Founded | 2014 |
---|---|
Country | United States |
Confederation | CONCACAF |
Number of teams | 20 Clubs, with some clubs fielding teams in multiple leagues. |
Domestic cup(s) | Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup |
Current champions | [Southern States SC II] (1) (2023) |
Most championships | Motagua New Orleans (3) |
Website | gcplsoccer |
Current: 2024 GCPL season |
The Gulf Coast Premier League (GCPL) is a United States Adult Soccer Association affiliated Amateur Elite League that includes teams from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The regular season of the GCPL runs May through July. On August 13, 2020, it was announced that the GCPL would be the first "amateur league affiliation" of the National Independent Soccer Association [1] after Gaffa FC and Louisiana Krewe FC competed in the NISA 2020 Independent Cup.
The Louisiana Premier League was formed in 2014 by the Louisiana Soccer Association's Adult Committee members, Jonathan Rednour and Chad Vidrine, with the assistance of Pool Boys FC founder, Jeremy Poklemba. The recent success of a similar formatted competition, [2] administered by the LSA, in the spring of 2014 and the emergence of newly formed clubs, Pool Boys FC and Cajun Soccer Club, along with the interest from Motagua New Orleans from the ISLANO league, offered an opportunity to create a statewide elite amateur league. Motagua New Orleans won the inaugural season, defeating Cajun Soccer Club in the finals, 4–2.
On March 8, 2016, the Louisiana Premier League was granted Elite Amateur League status by the United States Adult Soccer Association. [3]
On August 1, 2016, the Louisiana Premier League, sanctioned and operated by the Louisiana Soccer Association, folded to make way for the newly formed Gulf Coast Premier League. The league formed as a non-profit organization expanding itself to clubs outside Louisiana along the gulf coast. [4]
In January 2017 the league announced three expansion teams, expanding the league footprint into Alabama and Florida. [5] Central Texas Lobos FC were also announced as a future member in June 2017.
The Gulf Coast Premier League organization currently operates three separate leagues - Premier League, League Two, and the Women's League. Each league is split into conferences for schedule balance, and to manage travel expenses.
A 4-team developmental league called the Gulf Coast Development League (GCDL) was announced and began play in May 2019.
The League announced it would cancel its 2020 regular season due to the coronavirus epidemic but left open the possibility of a fall competition. [6] In October 2020 the League announced the Fall Tournament Showcase featuring five teams: Pool Boys FC, Louisiana Krewe FC, Crescent City FC, Mobile United FC and new addition 14th Ward FC. [7]
In 2019, the GCPL announced the creation of the Great Plains Premier League (GPPL), an expansion conference/sister league with teams to be based in the Dakotas, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas or Missouri. The GPPL was set to begin play in 2020 however the COVID-19 pandemic halted plans. Nebraska Bugeaters FC, was their only announced club. [8] [9]
Club | City | Stadium | Founded | Inaugural season |
---|---|---|---|---|
AFC Mobile - Premier | Mobile, Alabama | Dotson Field | 2017 | 2017 (returned 2024) |
Alabama FC South - Premier, League Two | Montgomery, Alabama | Emory Folmar YMCA Championship Stadium | 2024 | |
ASG-Lions - League Two | Tallahassee, Florida | 2024 | ||
BRSC Capitals - Premier, Women's | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | Olympia Stadium | 2016 | 2017 |
Cajun Rush - Women's | Lafayette, Louisiana | LUS Fiber Stadium | 2014 | 2014 |
Central Louisiana FC (known as Alexandria Pool Boys FC until 2023) - Premier, League Two | Alexandria, Louisiana | Wildcat Field at Louisiana Christian University | 2013 | 2014 |
Florida Roots - Premier, League Two, Women's | Panama City, Florida | Fort Walton Beach High School | 2020 | 2023 |
Gaffa FC - Premier | Jackson, Mississippi | Freedom Ridge Park | 2016 | 2017 |
Gulf Coast United - Premier, Women's | Gulfport, Mississippi | Herbert Wilson Stadium | 2003 | 2021 |
Hattiesburg FC - Women's | Hattiesburg, Mississippi | 2003 | 2019 | |
Louisiana Krewe II - Premier | Lafayette, Louisiana | LUS Fiber Field | 2013 | 2014 |
Mississippi Blues SC - League Two, Women's | Clinton, Mississippi | Freedom Ridge Park Stadium | 2018 | |
Northtown Bravos - League Two | Bossier City, Louisiana | 2023 | 2024 | |
Pensacola Bay United - Premier | Pensacola, Florida | Ashton Brosnaham Stadium | 2022 | 2023 |
Pensacola FC - (U19) League Two, Women's | Pensacola, Florida | Ashton Brosnaham Stadium | 2017 | 2017 |
Shreveport United - Premier, Women's | Shreveport, Louisiana | Cargill Park | 2016 | 2018 |
Southern States FC II - Premier | Hattiesburg, Mississippi | The Oakes Training Center | 2015 | 2023 |
Sowegans SC - Premier | Albany, Georgia | Lee County Track and Soccer Complex | 2022 | 2023 |
Union 10 FC - Premier, Women's | Daphne, Alabama | Al Trione Complex | 2022 | 2023 |
Season | Winner | Runner-up | Highest goalscorer | |
---|---|---|---|---|
2014–15 | Motagua New Orleans | Cajun Soccer Club | Steven Morris (Motagua New Orleans) | 12 |
2015–16 | Motagua New Orleans | Boca Knights FC | Joel Amos (Lake City Gamblers) Leonardo Ferriera de Barros (Motagua New Orleans) | 6 |
2016–17 | Motagua New Orleans | Shreveport Rafters FC B | Reece Wilson (Motagua New Orleans) | 18 |
2017 | Gaffa FC | Cajun Soccer Club | Vasbert Ledger (Cajun Soccer Club) | 9 |
