The 2016 North American Soccer League season is the 49th season of Division II soccer in the United States and Canada, and the 6th season of the modern North American Soccer League.
Three expansion clubs joined the league, with Miami FC and Rayo OKC joining in the Spring season and Puerto Rico FC beginning competition in the Fall season. In December, 2015, the San Antonio Scorpions' home stadium, Toyota Field, was bought by the city of San Antonio for use by Spurs Sports & Entertainment to host a club in the USL, forcing the Scorpions to cease operations. In January, 2016, the NASL suspended its operation of the Atlanta Silverbacks for the 2016 season and possibly beyond. As a result, the Spring season was contested by 11 clubs and the Fall season by 12. The New York Cosmos are defending Soccer Bowl champions. A split season format was used for the 2016 season.
Teams, stadiums, and personnel
Stadiums and locations
Personnel and sponsorship
Team Head coach Captain Kit producer Shirt sponsorCarolina RailHawks Colin Clarke Nazmi AlbadawiAdidasBlue Cross Blue Shield of NCFC Edmonton Colin Miller Albert WatsonAdidasThe Fath GroupFort Lauderdale Strikers Caio Zanardi Jean AlexandreInariaGuaravitonIndy Eleven Tim Hankinson Colin FalveyDiadoraHondaJacksonville Armada FC Mark Lowry Matt BahnerNikeWinn-DixieMiami FC Alessandro Nesta Jonathan BorrajoMacronMinnesota United FC Carl Craig Aaron PitchkolanInariaAtomic Data / Mall of AmericaNew York Cosmos Giovanni Savarese Carlos MendesUnder ArmourEmiratesOttawa Fury FC Paul Dalglish Julian de GuzmanAdidasChartwellsPuerto Rico FC Adrian Whitbread CristianoNikeClaroRayo OKC Gerard Nus MichelKelmeTampa Bay Rowdies Stuart Campbell Tamika MkandawireNikeSeminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
Player transfers
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointment Puerto RicoExpansion team Adrian WhitbreadAugust 24, 2015 Miami Alessandro NestaAugust 31, 2015 Ottawa Fury Marc Dos SantosEnd of contractNovember 20, 2015Pre-season Paul DalglishNovember 20, 2015 Jacksonville Armada Eric Dade (int.)End of interim periodNovember 24, 2015 Tony MeolaNovember 24, 2015 Indy Eleven Tim Regan (int.)End of interim periodDecember 2, 2015 Tim HankinsonDecember 2, 2015 Fort Lauderdale Strikers Günter KronsteinerEnd of contractNovember 16, 2015 Caio ZanardiDecember 2, 2015 Minnesota United Manny LagosPromotion to general managerDecember 3, 2015 Carl CraigDecember 3, 2015 San Antonio Scorpions Alen MarcinaFiredNovember 1, 2015Club defunct Rayo OKCExpansion team Alen MarcinaJanuary 7, 2016 Atlanta Silverbacks Gary SmithReleasedJanuary 11, 2016Pre-seasonClub on hiatus Rayo OKC Alen MarcinaMutual terminationAugust 1, 20165th Gerard NusAugust 1, 2016 Jacksonville Armada Tony MeolaFiredAugust 7, 201611th Mark Lowry (int.)August 7, 2016
Spring season
Standings
Results
Fall season
Standings
Results
Playoffs
Combined standings
The Championship
Participants (1) New York Cosmos (Fall season champion) (2) Indy Eleven (Spring season champion) (3) FC Edmonton (4) Rayo OKC
Semifinals
Soccer Bowl 2016
Attendance ClubMinnesota United 16 9,460 6,101 %Indy Eleven 16 9,3566,132 %Tampa Bay Rowdies 16 7,690 4,429 %Ottawa Fury 16 7,847 4,317 %Miami 16 10,156 1,229 N/ACarolina RailHawks 16 8,086 3,093 %Puerto Rico 11 6,474 1,233 N/ANew York Cosmos 16 6,243 2,419 %Jacksonville Armada 16 5,313 1,254 %Rayo OKC 16 6,416 924 N/AFC Edmonton 16 3,130 1,243 %Fort Lauderdale Strikers 16 2,376418% Total 187 10,156 418 % Source: NASL
Highest attendances Regular season Rank Home team Score Away team Attendance Date Week Venue1 Miami1 – 1Tampa Bay Rowdies10,156 2 FIU Stadium2 Miami1 – 1Minnesota United10,012 24 FIU Stadium3 Miami1 – 1Minnesota United9,739 20 FIU Stadium4 Minnesota United2 – 0Indy Eleven9,460 14 National Sports Center5 Minnesota United0 – 1Jacksonville Armada9,402 25 National Sports Center
Statistical leaders
