It’s been a long season in NISA, but the final clubs are punching their tickets in preparation for the playoffs. In fact, 5 of the 6 clubs are now in, with just the final positioning left to sort out.

ALBION San Diego
Chattanooga FC
Los Angeles Force
Maryland Bobcats FC
Michigan Stars FC

Chattanooga FC, after an impressive regular season run with just a single loss, is on the cusp of clinching the one seed. The easiest way to complete that is for the club to do what it has been doing all season: winning. The team has three matches left, with road matches against Flower City Union and Savannah Clovers and a single home match against Club De Lyon. If CFC wins any of those matches, it clinches the top spot. Hard not to expect the Blues to finish this thing off.

Naglestad got the game-winner for CFC against Savannah this weekend.

After that, it’s all a matter of who comes in second and grabs that other available bye week. LA Force currently holds that spot with two matches to go on its schedule. ALBION sits third currently with a single match to play. But the real dark horse who could shake things up is Michigan Stars, the current fourth place team. The defending champions have four matches remaining in their schedule, two of which are against LA and Albion and two of which are against zombie club, Club De Lyon. The two clubs that finish 3-4 will host their opening playoff matches. My best guess would be that the Stars will be watching the other two on FIFA+ from home on week one of the playoffs.

Of the three clubs vying for the second place spot, LA is in the best run of form. Since July 8th, the Los Angeles club has been on a tear, earning points in every match except for its September 3rd loss to Chattanooga. In fact, the Force have four wins out of its last five matches. This Thursday’s matchup at Stars will be a big one for both clubs. LA needs to get at least a draw on the road to give itself a chance at the two spot. Given the club’s current form, I’d say they have a chance (not a good one, but a chance).

Pity the Maryland Bobcats, who had a great season by all measures, yet will have to try and make a road run in the playoffs. The Bobcats are one of the few NISA clubs that draw well at home, but will now be on the road given their almost entirely cemented 5th seed finish (sure the wheels could come off for the Stars, but I cannot imagine this scenario happening in reality).

The final battle is for the last playoff spot and a probable trip to the West coast. When it looked like Club De Lyon had gone belly up, I assumed it would be Flower City Union. But CDL is ALIVE (imagine me saying that with my most Dr. Frankenstein voice)! Just barely though. Currently the Florida club trails FCU for the last playoff spot by two points. And given the “problems” the club has had this season, it has several makeup matches. With four matches left on its schedule, CDL could, in theory, make up the necessary points to claim the final playoff spot (much to the chagrin of the league office). However, it will be an uphill slog. Three of its final four matches will be against Stars and CFC. Flower City has two matches left, today against Savannah and then against CFC on October 14. If FCU can get three points today, its hard to see CDL leapfrogging them. But we shall see!

We’re at the final couple of matches in the 2023 regular season and we’ll soon know which teams will be playing each other in the playoffs!

- Dan Vaughn