FC Edmonton back in the game with new league designation

After coming off the best soccer season in its history, FC Edmonton can celebrate the fact it still hasa league to play in.

After weeks when it seemed the North American Soccer League (NASL)was about to collapse under immense financial and organizational pressure, a deal has been struck to keep it alive.

"I was always optimistic that we were going ahead for the season but it certainly had its moments," Tom Fath, FC Edmonton president and co-owner, said in an interview with CBC Radio's Edmonton AM.

"It was a lot of hard work going through the details of it but now that it's all squared away, it's just great."

It was unclearwhether FC Edmonton would be able to operate in 2017.

The NASLwas in crisis. And the rivalUnited Soccer League's desire to be designated a Division 2 leagueput the entire structure of professional soccer in North America in jeopardy.

'Most of the same faces will be on the field'

U.S. Soccer, the governing body of soccer in the United States,announced on Fridaythat its board of directors had voted to grant both the NASL and USL provisional Division 2 status for the 2017 season.

In a statement, the federation's boardsaid that neither league met all the standards set forth by U.S. Soccer, but it "will work with the leagues on a pathway to full compliance."

The leagues will also be required to meet additional criteria. U.S. Soccer will determine the additional requirements, and a timeline for completion, in the coming weeks, it said.

U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati said the decision was made "in the best interest of the sport."

FC Edmontonwill be the only Canadian team in theNASLnext season. The league will operate with 8 teams.

Though questions still remain about its future,Fathis relieved FC Edmonton will play a 2017 season.

"Our players are almost all lined up, we've got a few more signings just to square away," he said. "It should be great.

"Most of the same faces will be on the field and we can see what they can do."

'It was really a nail-biting time for fans'

Rumours of the NASL's pending collapse had been circulating for months. As many as five teams within the league were moving or folding for one reason or another. Attendance figures were down and many franchises were struggling to break even.

The uncertainty started last year. Minnesota United FC moved up to Major League Soccer, while the Ottawa Fury and Tampa Bay Rowdies defected to the United Soccer League.

The Ft. Lauderdale Strikers, Rayo OKC, the Jacksonville Armada, and flagship franchise the New York Cosmos were all in financial distress.

• Stakes high as FC Edmonton angles for a playoff spot

"Last year there was a big kerfuffle when Tampa Bay and the Ottawa Fury decided to leave the NASL for USL," said Steven Sandor, the colour commentator for FC Edmonton.

"There has now been some rivalry between the leagues and questions about which teams will survive and it was really a nail-biting time for fans."

The uncertainty has not keptfans away from Clarke Field, especially after FC Edmonton marked its best season in franchise history and qualified for the playoffs for the first time.

"I think it's looking very positive [in Edmonton.] FC Edmonton was one of the very few teams in the league that was still selling tickets, that was confident, that was still doing business," Sandor said.

"There's lots of good things happening. And most importantly, they've set an off-season record for tickets sold, because people in Edmonton haven't really been paying attention to all of this.

"They just know, 'Hey, this team is doing really great, maybe I should see some games.' "