Every team in the league was actually an imported European or South American club, that was then outfitted with a "local" name.

In 1966 a group of sports entrepreneurs, led by Jack Kent Cooke and including Lamar Hunt and Steve Stavro, formed a consortium known as the North American Soccer League with the intention of forming a professional soccer league in North America.

Not wanting to lose ground to its rival, the USA decided to fast track its launch.

[2] After a series of exhibition games, the USA began playing on May 28 and got off to a good start.

Roberto Boninsegna of Chicago Mustangs finished as the league's top scorer with 10 goals.

As a result, Toronto City, New York Skyliners and the San Francisco Golden Gate Gales were disbanded in favor of their NPSL rivals, Toronto Falcons, New York Generals and Oakland Clippers.

Together with the Cleveland Stokers, Los Angeles Wolves, Houston Stars, Washington Whips and Dallas Tornado, these teams then became founding members of the NASL.

[12][13] The idea of importing teams to represent franchises was revived during the 1969 NASL season.