CHICAGO (January 5, 2022) – The National Independent Soccer Association’s (NISA) incubator league NISA Nation earned provisional national league status from the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA). Following the completion of the 2022 season, approval for full national league designation will go before the full USASA council in September.

“This is a big deal for everyone, for every club, involved in NISA Nation,” says NISA Nation Managing Director Ron Patel. “This designation helps us tell the open system story to independent, amateur clubs looking to grow to the professional level. In the end, it’s about building the league the right way.”

A major benefit of the designation is the league would be allowed automatic spots in the US Open Cup tournament for 2024.

NISA Nation officially took to the pitch for the first time this fall with 10 clubs in two regions (the Northeast & Southwest). In the Spring, the league will see growth to more than 25 clubs across four regions, adding the Pacific and the Florida regions.

USASA – the primary governing body serving amateur, adult soccer throughout the country – is the only level of amateur soccer officially recognized by the U.S. Soccer Federation. Per its web site, “while (USASA) is relatively young in comparison to US Soccer, its origin and those of its member state associations go back to the start of the Federation in 1913 and prior.”