Cosmopolitan Soccer League
The Cosmopolitan Soccer League is a regional soccer league consisting of semi-pro and amateur teams based in and around New York City. Established in 1923, it is one of the oldest soccer leagues in the United States and has contributed greatly to the nation's soccer history.
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| Founded | 1923 |
|---|---|
| First season | 1923–24 |
| Country | |
| Confederation | CONCACAF (North American Football Union) |
| Number of teams | 112 |
| Level on pyramid | 5-8 |
| Domestic cup(s) | U.S. Open Cup |
| International cup(s) | CONCACAF Champions League |
| Current champions | New York Pancyprian-Freedoms (8th title) |
| Most championships | German-Hungarian SC (11 titles) |
| Website | cosmosoccerleague |
Currently, the league has four open divisions. The first two divisions require all clubs to also field reserve teams, a requirement that some leagues have abolished, but which the Cosmopolitan Soccer League believes makes its competition some of the strongest in United States soccer. The league also has an over-30 and an over-40 division. The league is USASA-affiliated.
The Cosmopolitan Soccer League plays a traditional international schedule with competition beginning the second weekend of September and running through June, with a winter break from late December to early March. During the winter months, the league runs an indoor tournament due to New York's cold climate.
History
The Cosmopolitan Soccer League was formed as the German American Soccer League in 1923. In 1927, the association changed its name to the German American Football Association. The league was highly successful in the 1920s and, in New York, was behind only baseball and basketball in terms of popularity. The league struggled through the Great Depression and by the 1940s the game was viewed by most Americans as an "ethnic" sport. Attendance and popularity declined sharply until the founding of the North American Soccer League in 1968. By the mid-1970s, league officials recognized that in order to maintain the league's viability in the same market as the star-studded New York Cosmos, it needed to appeal to a wider audience and in 1977, it voted to change its name to the Cosmopolitan Soccer League.
Prior to the professionalizing of the modern American game, the United States national team often consisted of Cosmopolitan League players.
2020–2021 team list
List of the participants in the current season:[1] The top former CSL teams play in the Eastern Premier Soccer League, which together with Maryland Major Soccer League, created a regional based multi-league promotion and relegation system between these leagues.[2][3]
Eastern Premier Soccer League
- Doxa SC
- FC Westchester
- KidSuper Samba AC
- Lansdowne Yonkers FC
- NY Athletic Club
- NY Greek Americans
- NY Pancyprian-Freedoms
- Sporting Astoria SC (now known as New Amsterdam FC II-SASC)[4]
- Zum Schneider FC 03
Division 1
- Beyond FC
- Hoboken FC 1912[5]
- Kelmendi FC NY
- Manhattan Celtic[6]
- Manhattan Kickers[7]
- NY Greek Americans II
- NY Shamrocks SC
- Polonia NY SC
- Real Olé FC[8]
- Richmond County FC
- Stal Mielec NY[9]
- Zum Schneider FC 03 II
Division 2
- Block Espanol
- Borgetto FC
- Central Park Rangers FC Reds[10]
- DeSportiva Sociedad NY
- FC Japan
- FC Sandzak
- Flushing FC[11]
- Missile FC
- NY Ukrainian SC
- S.C. Eintracht
- Williamsburg International F.C.
Division 3
- Aurora FC
- Barnstonworth Rovers
- Brooklyn City FC[12]
- CD Iberia
- Central Park Rangers FC Blacks
- DeSportiva Sociedad NY City
- FC Partizani NY
- KidSuper Samba AC II
- Laberia FC
- Lansdowne Yonkers FC Metro
- Mola SC - MOLAMERICA
- NY Galicia
- NY Greek Americans Over-30
- NY International FC
- NY Pancyprian-Freedoms II
- NY Pancyprian-Freedoms Over-30
- NYC Afghanistan FC
- Panatha USA
- Ridgewood Romac SC
Division 4
Over 40 Division
- America FC 1927
- Barnstonworth Rovers Old Boys
- Central Park Rangers Legends
- Cozmoz FC
- Doxa SC Legends
- Manhattan Celtic Masters
- Manhattan Kickers Legends
- NY Irish Over-40
- SC Eintracht Legends
- SC Gjoa
- Sporting SC Over-40
Inactive Clubs
- Elizabeth S.C.
