2026 NISA Nation Fall Season Preview

2026 Spring Season Recap

Capo FC had a slow start early on in the season, losing their first three matches, including a 3-1 defeat to 405 derby rivals LA Force. Capo FC turned it around midway through the spring, winning four consecutive matches against Inland Empire FC, Problems FC, Royal Society FC, and Sin City FC to stay in the title race. However, the club finished the spring season losing its final three matches and finished fourth in the Southwest Region table in the 2026 NISA Spring Showcase. Abdul Mansaray was Capo FC's leading goalscorer with 11 goals.

Offseason Recap

The only major change for Capo FC this summer was the head coach. Erick Kirsch, who led the club during the spring season, will not return to coach the team this fall. Martin Wallwork and Sean Peck will return to coach Capo FC this fall. Wallwork and Peck led the team last year to a runners-up finish in the 2025 NISA Pro Cup tournament in Michigan last fall.

Key Players Leaving

Forward Dakota Hatzenbeller departed the club before the summer to return home to Arizona. Capo FC's leading goalscorer, Mansaray, is not expected to return this fall because he signed with a pro indoor soccer team.

Key Players Returning

Forward Parker Scalzo will return to the club this fall.

Player to Watch

Rockshell Antwi, a center back from Ghana who had previously played for the Hill Country Lobos in USL League Two.

Club Expectations this Season

Capo FC President and Club Director Peter Carey said, “Capo FC expects to compete for the league title, qualify for the U.S. Open Cup, and lay the groundwork for a return to NISA Pro in 2027.”

2026 Spring Season Recap

The Los Angeles Force edged Sin City FC this past spring to take the Southwest Region title with 27 points in the 2026 NISA Spring Showcase. LA Force finished the spring campaign with nine wins and went undefeated at home. Roberto Molina led the team with six goals during the spring season. The Force continued their recent run of success after winning the 2024 NISA Pro championship, being league champions in the Coast Division (spring 2025) and Southwest Division (fall 2025) in NISA Nation, and winning the 2025 NISA Pro Cup tournament championship in Michigan last fall.

Offseason Recap

The Los Angeles Force have been focused on rebuilding their roster over the summer and gearing up for another title run this fall.

Key Players Leaving

Goalkeeper Mark Gamez, who won the Golden Glove Award during LA Force's 2025 NISA Pro Cup title run, has left the club.

Key Players Returning

Forward Chila, who scored five goals for the LA Force during the spring campaign, will be returning to the team this fall.

Player to Watch

Defender Manuell “Manny” Kariuki has recently joined the club from rivals Capo FC.

Club Expectations this Season

Los Angeles Force Vice President and General Manager Alex Lujan said, “Our expectation for this season is to build. We look at fall 2026 as phase 2 of a three phase plan to bring professional soccer back to Long Beach. We started that process in the spring (phase 1) by establishing a ‘home’ venue in Long Beach. This fall, our focus is on being competitive on the field while building the business off the field, growing partnerships, community engagement, and overall infrastructure. The goal is to use fall 2026 to build the foundation for a successful professional relaunch in 2027.”

Offseason Recap

Montclair Academy FC did not play in the 2026 NISA Spring Showcase and is joining NISA Nation as a new team this fall. The club has played in the UPSL Premier Division and has a team in the SoCal Premier League, which is affiliated with the Southwest Premier League. Montclair Academy finished first in the Cal Premier League standings with 31 points and made it all the way to the 2026 Raul Briones Cup final before falling to Temecula FC. The club has been a member of the UPSL since 2025, and this past spring, Montclair Academy FC finished sixth in the SoCal North division with 22 points. The club also has a Division One reserve team in the UPSL and an academy women's team in the UPSL Women's SoCal Conference.

Key Players Leaving

Montclair Academy has been busy recruiting for each league the club plays in and will focus on replacing key players on its squad, such as Fabian Barajas, Dante Brigida, Chila, and Erick Villatoro.

Key Players Returning

Striker Tony Lopez will return to the team, as will forward Zakhar Shkidchenko.

Player to Watch

Forward Stewart Alvayero, who previously played at Gullit Academy, went on a two week trial at Liga MX side Pachuca last year and received a SWPL Player of the Week nomination last fall for scoring four goals in a match.

