The North American Soccer League received provisional approval to operate as a Division 2 professional men's outdoor league by the US Soccer Board of Directors at a meeting held Sunday in Toronto, site of Major League Soccer's 2010 championship game between the new champion Colorado Rapids and FC Dallas.
The NASL had intended to operate as an independent league in 2010 but USSF officials chose not to approve either them or the USL First Division for certification, due to not meeting federation criteria. The two leagues agreed to be part of a one-season league -- the USSF Division 2 Pro League -- while each attempted to gain approval to run as separate operations in 2011.
Full approval for the NASL to operate in the 2011 season should come at the USSF's Annual General Meeting in February in Las Vegas.
The NASL, which will have eight teams in their inaugural season -- the defending league champion Puerto Rico Islanders, the Carolina Railhawks, the NSC Minnesota Stars, the Atlanta Silverbacks, FC Edmonton, the Fort Lauderdale Strikers (who played as Miami FC Blues in 2010), the Montreal Impact and FC Tampa Bay -- and will kick off their season April 9 with these matchups:
- The Islanders opening defense of their title at the RailHawks in a rematch of the 2010 championship series.
- The Stars traveling to the Silverbacks, who return to pro soccer after a two-season absence.
- FC Edmonton beginning their first season in the league at the Strikers.
- The Montreal Impact heads to Steinbrenner Field to open FC Tampa Bay's home schedule.
The NASL will play a 28-game schedule with the top six teams in the single table making the playoffs.
The top two teams after the regular season will earn byes through the playoff semfinals with the remaining four teams playing a single-game knockout stage to determine who advances to the semifinals and, eventually, the championship game.
Both the semifinal and championship final matches will be two-game, total-goal series.
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