The New England Luso American Soccer Association (NELASA) was formed
in January 2001 when the Luso American Soccer Association (LASA)
merged with the New England Soccer Association (NESA).
The Liga Comercial de Futebol of New Bedford (LCFNB) was founded in 1983
- by the following members: Manuel Viana - Manuel Lima - Jorge Tiago
- Galeria das Novidades - First Base Café - Local #59 and Park Liquors
(a soccer league committed to a local few teams sponsored by the
Portuguese Business Men) - was unable to accommodate outsiders.
The new Board of Directors in 1997 José Carlos Baptista - David da Silva
- Luís Bettencourt - Carlos Pacheco - José Maria Rego - Jorge Tiago
-- Arménio Tiago - César Tiago and Olivério Ferreira had a broad
vision to outstretch the practice of soccer without ethnic barriers.
They convoked a General Assembly for the 21st of August 1998,
and the New England Soccer Association (NESA) was born.
NESA begin to bring to New Bedford a new dimension
of soccer. In 1998, 50 teams sign up: 10 teams of veterans - 8 teams of
seniors and 32 teams of youths from U-11 to U-18.
NESA had such a successful achievement that in 2000 LASA to SAVE FACE
asked to join NESA. And in January 2001 was the beginning of the New
England Luso American Soccer Association (NELASA)
In the summer of 1973, a group of soccer enthusiasts, unhappy with the way the local league "The Southern New England Soccer Association (SNESA)" - was being run, got together and decided to form their own league. The Late João Maciel - John Medeiros, the current referee assignor for the South Coast League - the late Agostinho Cardoso - José Cardoso - António Fausto Martinho - Manuel Maria Duarte - Pedro Vicente and Francisco Roque drafted the initial by-laws and the Luso American Soccer Association (LASA) was founded by the following clubs: Centro Luso Americano - Clube Recordações de Portugal - Taunton Sports Club - Portuguese American Athletic Club - New Bedford Sports Club - Clube União Faialense - Fall River Athletic Club - Club Sport Madeirense and Luso Auto Body.