TheMajor Arena Soccer League (MASL) is a professionalindoor soccer league inNorth America. The MASL features teams playing coast-to-coast in the United States and Mexico. The league is the highest level of arena soccer in North America.[2] The league draws talent from a global talent pool with players fromMajor League Soccer (MLS),Liga MX, and many national teams. With a new management team, the league has grown in popularity and commercially. FormerUSMNT and MLS starLandon Donovan played in the MASL, as do multiple international players.
The league was organized as theProfessional Arena Soccer League on May 18, 2008, as an offshoot of thePremier Arena Soccer League (PASL-Premier), the largest amateur league in the United States. The league was originally nicknamed "PASL-Pro" to distinguish it from PASL-Premier.[3] The first league game was played on October 25, 2008, in front of a crowd of 3,239 atStockton Arena, in Stockton, California, with theCalifornia Cougars defeating theColorado Lightning 10–5.[4] In 2011, it was announced the professional league would officially be referred to as simply PASL, while the amateur league would still be referred to as the PASL-Premier.[5]
The league announced a change in its name from the Professional Arena Soccer League to the Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) on May 18, 2014.[9][10] This represents a merging of the MISL and PASL names. MASL fielded 23 teams for the 2014–15 season.[9][11]
In February 2016, the current owner of theBaltimore Blast, Ed Hale, announced his intentions to leave the MASL and form a new league, theIndoor Professional League.[12] Hale was later announced as the chairman of the league, and Sam Fantauzzo, former owner of theRochester Lancers, was announced as the first commissioner of the league. The St. Louis Ambush, Baltimore Blast, and Harrisburg Heat announced plans to join, along with the expansion Florida Tropics SC.[13][14] In July 2016, the MASL was reformed as a new not-for-profit entity [501(c)6], a new entity separate from the previous MASL, LLC.
In August 2016, the new MASL announced that the Blast, Heat, and Ambush would return to the MASL while the Tropics would join the MASL as an expansion team.[15] This effectively ended the IPL split with the MASL.
In October 2017 it was officially announced theMajor Arena Soccer League 2 (MASL 2) would launch in December 2017. MASL 2 serves as the developmental league for the MASL. The initial lineup of this league consisted of former MASL clubsChicago Mustangs,Waza Flo, the reserve teams for theOntario Fury,San Diego Sockers, formerPASL clubs, and new expansion teams.[16]
Like many sports leagues, the MASL ended its regular 2019–20 season early because of theCOVID-19 pandemic.[19]In May, the league announced that it was looking at conducting its playoffs in a centralized location.[20] However, this did not take place, and the remainder of the season was cancelled.[21]
On July 20, 2020, the MASL launched a new semi-professional/amateur developmental league known asMASL 3 (Major Arena Soccer League 3) set to kick off in 2021.[22][23][24] The anticipated conferences expected to play were to be in the North East, Mid-Atlantic, South East, Great Lakes, Central North, Central South, Heartland Conference, Mountain North, Mountain South, Southwest, Pacific North, and Pacific South regions. The Omaha Kings FC, Sunflower State FC, Grand Rapids Wanderers FC andMuskegon Risers SC were announced as the first members of the league.[25] However, the Risers were dropped from M3 and replaced by theSpringfield Demize andWichita Wings 2. The league launched their new website on January 30, 2017.[26]
Formation of the Major Arena Soccer League Women (2024)
On September 23, 2025, the league announced the it is expanding to theSacramento/Rancho Cordova region in 2027. An new arena is planned for Rancho Cordova as a part of the deal.[28]
* Does not include 28 games where attendance was not reported. The PASL 2008–09 regular season consisted of 86 games total.
† Does not include 8 games where attendance was not reported. The PASL 2009–10 regular season consisted of 95 games total.
‡ Does not include 10 games where attendance was not reported. The PASL 2010–11 regular season consisted of 94 games total.
• Due to COVID-19 only 17 out of 41 games this season where attendance was recorded. In the Ron Newman Cup Playoffs only 5 out 14 games recorded attendance.
¶ Does not include 2 regular season games where attendance was not reported; the MASL 2021–22 regular season consisted of 141 games total. Does not include 5 playoff games where attendance was not reported; the 2022 Ron Newman Cup Playoffs consisted of 18 games total.
# Does not include 2 playoff matches in which attendance was not reported.
The official game ball was made byPuma SE through the 2016–17 season. Starting in the 2017–18 season,Mitre became the official ball sponsor of both the MASL andM2.[47][48]
Select 2018–2019 MASL matches were broadcast onEleven Sports Network in the United States.[49]Some matches are also broadcast regionally throughout the United States.[50]All matches since 2016–2017 season are archived onMASLtv, the MASL's YouTube Channel
For the 2022-23 Season, MASL announced broadcast partnerships with Amazon / Twitch, CanelaTV (Spanish) and AtmosphereTV.
With broadcast partnerships driving viewership, the league was recognized for its fast growing fan base and engage viewers.
At the start of the 2024-25 season MASL announced that they would partner with CBS Golazo network which premiered 40 games in their first full season.
Shep Messing –Chairman JP Dellacamera –President of Communications/Media Lindsay Mogle –Director of Communications/Team Services Jon Ramin –Vice-President of Operations Werner Roth –Advisor Dennis Fry –Chief Financial Officer Ken Stanley –Content Director Ryan Cigich -Head of MASL Officials Jesse Meehan -Operations Manager[51][52] Pete Richmire –League Statistician Óscar Sánchez –Spanish Content Manager Phil Lavanco –Video Production Manager Jack Williams –Social Media Manager Christian Filimon -Director of Corporate Sponsorships
Jeff Burum (Empire) –President Lane Smith (Tacoma) –Vice-President Shelly Clark (St. Louis) –Secretary Kevin Healey (Harrisburg) –Treasurer Phil Salvagio (San Diego) –Member-at-Large
