Cosmopolitan Soccer League

Cosmopolitan Soccer League
Founded1923 (1923)
First season1923–24
CountryUnited States
ConfederationCONCACAF
(North American Football Union)
Number of clubs112
Promotion toAmerican Premier Soccer League
Relegation toCSL Division 2
Domestic cupU.S. Open Cup
International cupCONCACAF Champions League
Current championsPolonia SC
(1st title)
(2024–25)
Most championshipsGerman-Hungarian SC
(11 titles)
Websitecosmosoccerleague.com

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.

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 optional league cups.

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.

In 1923, five teams, S.C. New York, Wiener Sports Club, D.S.C. Brooklyn, Hoboken FC 1912 and Newark S.C., banded together to found the German American Soccer League. As the name suggests, the teams were largely composed of recent immigrants from Central Europe, primarily Germany. The next year, four more teams, Swiss F.C., Elizabeth S.C., S.C. Eintracht and Germania S.C., joined the league. The league renamed itself the German American Football Association in 1927. While the GASL began as a single division league, it added a junior division in 1933. That year, the league also held its first indoor tournament. In addition to its junior division, the GASL also added several lower divisions over the decades.

In 1943, all of the U.S. leagues suffered from significant player losses from the U.S. participation in World War II. In order to continue to play a competitive schedule, the GASL joined with the Eastern District Soccer League to run a joint season. Following the end of the war in 1945, the GASL found itself turning from a lack of quality players to an overabundance as Central European professionals left their war ravaged countries to move to the United States. The league experienced a second influx of talented players when Hungarians fled their country following the Soviet Union crushing the 1956 Hungarian Revolution.

In 1964, the GASL joined with the professional American Soccer League in a short lived experiment. That year, the two leagues formed the Eastern Professional Soccer Conference which competed during the GASL/ASL off season. The league was a failure and did not complete its one season in existence.[1] While the merger with the ASL was less than successful, the GASL undertook a cooperative agreement with another league, this time the International Soccer League (ISL) in 1965. That season, the GASL All Star team entered the ISL as the New Yorker, going to the final where it lost to Polonia Bytom 5–1.[2] The string of league mergers continued in 1974 when the National Soccer League of New York merged into the GASL.

In 1977, the GASL changed its name in response to a changing American soccer scene. While soccer had existed as an ethnic sport since the 1930s, the creation of the North American Soccer League in 1968 had brought the sport into the mainstream. Recognizing that maintaining its ethnic identity would hinder its acceptance by the wider U.S. sports culture, the GASL governing board voted to rename the league the "Cosmopolitan Soccer League". As part of this process, the league's teams were directed to change their names to ones with less ethnic connotations, although this requirement was dropped three years later.

Despite the regional and semi-professional nature of the league, it featured many of the top U.S. player in the 1950s and 1960s. Even into the early 1970s, GASL players appeared regularly with the U.S. national team. The high regard afforded to the league is reflected in that the National Soccer Hall of Fame considers the GASL as one of a handful of leagues in which a player may become eligible for entry into the Hall of Fame.[3]

The GASL had named an All Star team beginning in 1930. In 1968, after the newly established North American Soccer League approached the GASL about placing a GASL team in the NASL, the league formed its All Star team, known as the New York Cosmos, into an exhibition team. The Cosmos did not enter the NASL until the 1971 season, but when it did, it was well stocked with former GASL players.

Clubs

List of participants in the 2025–26 season:[1] The top former CSL teams play in the Metropolitan Conference in the American Premier Soccer League, which together with the Maryland Major Soccer League, created a regional based multi-league promotion and relegation system between these leagues.[2][3] Some CSL teams also have reserve teams that play in a separate reserve division.

Division 1

  • Block FC
  • Central Park Rangers II
  • FC Sandzak
  • FC Ulqini
  • Hoboken FC 1912 II
  • Laberia FC
  • Manhattan Celtic II
  • Manhattan Kickers
  • NY Ukrainians
  • Polonia SC
  • Zum Schneider FC 03 II

Division 2

  • Brooklyn City FC [4]
  • Central Park Rangers United
  • DeSportiva Sociedad NY
  • East River FC
  • FC Japan
  • Kickoff FC
  • NY Finest FC
  • NY Galicia
  • NY International FC II
  • NY Shamrocks
  • S.C. Eintracht
  • Sporting Astoria South Bronx Utd.
  • Stal Mielec NY
  • Vibes FC
  • Vllaznia NYC
  • Williamsburg International
  • Yemen United SC

Division 3

  • Aurora FC
  • Braza Futbol
  • Brooklyn City FC III
  • FanDuel FC
  • Junior Mafia FC
  • New York Athletic Club II
  • New York Legacy FC
  • Panatha USA
  • Riverside Squires
  • SC Football Crew
  • Sporting Astoria SBU

Division 4

  • Al-Asad
  • Barstonworth Rovers
  • Bolivia Sí Existe FC
  • Brooklyn NY SC
  • C.A. Islas Malvinas
  • Desportiva Sociedad NY Samba
  • East River FC Hudson
  • Manhattan Celtic Boys
  • NY Titans
  • NYC AlphaStars
  • Ollama FC
  • Pelham Parkway FC
  • SC Gjoa
  • Warriors NYC
  • Williamsburgh International III

