| Competition: | National Soccer League |
| Season: | 1984 |
| Shield: | Toronto Italia |
| Shieldtitle: | League cup |
| Prevseason: | 1983 |
The 1984 National Soccer League season was the sixty-first season under the National Soccer League (NSL) name. The season began in late May, 1984 and concluded in September 1984 with the NSL Championship final where Toronto Italia defeated London Marconi.[1] [2] Toronto Italia would also secure a treble by winning the regular-season title, and the NSL Cup.[3] [4] [5]
Since the collapse of the short-lived Canadian Professional Soccer League (CPSL) in 1983 the country was without a domestic national league as the Canadian soccer landscape was fractured into several different foreign and regional leagues.[6] [7] [8] The Ontario-centered National Soccer League (NSL) attempted to resurrect the CPSL concept with NSL president Joe Vaccari lobbying the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) and other groups in supporting the idea.[9] The NSL intended to form an eastern conference or function as a minor league to the national league.[10] In response to the national league question, the CSA presented its concept and attempted to recruit the NSL and other parties for input. After reviewing the CSA's blueprint for a national model the NSL withdrew its support as it was deemed an unstable model by the league owners.[11]
The NSL was also embroiled in a dispute with the Ontario Soccer Association (OSA) over sanctioning issues involving the NSL's under-21 division.[12] The OSA had intentions of forming their youth league and refused to sanction the NSL's version. The NSL in response appealed to the CSA for a decision. The membership in the league decreased to six clubs as Toronto First Portuguese were inactive for a season and London Marconi secured London City's franchise rights.[13] The Hamilton Steelers joined the Inter-City Soccer League and later became a charter member of the Canadian Soccer League in 1987.[14]
| Team | City | Stadium | Manager |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dinamo Latino | Toronto, Ontario | Lamport Stadium | |
| London Marconi | London, Ontario | Cove Road Stadium | |
| St. Catharines Roma | St. Catharines, Ontario | Club Roma Stadium | Ernesto Borges[15] |
| Toronto Croatia | Etobicoke, Ontario | Centennial Park Stadium | |
| Toronto Italia | Etobicoke, Ontario | Centennial Park Stadium | Carlo Del Monte[16] |
| Toronto Panhellenic | Toronto, Ontario | Lamport Stadium | |