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 APSL logo (1993) | |
| Sport | Soccer |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1990 |
| Ceased | 1996 |
| No. of teams | 22 in 1990 |
| Country |  United States Canada |
| Last champion(s) | Seattle Sounders |
| TV partner(s) | Prime Network[1] |
The American Professional Soccer League (APSL) was a professional men's soccer league with teams from the United States and later Canada. It was formed in 1990 by the merger of the third American Soccer League with the Western Soccer League.[2] It was the first outdoor soccer league to feature teams from throughout the United States since the demise of the North American Soccer League in 1984.[2]
The league was sanctioned as Division II in the United States soccer league system but was the country's de facto top professional soccer league until 1995. In 1993, the APSL applied for the vacant Division I role but lost out to Major League Soccer who would begin play in 1996.[3]
For its final two seasons in 1995 and 1996, the APSL changed its name to the A-League. It was subsequently absorbed by the emerging USISL organization with six of seven clubs joining the new USISL A-League in 1997. The USISL (later USL) retained the A-League name until 2004 when it became the USL First Division.
- ^ "The Year in American Soccer – 1995". Archived from the original on August 5, 2009. Retrieved October 14, 2009.
- ^ a b "The Year in American Soccer – 1990". Archived from the original on January 8, 2009. Retrieved October 14, 2009.
- ^ "The Year in American Soccer – 1993". Archived from the original on March 3, 2009. Retrieved October 14, 2009.