Spring Division

  • Central Park RangersFC
  • Hudson United
  • FC Kraja
  • FC Rush
  • Tiercel City FC

Over 40 Division

  • Barnstonworth Rovers Old Boys
  • Central Park Rangers Legends
  • Central Park Rangers Legends Old Boys
  • Cozmoz FC
  • Manhattan Celtic Masters
  • Manhattan Kickers Legends
  • NY Shamrocks Legends
  • Polonez SC
  • SC Eintracht Legends
  • SC Gjoa Over-40
  • Sporting Astoria SBU OG'S

Former clubs

  • Elizabeth S.C.
  • Union County SC

Champions

List of champions year by year

Source:[5]

  • Title number, in brackets ()
Ed. Season League Champion League Cup Champions Indoor Tournament Champions
1
 1927–28 DFC Newark (1) No Tournaments Held No Tournaments Held
2
 1928–29 DFC Newark (2)
3
 1929–30 German-Hungarian SC (1)
4
 1930–31 1st SC Vienna (1)
5
 1931–32 DFC Newark (3)
6
 1932–33 German-Hungarian SC (2)
7
 1933–34 German-Hungarian SC (3)
8
 1934–35 DSC Brooklyn (1)
9
 1935–36 DSC Brooklyn (2)
10
 1936–37 DFC Newark (4)
11
 1937–38 Elizabeth S.C. (1)
12
 1938–39 DSC Brooklyn (3)
13
 1939–40 German-Hungarian SC (4)
14
 1940–41 German-Hungarian SC (5)
15
 1941–42 German-American AC (6)
16
 1942–43 S.C. Eintracht (1)
17
 1943–44 S.C. Eintracht (2)
18
 1944–45 S.C. Eintracht (3)
19
 1945–46 S.C. Eintracht (4)
20
 1946–47 Elizabeth S.C. (2)
21
 1947–48 Elizabeth S.C. (3)
22
 1948–49 Elizabeth S.C. (4)
23
 1949–50 S.C. Eintracht (5)
24
 1950–51 German-Hungarian SC (6)
25
 1951–52 German-Hungarian SC (7)
26
 1952–53 Elizabeth S.C. (5)
27
 1953–54 German-Hungarian SC (8)
28
 1954–55 German-Hungarian SC (9)
29
 1955–56 German-Hungarian SC (10)
30
 1956–57 New York Hungaria (1)
31
 1957–58 German-Hungarian SC (11)
32
 1958–59 New York Hungaria (2)
33
 1959–60 New York Hungaria (3)
34
 1960–61 New York Hungaria (4)
35
 1961–62 New York Hungaria (5) New York Hungaria
36
 1962–63 Blau-Weiss Gottschee SC () Blau-Weiss Gottschee
37
 1963–64 Greek American AA (1) New York Greek-American AC
38
 1964–65 Blue Star SC () New York Hota Bavarian SC
39
 1965–66 New York Ukrainians () New York Hota Bavarian SC
40
 1966–67 New York Ukrainians () German-Hungarian SC
41
 1967–68 Greek American AA (2) New York Hota Bavarian SC
42
 1968–69 Greek American AA (3) Giuliana SC
43
 1969–70 Greek American AA (4) German-Hungarian SC
44
 1970–71 Elizabeth S.C. (6) & NY Hota Bavarian (1) [n 1] German-Hungarian SC
45
 1971–72 Inter-Giuliana SC (1) Elizabeth S.C.
46
 1972–73 Elizabeth S.C. (7) German-Hungarian SC
47
 1973–74 Inter-Giuliana SC (2) Inter-Giuliana SC
48
 1974–75 Hudson Dalmatians () Inter-Giuliana SC
49
 1975–76 Inter-Giuliana SC (3) Dalmatinac SC
50
 1976–77 Brooklyn Italians (1) Brooklyn Italians
51
 1977–78 Brooklyn Italians (2) Inter-Giuliana SC
52
 1978–79 New York Pancyprian-Freedoms (1) New York Atlas Turkish SC
53
 1979–80 New York Pancyprian-Freedoms (2) Kearny-Americans New York Pancyprian-Freedoms
54
 1980–81 Brooklyn Italians (3) Kearny-Americans Blue Star SC
55
 1981–1982 New York Pancyprian-Freedoms (3) Elizabeth S.C. New York Atlas
56
 1982–83 Vasco Da Gama SC () Elizabeth S.C. New York Atlas
57
 1983–84 Brooklyn Italians (4) New York Ukrainians Brooklyn Italians
58
 1984–85 Hoboken FC 1912 (1) Banatul SC Brooklyn Italians
59
 1985–86 New York Croatia SC (1) New York Croatia SC Blau-Weiss Gottschee SC
60
 1986–87 New York Hota Bavarian SC (2) Hoboken FC 1912 Adriatic SC
61
 1987–88 New York Hota Bavarian SC (3) Shamrock SC Vllaznimi SC
62
 1988–89 New York Croatia SC (2) New York Hota/Bavarian SC Madlost SC
63
 1989–90 New York Albanians () Hoboken FC 1912 Elizabeth S.C.
64
 1990–91 Blau-Weiss Gottschee SC () SC Gjoa SC Gjoa
65
 1991–92 Sportfriends SC () Clarkstown SC SC Gjoa
66
 1992–93 New York Hungaria (6) Istria SC Adriatic SC
67
 1993–94 Clarkstown SC () No Tournament Held FC Porto
68
 1994–95 New York A.C. (1) Polonia SC Clarkstown SC
69
 1995–96 New York A.C. (2) St. Barnabas New York A.C.
70
 1996–97 New York A.C. (3) SC Gjoa New York Greek-American Atlas
71
 1997–98 New York Croatia SC (3) No Tournament Held New York Greek-American Atlas
72
 1998–99 New York A.C. (4) New York Shamrock SC Istria SC
73
 1999–00 New York A.C. (5) New York Shamrock SC New York Hungaria
74
 2000–01 New York A.C. (6) New York Pancyprian-Freedoms New York Albanians
75
 2001–02 New York Albanians () New York Albanians Koha SC
76
 2002–03 New York Pancyprian-Freedoms (4) No Tournaments Held ZPA SC
77
 2003–04 New York Pancyprian-Freedoms (5) New York Bozniyak
78
 2004–05 Greek American AA (5) New York Greek-American Atlas
79
 2005–06 Brooklyn Italians (5) No Tournaments Held
80
 2006–07 Brooklyn Italians (6)
81
 2007–08 Greek American AA (6) Stal Mielec New York
82
 2008–09 Greek American AA (7) New York Croatia
83
 2009–10 New York Pancyprian-Freedoms (6) New York Croatia
84
 2010–11 New York Pancyprian-Freedoms (7) Polonia SC New York A.C.
85
 2011–12 Greek American AA (8) Central Park Rangers FC Manhattan Celtic
86
 2012–13 New York A.C. (7) Central Park Rangers FC Vistula Garfield
87
 2013–14 Lansdowne Bhoys (1) CD Iberia No Tournament Held
88
 2014–15 Lansdowne Bhoys (2) CD Iberia New York Croatia
89
 2015–16 Lansdowne Bhoys (3) Zum Schneider FC 03 Sporting Astoria SC
90
 2016–17 Greek American AA (9) New York A.C. Cedar Stars Academy
91
 2017–18 Lansdowne Bhoys (4) New York Shamrock SC Cedar Stars Academy
92
 2018–19 New York Pancyprian-Freedoms (8) Zum Schneider FC 03 Doxa SC
–
 2019–20 Season and tournaments not completed due to COVID-19 pandemic
93
 2020–21 Shamrock SC () Borgetto FC No Tournaments Held
94
 2021–22 Hoboken FC 1912 (2) Borgetto FC
95
 2022–23 Central Park Rangers FC Reds () Richmond County FC
96
 2023–24 Richmond County FC () NY International F.C.
97
 2024-25 Polonia SC (1) NY International F.C.
Notes
  1. ^ Title shared.

