2020–21 NISA season


The 2020–21 NISA season is the second season of the National Independent Soccer Association's third-division soccer competition. The regular season is split into two halves, fall and spring, with playoffs at the end of each.

Teams

Stadiums and locations

Personnel and sponsorship

TeamHead coachCaptainKit manufacturerShirt sponsor
California United Strikers FC NikeTaco Bell
Chattanooga FC HummelVolkswagen
Detroit City FC AdidasMetro Detroit Chevy Dealers
Los Angeles Force Hummel—
Michigan Stars FC HummelHTC
New Amsterdam FC — Erreà—
New Jersey Teamsters FC — SCOREIgnite Physical Therapy
New York Cosmos INARIAMediacom
Oakland Roots SC NikeOaklandish
San Diego 1904 FC Nike—
Stumptown Athletic Hummel—

Fall season

On June 4, NISA announced the Fall season format. The season would be split into two separate formats: a regionalized regular season commencing in August, dividing the eight member teams into two conferences; Eastern and Western, followed by a single location tournament in late October that would determine a Fall Season champion.

Eastern Conference

Standings

Results

Western Conference

Standings

Results

Playoffs

The dates, location, and final format of the Fall 2020 playoffs have not been announced.

Spring season

Information regarding the 2021 Spring season has not been released. New Jersey Teamsters FC is set to join the competition at this time while both San Diego 1904 FC and Stumptown Athletic are set to return from hiatus.

NISA Independent Cup

Following the cancellation of the 2020 Spring Season on April 27, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, NISA announced initial Fall 2020 season plans and the creation of a new tournament called the NISA Independent Cup. The region-based competition would include NISA clubs, including new expansion sides the New York Cosmos and New Amsterdam FC, and both independent professional and high quality amateur teams.
On July 1, NISA officially announced the cup along with the 15 teams that would be participating. In total, four member clubs are set to take part with the rest of the field consisting of teams from the National Premier Soccer League, United Premier Soccer League, and Gulf Coast Premier League. The participants are split into four geographical regions with each operating independently and making decisions autonomously. All games are set to be live streamed online through MyCujoo, with some also being broadcast on local television.

The Great Lakes Division also serves as a rekindling of the Rust Belt Derby, a former in-season competition previously held in the NPSL, with 2019 NPSL national semifinalist Cleveland SC taking the place of the now folded AFC Cleveland.

Standings

Central Plains Region

The four teams will be split into pairs before playing two games against one-another. If tied on aggregate after two games, with no away goal rule, teams will play two 10-minute overtime periods followed by a penalty kick shootout if necessary. Winner of each aggregate competition will meet in the Championship match.
Both matches between Louisiana Krewe and Gaffa will be played at Holden Stadium on the campus of Pearl River Community College in Poplarville, Mississippi.
Lone Star Republic will host the first game against Mansfield Revolution at Greenhill School in Addison, Texas. The Revolution will host the second at Mansfield Summit High School in Arlington, Texas.
Semifinals
Final

Great Lakes Region

The three teams will compete in a Round-robin competition, each playing a total of two games. Any games tied after 90 minutes will be decided by a penalty kick shootout. Both games involving Detroit City will take place at Keyworth Stadium in Hamtramck, Michigan. The remaining match between Cleveland and Buffalo will be played at Erie Veterans Memorial Stadium in Erie, Pennsylvania.
The Great Lakes Champion will be determined by most points, followed by head-to head, followed by goal differential.

Mid-Atlantic Region

The four teams will complete in a round-robin competition, playing a total of three games each. The Mid-Atlantic Champion will be determined by most points, followed by head-to head, followed by goal differential.
All games were originally going to be hosted by the Bobcats at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Germantown, Maryland behind closed doors. On July 24, NISA announced that region's tournament was postponed due to a surge in COVID-19 in Maryland and the subsequent closing of Maryland SoccerPlex to professional sports.

Southeast Region

The four teams will compete in a round-robin competition against one-another in various venues in both Georgia and South Carolina.
Both Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Tennessee and Memorial Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina hosted matches the first two weeks. The final group stage round that was set to be played at Columbia International University in Columbia, South Carolina on July 25 was called off due to weather. The Southeast Regional Champion will now be determined by group stage points instead of the originally scheduled championship final and third place match, with the final set of games moved to Finley Stadium on August 1.
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