NASL have been forced to cancel their upcoming season ©NASL

The North American Soccer League (NASL) have announced that they have been forced to cancel the upcoming 2018 season.

The NASL say the reason for the cancellation is due to a failure to receive a preliminary injunction, preventing the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) from revoking the NASL's second division status.

The USSF board took the decision to remove the NASL’s second division status in September last year, a decision the NASL described as "jeopardising the future of the league and its member clubs".

It was claimed that the NASL failed to meet USSF standards including minimum financial requirements as well as the number of teams in the league.

Following this, the NASL filed an antitrust suit to the Federal Court in the Eastern District of New York, seeking a preliminary injunction to preserve the NASL's second division status while the court considered the case in full.

The NASL were denied this in November but subsequently launched an appeal to the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, which has now also been rejected.

San Francisco Deltas are the current NASL champions ©San Francisco Deltas/Facebook
San Francisco Deltas are the current NASL champions ©San Francisco Deltas/Facebook

Following the rejection of the appeal, NASL interim commissioner Rishi Sehgal issued a statement.

"The focus of the antitrust suit to date has been obtaining a preliminary injunction to save the 2018 season," it read.

"Unfortunately, with USSF's decision and the loss of the preliminary injunction, playing the 2018 season is no longer a possibility.

"The focus of the antitrust suit now shifts to securing the long-term advancement of soccer in this country, not only for the NASL, but for all soccer fans, clubs, and communities impacted by the USSF's restrictions on competition.

"Also, the NASL is prosecuting a breach of fiduciary duty action against certain USSF board members for conflicts of interest and derelictions of duty which have harmed the NASL and countless other constituents in US Soccer.

"The NASL and its clubs will look at all avenues to return to the field for the 2019 season."

It has already been announced that three NASL teams - Jacksonville Armada FC, Miami FC, and New York Cosmos - will field teams in the National Premier Soccer League, a fourth tier not recognised by USSF, this year, with the season set to start on April 15.

The United States is leading a three-country bid to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, alongside Canada and Mexico.