National Soccer League
| Country | Australia |
|---|---|
| Other club(s) from | New Zealand |
| Founded | 1977 |
| First season | 1977 |
| Folded | 2004 |
| Number of teams | 42 (total) |
| Last champions | Perth Glory (2nd title) |
| Most championships |
Marconi Stallions South Melbourne Sydney City (4 titles each) |
| Most premierships | Melbourne Knights (5 titles) |
| TV partners |
Seven Network & C7 Sport (1998–2002) ABC (2000) SBS (2002–2004) |
The National Soccer League (NSL) was the top-level soccer league in Australia, run by Soccer Australia and later the Australian Soccer Association. The NSL spanned 28 seasons from its inception in 1977 until its demise in 2004, when it was succeeded by the A-League competition run by Football Federation Australia, the successor to the Australian Soccer Association. During the history of the NSL the league was contested by a total of 42 teams; 41 based in Australia and one based in New Zealand. Seasons initially ran during the winter seasons, until 1989 when this was changed to the summer season. In 1984, the league was split into two conferences (Northern and Southern) to introduce more teams into the competition; the league returned to a single division in 1987. The competition was known by various names through sponsorships; these names included the Philips Soccer League, Olympic Airways Soccer League, Coca-Cola Soccer League, the Ericsson Cup and the A-League.
From the league's inaugural season to its demise in 2004, a total of 13 clubs were crowned Champions through either a system of first past the post or a finals series that culminated in a grand final.
Competition between club sides from different states existed in various forms prior to the formation of the NSL. The petroleum company Ampol sponsored cup competitions in the various states, starting with New South Wales in 1957, with other states following in their stead. Later a national Ampol Cup was conducted which continued throughout the 1960s. From 1962 until 1968 an Australia Cup was held, but its ambition of becoming an FA Cup style knockout competition went unfulfilled. In the 1970s the top sides from Melbourne and Sydney played off in an end of season series, but the tournament didn't seem to quite capture the legitimacy and popularity that was hoped for.
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