About
Northern Illinois Soccer League is a competitive youth soccer league that includes league play and events for boys and girls. The program offers activities such as the U-16/17 NPL Indoor League, the NISL Club & Conference Final Four, and the Midwest Select Games. It also runs the Chicagoland College Showcase, coaching education, and player development and ID programs, along with multiple NISL Spring 2026 National Premier League and Club & Conference divisions, schedules, and a National Premier Referee Meeting.
• Ages: 8–18 years old
• Schedule: Office hours Monday–Thursday 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. and Friday 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Northern Illinois Soccer League was founded in 1975 and notes 51 years serving communities in the Chicagoland area, with growth over the last 49 years. It provides day-to-day organizational structure for more than 1,000 teams in over 97 Chicago area communities and reports a membership of 18,000 players from over 1,200 teams across 170+ individual clubs. It is described as one of the largest youth soccer leagues in the state of Illinois and one of the largest youth soccer leagues in the United States, and as one of the largest and most competitive youth soccer leagues in the United States. The league is a competitive youth soccer league for boys and girls ages U8 through U19 and identifies its Premier League as a standard of excellence in the region. The NISL is a member of US Soccer and an affiliate of US Club Soccer, and US Soccer and the NISL are aligned on the “US Soccer Connect” registration platform. The league states that its team ranking system, when used with Directors of Coaching, is its method of placing teams into surroundings suited to player talent and enjoyment of the game.
The mission statement of Northern Illinois Soccer League says that all soccer-related decisions should be made with the player in mind and that it is interested in the development of youth soccer, not the politics. The mission further states that the office staff consists of players and coaches who focus on creating and maintaining a league focused on player development at various levels and on providing a competitive and equal playing field. The league states that it should be governed by simple administrative procedures that provide players, teams, and clubs flexibility in the player development process. The mission also says that the NISL will create, develop, and foster the growth of club and community soccer programs throughout the Chicago metropolitan area and surrounding states.
The leadership team includes Brendan Eitz as General Manager and National Premier League Director, U23 PSL-NISL Manager, US Club Soccer Liaison, Midwest Select Games Manager, Chicagoland College Showcase, Player Development and id2 events, and League Standards. Matt Reiswerg is the Vice President of Strategic Growth and Development and is responsible for NISL Club Membership, NISL Strategic Vision and Expansion, Competitions & NISL Pathway, GotSport Liaison, Staffing, and League Standards. Philip Richardson is the Director of Operations and handles team invoices and payment plans, Club Conference operations, Club Conference mediation, and referee payroll and arbiter referee liaison duties. Zac Ludwig is the Technical Director and is responsible for Coaching Education, Player Development and ID programs, serving as Midwest Select Games Director, and overseeing goal sizes, field sizes, and field safety issues. Addison Walters handles Spanish-speaking customer service, GotSport roster approvals, player transfers, coaching and player passes, background checks, Safesport, red cards and disciplinary process, U23 PSL-NISL administration, Club Conference and NPL registration process, game change requests, rainouts, missing scores, and general league questions. Jesus Vargas manages the NISL website, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, and serves as NPL Supervisor at Olympic Park and NPL Referee Coordinator. Joe Pietrini is listed as a sales executive at Capelli Sport.
Last updated February 4, 2026.
• Ages: 8–18 years old
• Schedule: Office hours Monday–Thursday 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. and Friday 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Northern Illinois Soccer League was founded in 1975 and notes 51 years serving communities in the Chicagoland area, with growth over the last 49 years. It provides day-to-day organizational structure for more than 1,000 teams in over 97 Chicago area communities and reports a membership of 18,000 players from over 1,200 teams across 170+ individual clubs. It is described as one of the largest youth soccer leagues in the state of Illinois and one of the largest youth soccer leagues in the United States, and as one of the largest and most competitive youth soccer leagues in the United States. The league is a competitive youth soccer league for boys and girls ages U8 through U19 and identifies its Premier League as a standard of excellence in the region. The NISL is a member of US Soccer and an affiliate of US Club Soccer, and US Soccer and the NISL are aligned on the “US Soccer Connect” registration platform. The league states that its team ranking system, when used with Directors of Coaching, is its method of placing teams into surroundings suited to player talent and enjoyment of the game.
The mission statement of Northern Illinois Soccer League says that all soccer-related decisions should be made with the player in mind and that it is interested in the development of youth soccer, not the politics. The mission further states that the office staff consists of players and coaches who focus on creating and maintaining a league focused on player development at various levels and on providing a competitive and equal playing field. The league states that it should be governed by simple administrative procedures that provide players, teams, and clubs flexibility in the player development process. The mission also says that the NISL will create, develop, and foster the growth of club and community soccer programs throughout the Chicago metropolitan area and surrounding states.
The leadership team includes Brendan Eitz as General Manager and National Premier League Director, U23 PSL-NISL Manager, US Club Soccer Liaison, Midwest Select Games Manager, Chicagoland College Showcase, Player Development and id2 events, and League Standards. Matt Reiswerg is the Vice President of Strategic Growth and Development and is responsible for NISL Club Membership, NISL Strategic Vision and Expansion, Competitions & NISL Pathway, GotSport Liaison, Staffing, and League Standards. Philip Richardson is the Director of Operations and handles team invoices and payment plans, Club Conference operations, Club Conference mediation, and referee payroll and arbiter referee liaison duties. Zac Ludwig is the Technical Director and is responsible for Coaching Education, Player Development and ID programs, serving as Midwest Select Games Director, and overseeing goal sizes, field sizes, and field safety issues. Addison Walters handles Spanish-speaking customer service, GotSport roster approvals, player transfers, coaching and player passes, background checks, Safesport, red cards and disciplinary process, U23 PSL-NISL administration, Club Conference and NPL registration process, game change requests, rainouts, missing scores, and general league questions. Jesus Vargas manages the NISL website, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, and serves as NPL Supervisor at Olympic Park and NPL Referee Coordinator. Joe Pietrini is listed as a sales executive at Capelli Sport.
Last updated February 4, 2026.
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