2018 | Port City FC | Cajun Soccer Club | Quesi Weston (BOCA FC) | 16 |
2019 | FC New Orleans | Northshore United | Roger Llergo (FC New Orleans) Adrian Olivares Rodriguez (Louisiana Krewe) | 9 |
2020 | Season not disputed due to Covid-19 | |||
2021 | Louisiana Krewe FC | Gulf Coast Rangers | Quesi Weston (Louisiana Krewe) | 11 |
2022 | Gaffa FC | Shreveport United | ||
2023 | Southern States SC II | Central Texas Lobos FC |
A krewe is a social organization that stages parades and/or balls for the Carnival season. The term is best known for its association with Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans, but is also used in other Carnival celebrations throughout Louisiana and along the Gulf of Mexico, such as the Gasparilla Pirate Festival in Tampa, Florida, Springtime Tallahassee, and Krewe of Amalee in DeLand, Florida with the Mardi Gras on Mainstreet Parade as well as in La Crosse, Wisconsin and at the Saint Paul Winter Carnival.
Steven Morris is an American-born Honduran footballer who last played for Motagua New Orleans in the Elite Amateur Gulf Coast Premier League.
Jacksonville Armada U-23 are an American soccer team based in Jacksonville, Florida. They play in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), the fourth tier of the American soccer pyramid, and are part of the development system of the Jacksonville Armada FC of the North American Soccer League (NASL). They started play in 2016, replacing Jacksonville United FC in the NPSL. The team currently plays its home games at Southern Oak Stadium on the campus of Jacksonville University.
Pensacola FC is an American professional soccer team based in Pensacola, Florida the men's side competes in the National Premier Soccer League and the women's side competes in the Women's Premier Soccer League. It formerly played in the Gulf Coast Premier League.
Motagua New Orleans is an American soccer club based in New Orleans, Louisiana that plays in the Gulf Coast Premier League. The team was founded in 1984 and competes in both the ISLANO and Louisiana Premier League.
AFC Mobile is an American soccer club based in Mobile, Alabama, that formerly competed in the National Premier Soccer League. After a hiatus, the club has returned to the Gulf Coast Premier League for the 2024 season.
The National Independent Soccer Association (NISA) is a professional men's soccer league in the United States. The league is in the third tier of American soccer and began play in 2019. NISA initially used a fall-to-spring season format with a winter break but have switched to spring-to-fall which is more common in the United States.
California United Strikers FC is an American professional soccer club based in Orange County, California.
The 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup tournament proper will feature teams from all five tiers of the men's American soccer pyramid. A record 108 open division amateur teams have entered qualifying this year.
Bugeaters FC are a semi-pro soccer team based in Omaha, Nebraska that currently competes in the Great Plains Premier League.
The 2018 Gulf Coast Premier League season was the 3rd season of the GCPL.
Hill Country Lobos, is an American soccer team based in Central Texas competing in the Lonestar Division of USL League Two. Prior to joining USL League 2, the club was known as Central Texas Lobos and played in the Gulf Coast Premier League. The Lobos' regular kit colors are purple, gold, and black. The Lobos are based in Austin, Texas and play home games in the nearby town of Buda, Texas. In 2024, the club is set to debut in USL League Two.
Tallahassee Soccer Club is an American soccer club based in Tallahassee, Florida that competes in the National Premier Soccer League. It formerly played in the Gulf Coast Premier League.
The 2019 Gulf Coast Premier League season was the 4th season of the GCPL. FC New Orleans won the playoffs after beating Northshore United in the final.
The 2020 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup was planned to be the 107th edition of the U.S. Open Cup, a knockout cup competition in American soccer. Atlanta United FC were the defending champions after defeating Minnesota United FC in the 2019 final. The competition was suspended on March 13, 2020, before the first round fixtures, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and later canceled on August 17. Despite the tournament's cancelation, the spot for the 2021 CONCACAF Champions League was awarded to the defending champions, Atlanta United FC.
The 2020 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup tournament proper featured teams from all five tiers of the men's American soccer pyramid.
Louisiana Krewe FC is an American soccer team based in Lafayette, Louisiana and competes within USL League Two. As members of the Gulf Coast Premier League, the team earned national attention when it qualified for the 2020 U.S. Open Cup in its first season of eligibility prior to the tournament's cancelation.
The Eastern Premier Soccer League (EPSL) is a United States Adult Soccer Association and a National Independent Soccer Association affiliated Semi-Professional Elite League that includes teams from the Eastern United States. Currently the league has members from Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
NISA Nation is a semi-professional men's soccer league in the United States. The league is below the professional leagues in the United States soccer league system and began play in 2021. NISA Nation is affiliated with the third tier professional league National Independent Soccer Association.