Cosmopolitan Soccer League
| Country |
 United States |
|---|---|
| Confederation | CONCACAF |
| Founded | 1923 |
| First season | 1923–24 |
| Number of teams | 12 per division |
| Levels on pyramid | 4–8 |
| Relegation to | CSL II |
| Domestic cup(s) | Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup |
| International cup(s) | CONCACAF Champions League |
| Website | cslny.com |
 2010–11 season | |
The Cosmopolitan Soccer League is an amateur soccer league consisting of clubs 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. It occasionally served as the de facto first division domestic league in the American soccer pyramid until the creation of Major League Soccer in the 1990s.
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 amateur soccer. The league also has three over-30 divisions. The league is USASA-affiliated and its First Division is listed as a "Premier Division" making it a top tier amateur league and therefore falling under the fifth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid.
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 the middle of December to early or middle 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.
2012–2013 Team List
Division 1
- Barnstonworth Rovers
- Central Park Rangers Whites
- Greek American AA
- Hoboken FC 1912
- Lansdowne Bhoys
- Manhattan Celtic
- New York Athletic Club
- NYC Albania
- NY Croatia SC
- NY Pancyprian-Freedoms
- Polonia SC
- United FC
Division 2
- FC Gwardia PLNY
- F.C. Japan
- Flank United
- Manhattan Kickers
- New Amsterdam United FC
- NYPD FC
- NY Ukrainian SC
- Shamrocks SC
- Stal Mielec NY
- Tesoro Kings SC
Metro Division 1
- BWG Cosmos
- CD Iberia
- Clarkstown SC
- Central Park Rangers Reds
- Dynamo SC
- Gotham Argo
- Homenetmen of NY
- Korabi SC
- Landsdowne Bhoys Metro
- Missle FC
- Mr. Dennehey's FC
- Sporting Astoria SC
Metro Division 2
- AO Brooklyn
- Barnstonworth Rovers Metro
- Brishna
- Central Park Rangers Blacks
- FC NY Bravehearts
- FC Partizani New York
- Grenadier Zenith
- Hicksville Allstars
- NIFA SC
- NYC Metro Stars
- NY Galicia
- NY Ittihad
- NYPD FC
- Ridgewood Romac SC
- S.C. Eintracht
Over 30 Division
First Division
- Barnstonworth Rovers Old Boys
- Barnstonworth Rovers Over-30
- Barnstonworth Rovers Premier
- Greek American AA Over-30
- Guyana Veterans A
- Manhattan Celtic Over-30
- Manhattan Kickers Over-30
- Manhattan Kickers Premier
- NY Dinamo
- SC Eintracht Over-30
- Shamrock SC Over-30
- Tesoro Kings SC Over-30
Second Division A
- Brooklyn Gunners
- BWG Cosmos Over-30
- Central Park Rangers FC Over-30
- Central Park Rangers Greys
- FC Partizani New York Over-30
- Guyana Veterans B
- Hoboken FC 1912 Over-30
- Troy Turkish United FC
- VV Nieuw Amsterdam
Second Division B
- Argo Silver
- Banatul SC
- Central Park Rangers Legends
- Hoboken FC 1912 Veterans
- JC Eagles Over-30
- Manhattan Celtic Bhoys
- Megas Alexandros
- RTG SC
- SC Gjoa
Inactive Clubs
- Elizabeth S.C.
- Union County SC
Past Champions
- 1927–1928 DFC Newark
- 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 SC Eintracht
- 1943–1944 SC Eintracht
- 1944–1945 SC Eintracht
- 1945–1946 SC Eintracht
- 1946–1947 Elizabeth S.C.
- 1947–1948 Elizabeth S.C.
- 1948–1949 Elizabeth S.C.
- 1949–1950 SC 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 NY Hungaria
- 1957–1958 German-Hungarian SC
- 1958–1959 NY Hungaria
- 1959–1960 NY Hungaria
- 1960–1961 NY Hungaria
- 1961–1962 NY Hungaria
- 1962–1963 Blau-Weiss Gottschee SC
- 1963–1964 Greek American AC
- 1964–1965 Blue Star SC
- 1965–1966 NY Ukrainian SC[1]
- 1966–1967 NY Ukrainian SC[2]
- 1967–1968 Greek American AC
- 1968–1969 Greek American AC
- 1969–1970 Greek American AC
- 1970–1971 Elizabeth S.C. & NY Hota SC
- 1971–1972 Inter-Guiliana SC
- 1972–1973 Elizabeth S.C.
- 1973–1974 Inter-Guiliana SC
- 1974–1975 Hudson Dalmatians
- 1975–1976 Inter-Guiliana SC
- 1976–1977 Brooklyn Italians
- 1977–1978 Brooklyn Italians
- 1978–1979 New York Pancyprian-Freedoms
- 1979–1980 New York Pancyprian-Freedoms
- 1980–1981 Brooklyn Italians
- 1981–1982 New York Pancyprian-Freedoms
- 1982–1983 Vasco Da Gama SC
- 1983–1984 Brooklyn Italians
- 1984–1985 Hoboken FC 1912
- 1985–1986 NY Croatia SC
- 1986–1987 NY Hota/Bavarian SC
- 1987–1988 NY Hota/Bavarian SC
- 1988–1989 NY Croatia SC
- 1989–1990 NY Albanians
- 1990–1991 Blau-Weiss Gottschee SC
- 1991–1992 Sportfriends SC
- 1992–1993 NY Hungaria
- 1993–1994 Clarkstown SC
- 1994–1995 NY Athletic Club
- 1995–1996 NY Athletic Club
- 1996–1997 NY Athletic Club
- 1997–1998 NY Croatia SC
- 1998–1999 NY Athletic Club
- 1999–2000 NY Athletic Club
- 2000–2001 NY Athletic Club
- 2001–2002 NY Albanians
- 2002–2003 New York Pancyprian-Freedoms
- 2003–2004 New York Pancyprian-Freedoms
- 2004–2005 Greek American AA
- 2005–2006 Brooklyn Italians
- 2006–2007 Brooklyn Italians
- 2007–2008 Greek American AA
- 2008–2009 Greek American AA
- 2009–2010 New York Pancyprian-Freedoms
- 2010–2011 New York Pancyprian-Freedoms
- 2011–2012 Greek American AA
References
- Notes
- ↑ "Historical Standings". Cosmopolitan Soccer League. Dec 5, 2012. Retrieved Dec 5, 2012.
- ↑ "Historical Standings". Cosmopolitan Soccer League. Dec 5, 2012. Retrieved Dec 5, 2012.