Torisakia Soccer League

Torisakia Soccer League

Country	Torisakia
Confederation	AOCAF
Founded	1912
Number of teams	24
Levels on pyramid	1
Relegation to	TMSL
Domestic cup(s)	Torisakia Champions Cup
International cup(s)	Champions’ Cup Globe Cup Series B Champions’ Cup AO Champions League
Current champions	Mushai Devil Rays (5th title)
Most championships	Tokai Ice Birds (25 titles)
TV partners	TSPN, TBC, TCBS, and other affiliates
Website	www.tsl.tor

The Torisakia Soccer League (Tirosauroau Siccur Luaujeu in Native Torisakian) is a professional association football league in Torisakia. At the top of the Torisakia association football league system, it is the country's primary association football competition. The TSL is ran by the Torisakia Association Football Federation (TASFA).

Each season, the bottom team team in the TSL is relegated to the Torisakia Minor Soccer League (TMSL) with the champion of the TMSL being promoted to the TSL. The next to bottom team in the TSL participates in a best-of-3 relegation series against the runner-up of the TMSL to determine qualification in the TSL for the next season.

Competition format

Competition

There are 24 teams in the TSL that play a double round-robin season (from December to May) for a total of 46 games, with each team playing two matches every weekend. Teams receive three points for a win, one point for a draw, and zero points for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, then goal difference, then goals scored, and then head-to-head record. If still equal or the teams have not played head-to-head yet, they are deemed to occupy the same ranking. If there is a tie for a playoff spot or for a relegation spot, a match played at a neutral site venue is used to break the tie.

Playoffs

At the end of each regular season the top 16 teams qualify for the playoff, with the other 6 teams below them but above the bottom 2 teams not qualifying for the playoff but secure a spot for the next TSL season. The playoffs consist of four rounds: the Round of 16, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and then the Megabowl. Teams are seeded based on their final ranking at the end of the last matchday, and matchups are determined based on traditional seeding rules (i.e. 1 vs 16, 2 vs 15, etc). Playoff matches are played at the higher seeded teams home venue, which is denoted by the top two seeds being declared as having "home field advantage" for the duration of the playoffs. All playoff matches are a best-of-1, except for the Megabowl which is a best-of-7.

Megabowl

The Megabowl is the name given to the championship series between the final two teams in the playoffs. It is a best-of-7 series played every other day during the third week in June, alternating between the teams home venues. The Megabowl is numbered after its current iteration, with the 76th edition (LXXVI) recently concluding. The Megabowl was started in 1943 as a best-of-1 championship match, but expanded to a best-of-3 in 1956, a best-of-5 in 1971, and finally its current format as a best-of-7 in 2011. Prior to 1943 no championship match was held, and the team that had the highest ranking at the end of a season was deemed the champion. During this time the TSL only used a single round-robin structure, thereby eliminating the possibility of two or more teams being tied for a rank. The league eventually moved to the double round-robin format in 2013.

Media coverage

TSL matches are broadcast nationally in Torisakia and Gonzalez Isle on TSPN, TBC, and TCBS, as well as in Spanish on TSPN Deportes and ST Isla González. Certain teams matches may be broadcast on local affiliates as well, such as the TV66 network in Mauraunrisauphphi for Willis games. The time slots for matches are typically from between 12:00pm-8:00pm TST, with the most anticipated matches being played in the prime time slot (5:00pm-8:00pm TST) on TSPN. Playoff matches follow a similar time slot and TV format; however, TSPN holds the broadcasting rights to the Megabowl and as such all Megabowl matches are played at 6:00pm TST and broadcast on TSPN and its affiliates.

Clubs

Rivalries

• TOKAI DERBY: Tokai vs Tokai United
• KORADAI DERBY: FC Koradai vs Mushai
• CHAMPIONSHIP DERBY : Mushai vs Ogino
• PRESIDENTS DERBY: Presidents City vs Grand Cane
• CROSSTOWN SHOOTOUT: Tokai vs Beachport
• METRO MELEE: Tokai vs Douglas La-Pryor
• FISHMARKET SHOWDOWN: Fishmarket North vs Fishmarket South
• BATTLE OF BROTHERS: Yasui vs Ogino
• BORDER WAR: Yasui vs Auerila
• CLEAN, OLD-FASHIONED HATE: Lancet vs Willis

Recent seasons

• ^ denotes that club has since been relegated from the TSL