With the future of the NASL still in question, Miami FC is among the clubs that finds itself in a holding pattern.
There has been doubt surrounding the long-term outlook for the NASL ever since the U.S. Soccer Federation decided in September to deny the league Division II status for 2018. As part of the legal fallout from that decision, the NASL sought to obtain a preliminary injunction to restore its status, but U.S. District Court Judge Margo Brodie denied the request. The league ultimately appealed that decision, and a hearing on its appeal is slated for December 13.
In the interim, the NASL’s remaining clubs will have questions about their future. Among them is Miami FC, which recently saw the resignation of head coach Alessandro Nesta. Club officials say that Miami FC is still hopeful for a 2018 season, but acknowledge that the organization will be in something of a holding pattern until a decision is issued on the NASL’s status. More from The Miami Herald:
“We’re in the middle of lawsuits, and Nesta said he wants to pursue other options, so we wished him luck and agreed to separate,” said Miami FC CEO Sean Flynn. “We’re in a holding pattern right now, waiting for the ruling on December 13. We believe our suit has merit. It’s very disappointing that our request was denied, but we hope we will be allowed to keep the status quo and help move the sport forward.”
NASL Interim Commissioner Rishi Sehgal released a statement on Friday following the demise of FC Edmonton and the San Francisco Deltas.
“As we anticipate what we hope will be a favorable outcome in the U.S. Court of Appeals, we have been working diligently to build a strong foundation for the 2018 season,” Sehgal said. “We are looking at making a number of changes to our business structure, and we are encouraged by the amount of expansion candidates that are ready to join the NASL.”
Two NASL clubs confirmed last week that they are not returning for 2018, as both FC Edmonton and the San Francisco Deltas announced that they were ceasing team operations. With North Carolina FC having already left for the USL, the departure of FC Edmonton and San Francisco leaves NASL with just five active teams, with at least two more teams expected for 2018.
Image courtesy Miami FC.
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