- Union County SC
Past League Champions
| Club | No. of titles | Championship Season |
|---|---|---|
| German-Hungarian SC | 11 | 1929–1930, 1932–1933, 1933–1934, 1939–1940, 1940–1941,
1950–1951, 1951–1952, 1953–1954, 1954–1955, 1955–1956, 1957–1958 |
| Greek American AA | 9 | 1963–1964, 1967–1968, 1968–1969, 1969–1970, 2004–2005,
2007–2008, 2008–2009, 2011–2012, 2016–2017 |
| New York Pancyprian-Freedoms | 8 | 1978–1979, 1979–1980, 1981–1982, 2002–2003, 2003–2004,
2009–2010, 2010–2011, 2018–2019 |
| Elizabeth S.C. | 7 | 1937–1938, 1946–1947, 1947–1948, 1948–1949, 1952–1953,
1970–1971*, 1972–1973 |
| New York Athletic Club | 1994–1995, 1995–1996, 1996–1997, 1998–1999, 1999–2000,
2000–2001, 2012–2013 | |
| Brooklyn Italians | 6 | 1976–1977, 1977–1978, 1980–1981, 1983–1984, 2005–2006,
2006–2007 |
| New York Hungaria | 1956–1957, 1958–1959, 1959–1960, 1960–1961, 1961–1962,
1992–1993 | |
| SC Eintracht | 5 | 1942–1943, 1943–1944, 1944–1945, 1945–1946, 1949–1950 |
| DFC Newark | 4 | 1927–1928, 1928–1929, 1931–1932, 1936–1937 |
| Lansdowne Yonkers FC | 2013–2014, 2014–2015, 2015–2016, 2017–2018 | |
| DSC Brooklyn | 3 | 1934–1935, 1935–1936, 1938–1939 |
| Inter-Giuliana SC | 1971–1972, 1973–1974, 1975–1976 | |
| New York Croatia SC | 1985–1986, 1988–1989, 1997–1998 | |
| New York Hota Bavarian SC | 1970–1971*, 1986–1987, 1987–1988 | |
| Blau-Weiss Gottschee SC | 2 | 1962–1963, 1990–1991 |
| New York Albanians | 1989–1990, 2001–2002 | |
| New York Ukrainians | 1965–1966, 1966–1967 | |
| SC Vienna | 1 | 1930–1931 |
| Blue Star SC | 1964–1965 | |
| Clarkstown SC | 1993–1994 | |
| German-American AC | 1941–1942 | |
| Hoboken FC 1912 | 1984–1985 | |
| Hudson Dalmatians | 1974–1975 | |
| Sportfriends SC | 1991–1992 | |
| Vasco Da Gama SC | 1982–1983 | |
| Shamrock SC | 2020-2021 |
- Both Elizabeth S.C. and New York Hota/Bavarian SC hold the title of champion for the 1970–1971 season
Year by year
| Season | League Champion | League Cup Champions | Indoor Tournament Champions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1927–1928 | DFC Newark | No Tournaments Held | No Tournaments Held |
| 1928–1929 | DFC Newark | ||
| 1929–1930 | German-Hungarian SC | ||
| 1930–1931 | 1st SC Vienna | ||
| 1931–1932 | DFC Newark | ||
| 1932–1933 | German-Hungarian SC | ||
| 1933–1934 | German-Hungarian SC | ||
| 1934–1935 | DSC Brooklyn | ||
| 1935–1936 | DSC Brooklyn | ||
| 1936–1937 | DFC Newark | ||
| 1937–1938 | Elizabeth S.C. | ||
| 1938–1939 | DSC Brooklyn | ||
| 1939–1940 | German-Hungarian SC | ||
| 1940–1941 | German-Hungarian SC | ||
| 1941–1942 | German-American AC | ||
| 1942–1943 | S.C. Eintracht | ||
| 1943–1944 | S.C. Eintracht | ||
| 1944–1945 | S.C. Eintracht | ||
| 1945–1946 | S.C. Eintracht | ||
| 1946–1947 | Elizabeth S.C. | ||
| 1947–1948 | Elizabeth S.C. | ||
| 1948–1949 | Elizabeth S.C. | ||
| 1949–1950 | S.C. Eintracht | ||
| 1950–1951 | German-Hungarian SC | ||
| 1951–1952 | German-Hungarian SC | ||
| 1952–1953 | Elizabeth S.C. | ||
| 1953–1954 | German-Hungarian SC | ||
| 1954–1955 | German-Hungarian SC | ||
