World Indoor Soccer League

Founded	1998
Folded	2001
Country	United States Mexico
Number of teams	9
Last champions	Dallas Sidekicks

The World Indoor Soccer League (WISL) was a United States-based indoor soccer league that existed from 1998 to 2001 and consisted of nine teams.

History

After the demise of the Continental Indoor Soccer League, four of its teams decided to create a new indoor league to be called the Premier Soccer Alliance.^[when?] The teams complemented their schedules with games against international teams. In 1999, two more former CISL teams (the Houston Hotshots and Monterrey La Raza) joined the league, which then changed its name to World Indoor Soccer League.

The name change came about as a result of the "merger" of the US-based Premier Soccer Alliance and an 'English Indoor Football League'. Originally, there was to be a European Division and a North American Division, with 'London United', 'Manchester Magic', 'Newcastle Geordies' and 'Sheffield Strikers' playing in a European division, but that idea was dropped due to rules conflicts between the existing leagues and lack of permission from The Football Association.

At one point in 2000, the World Indoor Soccer League attempted to be the first U.S. pro sports league to sell the naming rights of the league. It was looking to be something like "The Pepsi World Indoor Soccer League." Ultimately, this did not happen.^[1]

The WISL folded in December 2001 when Dallas, St. Louis, and San Diego agreed to join the MISL while the remaining teams, the Utah Freezz, the Sacramento Knights and the Houston Hotshots folded.

Champions

Season by Season

By Team

Annual awards

Most Valuable Player

• 1998 – Tatu, Dallas
• 1999 – David Doyle, Dallas
• 2000 – Mariano Bollella, Monterrey
• 2001 – Ato Leone, Sacramento

Goalkeeper of the Year

• 1998 – Dan Madsen, Sacramento
• 1999 – Brett Phillips, Portland
• 2000 – Sagu (Edilson Xavier), Dallas
• 2001 – Sagu (Edilson Xavier), Dallas

Coach of the Year

• 1998 – Tatu, Dallas
• 1999 – Iain Fraser, Sacramento
• 2000 – Jeff Betts, Utah
• 2001 – Iain Fraser, Sacramento

Rookie of the Year

• 1998 – Jorge Fernandez, Sacramento
• 1999 – Justin Labrum, Utah
• 2000 – Clint Regier, Houston
• 2001 – David Beltran, San Diego

Defender of the Year

• 1998 – Rusty Troy, Dallas
• 1999 – Iain Fraser, Sacramento
• 2000 – Rob Baarts, Utah
• 2001 – Iain Fraser, Sacramento

Presidents

Gordon Jago 1998–2001

Teams