed in the NASL between 1975 and 1978 and was able to become champion of the NASL by winning the 1976 Soccer Bowl. Following the 1978 season, the team split.
The Toronto Blizzard came into existence when the Global Television Network purchased the struggling Toronto Metros-Croatia on February 1, 1979. Following the purchase, Toronto Croatia returned to the National Soccer League. Croatia had left the NSL to merge with NASL side Toronto Metros in 1975 to form Metros-Croatia. The Metros had won the NASL Soccer Bowl trophy in 1976 with the aid of Portuguese soccer legend Eusebio.
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