| 1955–1956 | German-Hungarian SC | ||
| 1956–1957 | New York Hungaria | ||
| 1957–1958 | German-Hungarian SC | ||
| 1958–1959 | New York Hungaria | ||
| 1959–1960 | New York Hungaria | ||
| 1960–1961 | New York Hungaria | ||
| 1961–1962 | New York Hungaria | New York Hungaria | |
| 1962–1963 | Blau-Weiss Gottschee SC | Blau-Weiss Gottschee | |
| 1963–1964 | Greek American AA | New York Greek-American AC | |
| 1964–1965 | Blue Star SC | New York Hota Bavarian SC | |
| 1965–1966 | New York Ukrainians | New York Hota Bavarian SC | |
| 1966–1967 | New York Ukrainians | German-Hungarian SC | |
| 1967–1968 | Greek American AA | New York Hota Bavarian SC | |
| 1968–1969 | Greek American AA | Giuliana SC | |
| 1969–1970 | Greek American AA | German-Hungarian SC | |
| 1970–1971 | Elizabeth S.C. & New York Hota Bavarian SC (shared) | German-Hungarian SC | |
| 1971–1972 | Inter-Giuliana SC | Elizabeth S.C. | |
| 1972–1973 | Elizabeth S.C. | German-Hungarian SC | |
| 1973–1974 | Inter-Giuliana SC | Inter-Giuliana SC | |
| 1974–1975 | Hudson Dalmatians | Inter-Giuliana SC | |
| 1975–1976 | Inter-Giuliana SC | Dalmatinac SC | |
| 1976–1977 | Brooklyn Italians | Brooklyn Italians | |
| 1977–1978 | Brooklyn Italians | Inter-Giuliana SC | |
| 1978–1979 | New York Pancyprian-Freedoms | New York Atlas | Turkish SC |
| 1979–1980 | New York Pancyprian-Freedoms | Kearny-Americans | New York Pancyprian-Freedoms |
| 1980–1981 | Brooklyn Italians | Kearny-Americans | Blue Star SC |
| 1981–1982 | New York Pancyprian-Freedoms | Elizabeth S.C. | New York Atlas |
| 1982–1983 | Vasco Da Gama SC | Elizabeth S.C. | New York Atlas |
| 1983–1984 | Brooklyn Italians | New York Ukrainians | Brooklyn Italians |
| 1984–1985 | Hoboken FC 1912 | Banatul SC | Brooklyn Italians |
| 1985–1986 | New York Croatia SC | New York Croatia SC | Blau-Weiss Gottschee SC |
| 1986–1987 | New York Hota Bavarian SC | Hoboken FC 1912 | Adriatic SC |
| 1987–1988 | New York Hota Bavarian SC | Shamrock SC | Vllaznimi SC |
| 1988–1989 | New York Croatia SC | New York Hota/Bavarian SC | Madlost SC |
| 1989–1990 | New York Albanians | Hoboken FC 1912 | Elizabeth S.C. |
| 1990–1991 | Blau-Weiss Gottschee SC | SC Gjoa | SC Gjoa |
| 1991–1992 | Sportfriends SC | Clarkstown SC | SC Gjoa |
| 1992–1993 | New York Hungaria | Istria SC | Adriatic SC |
| 1993–1994 | Clarkstown SC | No Tournament Held | FC Porto |
| 1994–1995 | New York Athletic Club S.C. | Polonia SC | Clarkstown SC |
| 1995–1996 | New York Athletic Club S.C. | St. Barnabas | New York Athletic Club S.C. |
| 1996–1997 | New York Athletic Club S.C. | SC Gjoa | New York Greek-American Atlas |
| 1997–1998 | New York Croatia SC | No Tournament Held | New York Greek-American Atlas |
| 1998–1999 | New York Athletic Club S.C. | New York Shamrock SC | Istria SC |
| 1999–2000 | New York Athletic Club S.C. | New York Shamrock SC | New York Hungaria |
| 2000–2001 | New York Athletic Club S.C. | New York Pancyprian-Freedoms | New York Albanians |
| 2001–2002 | New York Albanians | New York Albanians | Koha SC |
