National Soccer League

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National Soccer League
Nation: Legalese
# of Teams: 14 (NSL1), 16 (NSL2)

The National Soccer League was formed in Legalese the year after World Cup XXI. For its first season, 10 clubs played a home-and-home schedule for the Shield of Justice. By Season II, the professional bug had hit throughout Legalese, with 18 additional clubs gaining professional status. The result was a two-league format. NSL1 became the top division, which expanded to 12 clubs for Season II. Meanwhile, NSL2 was created to take in the remaining 16 clubs; conference play was started in NSL2, with a 22-match schedule involving 2 legs with conference opponents, and 8 crossover matches with the other conference. NSL2 teams play for the conference championship, with the top team in each conference at the end of play taking each other on in a home-and-home series for the Silver Horse, as well as a spot into NSL1.

Promotion/Relegation: Season II introduced the concept of Promotion and Relegation to the National Soccer League. NSL1's bottom 4 clubs made up the Relegation Zone, while the top 3 teams in each the Carnalejo and Heard Conferences in NSL2 advanced to the playoffs. As NSL1 looked to expand by 2 clubs, six spots were opened up, with the following methods used to fill each spot:

Spot #1: NSL2 Champion

Spot #2: Two-tiered process: -NSL2 #3 seeds in each conference play a home-and-home series. -The winner of the home-and-home visits the top-seeded NSL1 team in the Relegation Zone, with the winner of the match taking the spot.

Spot #3: The NSL2 runner-up hosts the last-place team in NSL1 in a winner-take-all match.

Spot #4: The 2nd-highest seed in the Relegation Zone hosts one of the NSL2 Conference #2 seeds in a single-leg match for the spot.

Spot #5: The 3rd-highest seed in the Relgation Zone hosts the other of the NSL2 Conference #2 seeds in a single-leg match for the spot.

Spot #6: The losing teams in the matches for Spots #4 and #5 take each other on in a home-and-home for the final spot.

Season II Playoff Results:

NSL2 Championship: Coutre Cowboys wins aggregate over Southland United 3-2

Spot #2: SC Capital advances on 6-0 aggregate over Wheelersburg Legacy; Yellow Jacket FC retains spot in 2-1 victory over SC Capital

Spot #3: FC Coastal retains spot with 3-1 win at Southland United.

Spot #4: Davia Destroyers jumps into NSL1 with 1-0 win at Futbol Plainsville

Spot #5: Sagdineo Sporting retains spot with 1-0 win versus Harpersburg Kings

Spot #6: Futbol Plainsville retains spot with 4-3 aggregate victory over Harpersburg