Club Expectations this Season

Montclair Academy FC Co-Owner Dr. Justin Camara said, “We expect to win the league this season. Our long-term goal is for the club to perform well, give our players more exposure, and push them to move up to higher-level leagues.”

2026 Spring Season Recap

Problems FC had a tough start in the 2026 NISA Spring Showcase, winning one of its four matches. Their lone victory during that span was a 1-0 win against Capo FC in March. However, later in the season, Problems FC picked up two wins against Inland Empire FC but finished their campaign on a three-match losing streak. Problems FC played better down the stretch and finished fifth in the Southwest Region.

Offseason Recap

Problems FC did not hold player tryouts and has been recruiting since last season to rebuild its roster as the club seeks to improve on its fifth-place finish this past spring.

Key Players Leaving

Goalkeeper Isaac Swanson, who had been with the club for seven years, left the club over the summer.

Players to Watch

Defender Roberto Gonzalez and forward Christian Buckner. Gonzalez is a prolific midfielder, and Buckner fills a major hole in Problems FC's attack with his skill, speed, and finishing.

Club Expectations this Season

Problems FC owner and Head Coach Mark Caudillo said he expects his team to continue to compete and dethrone LA Force's winning tradition. “We were the last team to win it and take them out, and we want to prove to the league that we are a force as well and that last season's record was a fluke, and we are coming to show what we can do again.”

2026 Spring Season Recap

Sin City FC put on a stellar performance during the 2026 NISA Spring Showcase. After starting the season with a win against Problems FC and a narrow defeat to the LA Force in March, Sin City FC went on a run winning four consecutive matches. That included avenging its earlier loss to the Force with a 4-3 home win in April. However, Capo FC snapped Sin City FC's winning streak in May, but the club finished the spring season on a three-match winning streak and took second in the Southwest Region table. Sin City FC also finished the spring campaign undefeated at home.

Offseason Recap

Sin City FC were finalists in the 2026 USASA Amateur Cup Region IV tournament this summer in Utah. The club took second in the Region IV Amateur Cup this year, narrowly losing to champions El Farolito. Sin City FC were the Region IV champions last year in 2025.

Key Players Leaving

Winger David Villanueva is going to be a father and will be away from the club on parental leave this fall.

Key Players Returning

Sin City FC's top scorers from the spring season, Miguel Higareda and David Rangel, will return. Other core players, such as captain Roberto Soto and co-captain Julio Vargas, will also return.

Player to Watch

Forward Latif Omidiji Jr. who is a former USMNT and Nigerian National Team player at the youth level. He also has local ties, being born and raised in Las Vegas, and played college soccer with the UNLV Rebels during the 2021 season. Omidiji Jr. also brings European experience, having played for youth teams at FC Dordrecht, Feyenoord, and Go Ahead Eagles in the Netherlands.

Club Expectations this Season

Sin City FC Owner, General Manager, and Head Coach Gennette Martinez said, “Sin City FC is expected to work harder and be more successful this season while working toward the long-term goal of becoming professional.”

Offseason Recap

STG Premier Pro did not play in the 2026 NISA Spring Showcase and has returned to NISA Nation for the fall season. The last time the club played in NISA Nation was during the 2025 spring season, when it finished second in the Southwest Region with 19 points. STG Premier Pro also played in NISA Nation in the fall 2024 season. The club also has youth academy teams from U-9 through U-19. STG Premier Pro also has a team in the Nevada Premier League, which is affiliated with the Southwest Premier League, as well as a UPSL team, Premier FC, set to debut this fall. STG Premier finished fourth this past spring in the 1st division spring season in the Nevada Premier League with 21 points.

Key Players Returning

• Gabe Borst
• Gabe Mardy
• Max Guiterrez
• Eliseo Guavara
• Danny Morales
• Cahence Asong
• Tauri Morales
• Angel Muniz
• Hamed Kone
• Bernardo Almeida

Players to Watch

• Zach Trimming
• Ryan Woolley
• Hudson Addiego
• Tyson Nguyen
• Christian Jimenez
• Macus Morales

Club Expectations this Season

STG Premier Pro Director of Operations Melenna Martin said, “We expect to be highly competitive this season while continuing our mission of bringing a higher level of soccer to Southern Utah. By providing a professional-level environment, we aim to develop local talent, compete for results, and elevate the standard of the game in our community.”