| 2002–2003 | New York Pancyprian-Freedoms | No Tournaments Held | ZPA SC |
| 2003–2004 | New York Pancyprian-Freedoms | New York Bozniyak | |
| 2004–2005 | Greek American AA | New York Greek-American Atlas | |
| 2005–2006 | Brooklyn Italians | No Tournaments Held | |
| 2006–2007 | Brooklyn Italians | ||
| 2007–2008 | Greek American AA | Stal Mielec New York | |
| 2008–2009 | Greek American AA | New York Croatia | |
| 2009–2010 | New York Pancyprian-Freedoms | New York Croatia | |
| 2010–2011 | New York Pancyprian-Freedoms | Polonia SC | New York Athletic Club S.C. |
| 2011–2012 | Greek American AA | Central Park Rangers FC | Manhattan Celtic |
| 2012–2013 | New York Athletic Club S.C. | Central Park Rangers FC | Vistula Garfield |
| 2013–2014 | Lansdowne Bhoys | CD Iberia | No Tournament Held |
| 2014–2015 | Lansdowne Bhoys | CD Iberia | New York Croatia |
| 2015–2016 | Lansdowne Bhoys | Zum Schneider FC 03 | Sporting Astoria SC |
| 2016–2017 | Greek American AA | New York Athletic Club S.C. | Cedar Stars Academy |
| 2017–2018 | Lansdowne Bhoys | New York Shamrock SC | Cedar Stars Academy |
| 2018–2019 | New York Pancyprian-Freedoms | Zum Schneider FC 03 | Doxa SC |
| 2019–2020 | Season and tournaments not completed due to COVID-19 pandemic | ||
Source[15]
References
- Notes
- "Cosmopolitan Soccer League Teams". www.cosmosoccerleague.com. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
- Mwamba, Jay (2 September 2020). "Lansdowne go semi-pro, join EPSL". Irish Echo. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
- Lewis, Michael. "REGIONALLY SPEAKING: CSL, Maryland Majors join Eastern Premier Soccer League". www.frontrowsoccer.com. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
- "Sporting Astoria official website". www.sportingsc.com. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
- "Hoboken FC 1912 official website". www.hobokenfc.com. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
- "Manhattan Celtic official website". www.manhattanceltic.com. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
- "Manhattan Kickers official website". www.mk-fc.com. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
- "Real Ole FC (2018/2019)". www.cosmosoccerleague.com. Retrieved 2018-09-18.
- "Stal Mielec New York official website". stalmielecnewyork.futbolowo.pl. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
- "Hoboken FC 1912 official website". www.centralparkrangers.com. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
- "Flushing FC official website". www.flushingfc.com. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
- "Brooklyn City FC official website". www.brooklyncityfc.com. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
- "Brooklyn City FC official website". www.brooklyncityfc.com. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
- "Brooklyn Bound SC official website". www.brooklynboundsc.com. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
- "League Champions". Cosmopolitan Soccer League. 2017-02-07. Retrieved 2020-02-07.
