History
With encouragement and sanctioning from the U. S. Soccer Federation and the FIFA, the North American Soccer League (NASL) in 1967 announced plans to begin operating in 1968.
Suddenly confronted by a competitor, the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL), the NASL changed its name to the United Soccer Association (USA) to avoid confusion with the other league and decided to play its first season in 1967.
Entire foreign teams were imported to represent the 12 USA cities: Aberdeen (Washington), ADO Den Haag of the Netherlands (San Francisco), Bangu of Brazil (Houston), Cagliari of Italy (Chicago), Cerro of Paraguay (New York), Dundee (Dallas), Glentoran Belfast (Detroit), Hibernian of Scotland (Toronto), the Shamrock Rovers (Boston), Stoke City of England (Cleveland), Sunderland of England (Vancouver), and the Wolverhampton Wanderers (Los Angeles).
The rivalry hurt attendance for both leagues and in 1968 they merged to become the North American Soccer League.