Top scorers RankPlayerClubGoals1 Christian Ramirez Minnesota United182 Juan Arango New York Cosmos15 Éamon Zayed Indy Eleven4 Michel Rayo OKC145 Georgi Hristov Tampa Bay Rowdies116 Joe Cole Tampa Bay Rowdies9 Darío Cvitanich Miami8 Justin Braun Indy Eleven8 Adam Moffat New York Cosmos Héctor Ramos Puerto Rico Source:
Top assists RankPlayerClubAssists1 Nazmi Albadawi Carolina RailHawks102 Juan Arango New York Cosmos7 Joe Cole Tampa Bay Rowdies4 Jonathan Borrajo Miami6 Andrés Flores New York Cosmos Dylan Mares Indy Eleven Kevin Venegas Minnesota United Éamon Zayed Indy Eleven9 Justin Braun Indy Eleven5 Ramón Núñez Fort Lauderdale Strikers Blake Smith Miami
Source:
Clean sheets RankPlayerClubCleanSheets1 Matt Van OekelFC Edmonton162 Jimmy MaurerNew York Cosmos143 Jon BuschIndy Eleven114 Sammy NdjockMinnesota United10 Mario Daniel VegaMiami6 Daniel FernandesRayo OKC97 Matt PickensTampa Bay Rowdies88 Bruno CardosoFort Lauderdale Strikers7 Romuald PeiserOttawa Fury10 Miguel GallardoJacksonville Armada5 Trevor SpangenbergPuerto Rico Source: NASL
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Indy Eleven Carolina RailHawks 4–1 June 11 Minnesota United Carolina RailHawks 5–1 July 2 Indy Eleven Jacksonville Armada 5–2 August 3 Tampa Bay Fort Lauderdale 4–1 September 24
Awards
Monthly awards MonthNASL Player of the MonthPlayerClubStatsRefApril Austin da LuzCarolina RailHawks3GMay Papé DiakitéFC Edmonton2GJune Éamon ZayedIndy Eleven3GJuly Christian RamirezMinnesota United7G, 1AAugust Matt Van OekelFC Edmonton22SV, 0GASeptember Darío CvitanichMiami3G
Weekly awards WeekNASL Player of the WeekNASL Play of the Week Player Club Player Club Week 1 Juan ArangoNew York Cosmos Christian RamirezMinnesota United Week 2 Austin da LuzCarolina RailHawks Ben SpeasMinnesota United Week 3 Éamon ZayedIndy Eleven Éamon ZayedIndy Eleven Week 4 Christian RamirezMinnesota United Christian RamirezMinnesota United Week 5 Yohandry OrozcoNew York Cosmos Jair ReinosoIndy Eleven Week 6 Nana AttakoraFort Lauderdale Strikers Jake KeeganFC Edmonton Week 7 Papé DiakitéFC Edmonton Kevin VenegasMinnesota United Week 8 Ramón NúñezFort Lauderdale Strikers Ruben BoverNew York Cosmos Week 9 Joe ColeTampa Bay Rowdies Matt BahnerJacksonville Armada Week 10 Georgi HristovTampa Bay Rowdies Tyler GibsonRayo OKC Week 11 Éamon ZayedIndy Eleven Éamon ZayedIndy Eleven Week 12 Christian RamirezMinnesota United Héctor RamosPuerto Rico Week 13 Nazmi AlbadawiCarolina RailHawks Dylan MaresIndy Eleven Week 14 MichelRayo OKC Joe ColeTampa Bay Rowdies Week 15 Jaime ChavezMiami J. C. BanksMinnesota United Week 16 Lucky MkosanaNew York Cosmos Ariel MartínezMiami Week 17 Éamon ZayedIndy Eleven Keith SavageTampa Bay Rowdies Week 18 Alhassane KeitaJacksonville Armada Héctor RamosPuerto Rico Week 19 Matt Van OekelFC Edmonton AmauriFort Lauderdale Strikers Week 20 Andrés FloresNew York Cosmos Brad RingIndy Eleven Week 21 Daryl FordyceFC Edmonton Bruno CardosoFort Lauderdale Strikers Week 22 Darío CvitanichMiami Romuald PeiserOttawa Fury Week 23 Matt Van OekelFC Edmonton Joseph MarreroPuerto Rico Week 24 Georgi HristovTampa Bay Rowdies Trevor SpangenbergPuerto Rico Week 25 Ruben BoverNew York Cosmos Sidney RiveraPuerto Rico Week 26 Ben FiskFC Edmonton J. C. BanksMinnesota United Week 27 MichelRayo OKC Jaime ChavezMiami Week 28 Juan ArangoNew York Cosmos Duke LacroixIndy Eleven
League awards
Golden Ball (MVP): Juan Arango (New York Cosmos) Golden Boot: Christian Ramirez (Minnesota United) Golden Glove: Matt Van Oekel (FC Edmonton) Coach of the Year: Tim Hankinson (Indy Eleven) Goal of the Year: Duke Lacroix (Indy Eleven) Young (U24) Player of the Year: Papé Diakité (FC Edmonton) Humanitarian of the Year: Michael Lahoud (Miami FC) Fair Play Award: Carolina RailHawks
NASL Best XIPositionPlayerTeam Goalkeeper Matt Van Oekel FC Edmonton Defense Ayoze New York Cosmos Defense Justin Davis Minnesota United Defense Albert Watson FC Edmonton Defense Carlos Mendes New York Cosmos Midfield Nazmi Albadawi Carolina RailHawks Midfield Juan Arango New York Cosmos Midfield Joe Cole Tampa Bay Rowdies Midfield Michel Rayo OKC Forward Christian Ramirez Minnesota United Forward Éamon Zayed Indy Eleven
References
External links