The club soccer world in New England took another turn earlier this week, as the Club Champions League (CCL) announced its expansion into the region for the spring 2020 season in coordination with the Northeast Soccer League (NSL).
The move marks the continuation of a formal partnership that began last April, and will eventually lead to the dissolution of the NSL, according to executive director John Barata. The NSL has roots stretching back to 1993 as MAPLE, and has gone through several iterations in the last two-plus decades.
“We'll have CCL New England start to introduce itself, present what it will provide as a new league, a new structure, new ideas, new concepts,” Barata said. “The spring will be a transitional timeframe and, ultimately, it will be a big breath of fresh air for a region that really needs some additional opportunity and platforms for clubs.”