The National Independent Soccer Association (NISA) may be facing some new scrutiny, this time from the USSF ahead of the 2023 season.
According to Protagonist Soccer’s “Knights Who Say NISA” podcast, the federation is reportedly auditing the “financial health of several clubs”. More specifically, “the clubs’ ability to finish the 2023 season.” which according to Protagonist’s “sources” has been the holdup in the release of the 2023 NISA schedule.
NISA’s problems serving as one of two third-division men’s professional leagues in the United States have been well documented. This has especially been the case last season when two teams in Bay Cities and Valley United out of Arizona were unable to finish the year either due to financial problems (Bay Cities) or immigration problems (Valley United). Meanwhile, it was rumored other clubs too had issues with travel due to financial constraints as another had trouble locking down a permanent home pitch which forced them in some cases to essentially play in public parks. Even before 2022, NISA lost three other clubs including Detroit City FC who jumped to USL Championship, Chicago House who self-relegated to the Midwest Premier League, and New Amsterdam who seemingly fell victim to their owner’s wild outbursts on social media.
This season, NISA is slated to have three clubs join the league. These clubs include Gold Star Detroit FC, Savannah Clovers FC, and Club de Lyon FC out of Orlando Florida with Oaks FC based in Thousand Oaks, CA supposedly joining in 2024.
On the surface, it would seem NISA is continuing to see some steady growth, something the federation may no longer be buying considering the recent failures NISA expansion clubs have experienced. Likewise, if news of the audit is true, and NISA could be in some serious trouble holding onto their third-division pro-sanctioning. Current pro league standards (PLS) require at least eight active teams in any given season, right now NISA is at 11 with time ticking away to get that schedule out taking into consideration men’s pro leagues are scheduled to begin in the United States in about two months.