The National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) is proud to announce that New Jersey Copa FC (Metuchen, NJ) has joined the league as an expansion team. The club will compete in the Northeast Region’s Keystone Conference.

“The NPSL has started off strong in 2016,” NPSL Chairman Joe Barone commented. “We’ve had a successful combine and a record-setting number of alumni selected in the MLS SuperDraft. Now we’re adding another incredible expansion team to one of our strongest regions. The addition of New Jersey Copa FC is something that our fans and supporters in the Keystone Conference will be excited about. This organization has been a leader in the youth game for years and we are thrilled to now have them as part of the NPSL family.”

New Jersey Copa FC is the NPSL team of FC Copa Academy, a nationally recognized soccer organization with 40 premier teams from the ages of 8 to 23, an additional 20 futsal teams playing in their long-standing futsal academy, and a women’s team in United Women’s Soccer (UWS). These teams are comprised of over 800 athletes with 3000+ family members. The academy provides youth and collegiate soccer players with a superior coaching staff, a well-defined and progressive player development curriculum, and state-of-the-art training facilities at Rutgers and Rowan University. Since its inception in 2005, FC Copa Academy has placed over 250 players into collegiate programs at 130 universities; five players have traveled to play with their national teams; two players have been selected to attend the U-17 U.S. National Team residency program; and three players have signed with professional teams.

“It is clear to us that the NPSL is not only a strong league composed of great organizations, but also one that is being managed and developed as a platform for young men to take the next step into the USL, NASL, and MLS,” New Jersey Copa FC Founder and President Roberto Aguas stated. “We are now excited to offer players the opportunity to play in our first team in the NPSL. We belive this platform is the logical next step after 11 years of developing academy alumni who are ready for the next level.”

FC Copa Academy youth teams have won countless premier tournaments and showcases, US Youth Soccer and US Club State Cups, and US Club regional and national titles. They have had a number of teams ranked #1 in the country and in the state of New Jersey by GotSoccer and consistently throughout the club their teams are in the top 10 in the state. FC Copa Academy’s curriculum is the foundation of their development program with a focus on high technical proficiency and a possession-based style that encourages creativity. The culture of the organization reflects their view that the necessity to win every game is not a goal: they view winning as a result of the development the club focuses on. FC Copa Academy is devoted to the development of every player from the very youngest to the most senior teams.

More information about the club can be found at www.njcopafc.com or by following the club on Twitter (@fccopa), Instagram (@fccopa), and Facebook (www.facebook.com/FCCopa).

ABOUT THE NPSL

The NPSL is a national league that operates in the 4th Division of the U.S. Soccer pyramid. NPSL teams are eligible to participate in the U.S. Open Cup through their affiliation with the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) and the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA). The NPSL remains one of the largest national leagues in North America.