Women’s Professional Soccer League Folds

The Women’s Professional Soccer league has folded after three seasons as the remaining five owners announced all operations have been suspended permanently.

This follows attempts to resolve a dispute that had seen the league cancelled in January with hopes it would return next year.

Atlanta Beat’s owner T. Fitz Johnson said: “We sincerely regret having to take this course of action.”

Thomas Hofstetter, CEO and president of Sky Blue FC, said: “We are proud of what WPS has accomplished, having attracted the highest quality players in the world to play in the best women’s league, as well as the progress women’s soccer has enjoyed over the past three years.”

The dispute started in October 2011 when league officials tried to terminate South Florida team, magicJack, owned by Dan Borislow.

In January 2012 it seemed the league had settled their legal issues with Borislow but the deal fell apart before the league was cancelled.

The WPS and Borislow have now announced a confidential out-of-court settlement has been reached.

The league has had a chequered history after starting with seven teams in 2009.

Franchises in Los Angeles, St. Louis, Chicago and the Bay Area folded before teams from Philadelphia, Atlanta and western New York were added.

The league had six clubs last season and was preparing to play in 2012 with five, which required a waiver to be sanctioned by U.S. Soccer, after the South Florida franchise was terminated.