Breakaway league to be known as NASL

The North American Soccer League is making a return but not in its old form.

The NASL is the name given to the second division breakaway league which will commence this spring and will field nine teams including Carolina RailHawks, Atlanta Silverbacks, Crystal Palace Baltimore, Miami FC, Minnesota Thunder, Montreal Impact, St. Louis Soccer United, Tampa Bay Rowdies and Vancouver Whitecaps FC.

The original NASL kicked off in 1968 before ending in 1984 and fielded clubs such as New York Cosmos, Chicago Sting and Kansas City Spurs as well as star international players like Pele, Franz Beckenbauer and Johan Cruyff.