The A-League was a former professional men's soccer league which featured teams from both the United States and Canada. During it’s first season, 1995, it was the de facto top professional soccer league in both countries. However in 1996 it was replaced at the top of the United States soccer pyramid by Major League Soccer. It remained on the top of Canadian soccer pyramid throughout its existence. The origins of the league are complex. The name was first used by the American Professional Soccer League during its final two seasons, 1995 and 1996. However before the 1997 season this league was absorbed into the USISL Select League. The USISL would eventually become the United Soccer Leagues. The USL continued to use the A-League name until 2004 when it became the USL First Division.
History
APSL
In 1995 the American Professional Soccer League rebranded itself the A-League and it played under this name during it’s final two seasons, 1995 and 1996. However despite this, the league faced competition on two fronts. The USISL, later to become the United Soccer Leagues, had initially confined itself to organising regional leagues. However by 1995 it began organising on a national level. By 1996, Major League Soccer was also up and running and a number of top A-League players left to join it. [1] In 1996 the A-League and the USISL Select League agreed to merge. Six of the seven remaining A-League teams - Montreal Impact, Colorado Foxes, Seattle Sounders, Rochester Raging Rhinos, Vancouver 86ers and Atlanta Ruckus - and two planned A-League expansion teams Toronto Lynx and Hershey Wildcats effectively joined the USISL Select League. While the majority of the teams in the new league came from the USISL, the new league retained the A-League name. [2]
USISL A-League
Champions
Regular Season
Play Off Season
References
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United States
Canada
