National Soccer Hall of Fame 2020 Nominees

The following is the list of PLAYER candidates eligible for nomination for induction into the National Soccer Hall of Fame for 2020.  Players have met the eligibility criteria approved by the National Soccer Hall of Fame Board of Directors.

View Player Candidates List 

Eligibility Criteria for PLAYER Candidates

A player must have retired as a player for THREE (3) full calendar years, but no more than TEN (10) full calendar years.  For 2020, the player must have retired no later than 2016 and no earlier than 2010.  A player must also meet ONE (1) of the following to be eligible for nomination:

1. Player must have played at least TWENTY (20) full international games for the United States. This TWENTY (20) game requirement is reduced to TEN (10) games if the games were prior to 1990.

OR

2. Player must have played at least FIVE (5) seasons in a U.S. based, first-division, professional league AND have been a post season league All Star or Best XI selection at least once.

OR

3. Played at least five seasons in the Major Indoor Soccer League between the end of the NASL in 1984 and the end of the MISL in 1992 and been selected as a first-team postseason all-star in at least one of those seasons.

Players who meet eligibility criteria as outlined in points one (1), two (2) or three (3) above but who retired before 2010 now appear on the VETERAN PLAYER ballot.

Players who have been named on fewer than 5% of the returned ballots in an election will be dropped from the PLAYER ballot for future elections but will be added to the VETERAN PLAYER ballot once they have been retired for more than 10 years.

The following is the list of VETERAN candidates eligible for nomination for induction into the National Soccer Hall of Fame for 2020.  Veteran players have met the eligibility criteria approved by the National Soccer Hall of Fame Board of Directors.

View Veteran Candidates List 

Eligibility Criteria for VETERAN PLAYER

Candidates appearing on the VETERAN PLAYER eligibility list must be a retired player for more than TEN (10) years, for purposes of the 2020 election they retired 2009 or earlier, and also meet ONE (1) of criteria listed below:

1. Through his/her play on the United States National Team (senior teams).
   1. Player must have played at least TWENTY (20) full international games for the United States.
   2. This TWENTY (20) game requirement is reduced to TEN (10) games if those games were prior to 1990 and to FIVE (5) games if games were prior to 1960.

2. Through his/her play in Major League Soccer, Women’s United Soccer Association, original North American Soccer League prior to 1968, in one of various regional leagues that include the American Soccer League, North American Soccer Football League, German-American Soccer League of New York, National Soccer League of Chicago, St. Louis Soccer League, Keystone League of Western Pennsylvania, Greater Los Angeles Soccer League, San Francisco Soccer League and National Association Football League.
   1. He/she must have played at least FIVE (5) seasons in above mentioned leagues
   2. Been a post season league All Star at least ONE (1) time.
   3. Through play in the Major Indoor Soccer League (1984 - 1992). There was no first division outdoor league in the United States.
   4. Must have played at least FIVE (5) seasons in the MISL
   5. Been a post season league All Star at least ONE (1) time.

The eligibility criteria was changed in 2008 by the Board of Directors of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.  After the change, the Board of Directors agreed that previously eligible candidates, i.e. candidates who qualified under the pre-2008 criteria change be retained on the list.

The following is the list of BUILDER candidates eligible for nomination for induction into the National Soccer Hall of Fame for 2020.  Builders have met the eligibility criteria approved by the National Soccer Hall of Fame Board of Directors.

View Builder Candidates List 

Eligibility Criteria for BUILDERS

The list of eligible BUILDER candidates is compiled based on the criteria that was established by the Board of Directors of the National Soccer Hall of Fame in April 2007.  The Board of Directors also agreed that previously eligible candidates, i.e. candidates who qualified under pre-2007 criteria change and those who are over 50 years old be grandfathered in and remain on the list.

BUILDER criteria is as follows:

• Candidates must be at least 50 years old or deceased
• Eligibility for 2020 election - living candidates born no later than Dec. 31, 1970
• Must have made a positive impact on American soccer at the national federation or first-division level lasting at least TEN (10) years.
• An exception to this TEN (10) year rule applies to International Referees. Per FIFA requirements International Referees are retried at age 45; therefore, International Referee criteria for a positive impact is SEVEN (7) years.  Please note International Referees with less than the required SEVEN (7) years, can still be eligible IF they have completed TEN (10) or more years as a United States first-division referee.
• Candidate cannot be a current elected official and/or current full-time employee of the United States Soccer Federation or the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
• Any person who has been officially suspended by FIFA, CONCACAF, U.S. Soccer, the IOC or the USOC are ineligible to appear on this list.