National Soccer League

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National Soccer League
Founded21 April 1889; 135 years ago (1889-04-21)
Country Zitru
ConfederationUZFA
Number of teams20
Level on pyramid1
Relegation to2. NSL
Domestic cup(s)
League cup(s)NSL Cup
International cup(s)
Current championsJüngburg (14th title)
(2021–22)
Most championshipsRaedburg (34 titles)
Most appearancesTBD
Top goalscorerTBD
TV partnersList of broadcasters
2021–22 National Soccer League

The National Soccer League (Zitran: National Futball Liga), sometimes referred to as the NSL or 1. NSL, is a professional association football league in Zitru. At the top of the Zitran football league system, the NSL is Zitru's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. NSL. Seasons run from August to May with each team playing 38 matches (playing all 19 other teams both home and away). Most games are played on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, with a few games played on weekdays.

Competition format

Competition

There are 20 clubs in the NSL. During the course of a season (from August to May) each club plays the others twice (a double round-robin system), once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents', for 38 games. Teams receive 3 points for a win and 1 point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, then goal difference, then goals scored, and then head-to-head record. If still equal, teams are deemed to occupy the same position. If there is a tie for the championship, for relegation, or for qualification to other competitions, a play-off match at a neutral venue decides rank.

Promotion and relegation

A system of promotion and relegation exists between the NSL and the 2. NSL. The three lowest placed teams in the NSL are relegated to the 2. NSL, and the top two teams from the 2. NSL are promoted to the NSL, with an additional team promoted after a series of play-offs involving the third, fourth, fifth and sixth placed clubs.

Clubs

2021–22 season

Club Position in 2020–21 Location Stadium Titles Most recent title
Adler Dreisburg 13th Dreisburg Adler Park 0
Ahckman 6th Ahckman Ahckman Arena 7 2004–05
Bayern Saarfurt 4th Saarfurt Kaltrübank Stadium 25 2017–18
Branheim 2nd Raedburg Branheim Stadium 30 2019–20
Durnstaät 16th Durnstaät Auger Park 0
Eintracht Saarfurt 11th Saarfurt Meisterpark 4 1954–55
Eintracht Sternheim 17th Sternheim Andersen Stadium 0
Frankfurt 14th Frankfurt MetLife Stadium 0
Hessenburg 8th Hessenburg Förbundesbank Stadium 0
Jüngburg 3rd Jüngburg Elite Arena 13 2013–14
Maeldburg 12th Maeldburg ArenaMaeldburg 2 1907–08
Morburg Arbeiten 5th Morburg Morburg Park 3 1916–17
Nürnburg 15th Nürnburg Nürnburg Stadium 0
Preussen Morburg 1st in 2. NSL
(promoted)
Morburg St. Niklas Park 3 1980–81
Raedburg 1st Raedburg Republic Stadium 34 2020–21
Red Bull Vorburg 2nd in 2. NSL
(promoted)
Vorburg Red Bull Arena 0
Ruurstaät 5th in 2. NSL
(promoted via play-offs)
Ruurstaät Ruurpark Stadium 0
Trunheim 9th Trunheim Trunheim Stadium 0
Viengburg 10th Viengburg Zitran Airlines Stadium 6 1990–91
Wolfheim 7th Wolfheim Der Hölle 4 2010–11

Champions

In total, 12 clubs have won the National Soccer League. Raedburg have won the most titles with 34, followed by Branheim (30) and Bayern Saarfurt (25).

Performance by club
Club Titles Winning years
Raedburg 34 1889–90, 1895–96, 1897–98, 1901–02, 1902–03, 1906–07, 1912–13, 1929–30,
1930–31, 1937–38, 1942–43, 1943–44, 1944–45, 1948–49, 1956–57, 1959–60,
1960–61, 1961–62, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1977–78, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88,
1992–93, 1994–95, 1997–98, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2006–07, 2014–15, 2015–16,
2018–19, 2020–21
Branheim 30 1891–92, 1892–93, 1896–97, 1903–04, 1904–05, 1905–06, 1913–14, 1920–21,
1921–22, 1925–26, 1928–29, 1934–35, 1935–36, 1936–37, 1945–46, 1947–48,
1952–53, 1953–54, 1957–58, 1967–68, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1988–89, 1989–90,
1991–92, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2012–13, 2016–17, 2019–20
Bayern Saarfurt 25 1898–99, 1911–12, 1917–18, 1918–19, 1926–27, 1931–32, 1932–33, 1939–40,
1940–41, 1949–50, 1950–51, 1955–56, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1970–71, 1971–72,
1972–73, 1976–77, 1981–82, 1984–85, 1995–96, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2011–12,
2017–18
Jüngburg 14 1908–09, 1909–10, 1946–47, 1958–59, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1993–94,
1996–97, 1998–99, 2005–06, 2009–10, 2013–14, 2021–22
Ahckman 7 1894–95, 1910–11, 1922–23, 1941–42, 1965–66, 2001–02, 2004–05
Viengburg 6 1899–00, 1900–01, 1933–34, 1962–63, 1982–83, 1990–91
Wolfheim 4 1927–28, 1966–67, 1983–84, 2010–11
Eintracht Saarfurt 4 1919–20, 1924–25, 1951–52, 1954–55
Preussen Morburg 3 1893–94, 1923–24, 1980–81
Morburg Arbeiten 3 1914–15, 1915–16, 1916–17
Maeldburg 2 1890–91, 1907–08
Sankt Arneit 1 1938–39
Performance by state
State Titles Club(s)
Surenland 66 Raedburg (34), Branheim (30), Maeldburg (2)
Bavaria 29 Bayern Saarfurt (25), Eintracht Saarfurt (4)
Durland 14 Jüngburg (14)
Töreland 7 Ahckman (7)
Ostland 6 Viengburg (6)
Pressia 6 Morburg Arbeiten (3), Preussen Morburg (3)
Nordland 4 Wolfheim (4)
Darnö 1 Sankt Arneit (1)

Honours

Meistersköld

Since 1920, the winners of the National Soccer League wear the Meistersköld ("champions shield") as a decoration the following season.

Stars

In 2004, the National Soccer League introduced a system to recognise sides that have won multiple championships by the display of gold stars on their team badges and jerseys. The practice in Zitru is to award one star for 10 titles, two stars for 20 titles, three stars for 30 titles, four stars for 40 titles and five stars for 50 titles.

The following clubs have been officially allowed to wear stars while playing in the NSL. The number in parentheses is for NSL titles won.