Titles by club

Club Titles Winning years
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 A.C. 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
Hoboken FC 1912 1984–1985, 2021-2022
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
Hudson Dalmatians 1974–1975
Sportfriends SC 1991–1992
Vasco Da Gama SC 1982–1983
Shamrock SC 2020-2021
Central Park Rangers FC Reds 2022-2023
Richmond County FC 2023-2024
Polonia SC 2024-2025
  • Both Elizabeth S.C. and New York Hota/Bavarian SC hold the title of champion for the 1970–1971 season

CSL in national competitions

National Challenge Cup

National Amateur Cup

  • 1929 DFC Newark (runner up)
  • 1936 DSC Brooklyn
  • 1944 S.C. Eintracht
  • 1949 Elizabeth S.C.
  • 1951 German-Hungarian SC
  • 2014 New York Greek Americans
  • 2017 Lansdowne Bhoys FC

McGuire Cup (U-19 National Cup)

  • 1936 Hatikvoh FC
  • 1937 Hatikvoh FC
  • 1952 Killsman SC
  • 1953 Newark SC
  • 1955 Blau-Weiss Gottschee SC
  • 1959 NY Ukrainian SC

See also

  • Soccer in New York City
  • Eastern New York State Soccer Association

References

Notes
  1. ^ "Cosmopolitan Soccer League Teams". www.cosmosoccerleague.com. Retrieved February 7, 2020.
  2. ^ Mwamba, Jay (September 2, 2020). "Lansdowne go semi-pro, join EPSL". Irish Echo. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  3. ^ Lewis, Michael. "REGIONALLY SPEAKING: CSL, Maryland Majors join American Premier Soccer League". www.frontrowsoccer.com. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  4. ^ "Brooklyn City FC official website". www.brooklyncityfc.com. Retrieved November 26, 2020.
  5. ^ "League Champions". Cosmopolitan Soccer League. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
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