Major Arena Soccer League expanding to El Paso

The El Paso Sports Commission announced Wednesday the Major Arena Soccer League is expanding to El Paso this fall.

The El Paso Coyotes will play at the County Coliseum.

M.A.S.L. Founder, Kevin Milliken, said El Paso is a perfect fit for the indoor soccer league.

“We are really a North American league,” Milliken said. “And El Paso being a border town is significant as well.”

President of the team, Gil Cantu, couldn’t have agreed more.

“I think there are a lot of soccer fans in El Paso,” Cantu said. “Right now is an opportunity to bring something a little different here, because it is indoors.”

The MASL currently has 19 teams listed on its website, including franchises in San Diego, Dallas, Las Vegas, and Ontario, Canada.

The league also has three teams in Mexico: Saltillo, Coahuila; Hermosillo, Sonora; and Tijuana, Baja California.

Hctor Hugo Eugui, the former manager of the Indios de Ciudad Jurez, was named the Coyotes’ first head coach.

Most indoor soccer teams play with six active players, including the goalkeeper. Unlike soccer, most indoor soccer leagues around the world allow unlimited substitutions.

Games usually last an hour and are divided into four 15 minute quarters.