[1] On October 13, it was announced that Maryland Bobcats FC had been accepted into the league with the plan of starting play in Spring of 2021.
[2] The team had been taking part in the Mid-Atlantic region of the NISA Independent Cup and won the group following this announcement.
The participants were split into four geographical regions with each operating independently and making decisions (format, tiebreaker rules, fan attendance policies, etc.)
If tied on aggregate after two games, with no away goal rule, teams would play two 10-minute overtime periods followed by a penalty kick shootout if necessary.
Both matches between Louisiana Krewe and Gaffa were played at Holden Stadium on the campus of Pearl River Community College in Poplarville, Mississippi.
Lone Star Republic hosted the first game against Mansfield Revolution at Greenhill School in Addison, Texas.
[20] The second make-up was announced on September 25 with the Cosmos hosting Baltimore at Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale, New York on Saturday, October 10.
[29] Bold = winner* = after extra time, ( ) = penalty shootout scoreSource: nisaofficial.com The league saw an increase in the number of teams compared to the Fall season, with both San Diego 1904 FC and Stumptown Athletic returning from hiatus, and Maryland Bobcats FC joining as an expansion team.
Meanwhile, Oakland Roots SC left the league in order to take part in USL Championship and the New York Cosmos went on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The best team at the end of the group stage qualified directly to the Legends Cup final, while the second and third seeds played a semifinal game to determine the second finalist.
[31] Bold = winner* = after extra time, ( ) = penalty shootout scoreSource: [1] Originally, the NISA Legends Cup champion and the highest finishing team in Phase 2 were scheduled to play in the 2021 NISA Spring Championship at Keyworth Stadium on June 30 with the winner advancing to the 2020–21 Season Championship match three days later.
[32] However, since Detroit City FC won the Legends Cup and finished atop the Spring table the match simply became a semifinal between the runners-up of each competition.