GARFIELD, N.J. - The Eastern Premier Soccer League (EPSL) is proud to announce the arrival of S.C. Vistula of Garfield, N.J., to the Metropolitan Conference. Vistula, who are the 2022-23 GSSL Champions, will become the first to be directly promoted from the feeder league to the Eastern Premier Soccer League. It was always the goal that the champions of every league that signed a feeder agreement with the EPSL, be invited for promotion. That prerogative always remained with the invited club. The EPSL is proud that S.C. Vistula accepted their invitation, and this is yet another milestone in the effort to build a functioning system of promotion / relegation in grassroots amateur soccer.

Vistula Garfield was founded by Polish immigrants with the first Men’s team in 1952.  The Polish base of the club is still very strong as Vistula Garfield is currently partnered with Legia Warsaw (Polish Ekstraklassa) and works closely with the Polish Football Association and the Polish youth national teams.

The creation of youth teams started in the 1970s, and currently there are over 20 boys and girls teams of different ages at the club.  Recently in 2022 Vistula Garfield has also partnered with PDA (Player Development Academy) to create a top program in the North Jersey area and help the youth teams get to the next level.

Currently, Vistula Garfield has two Men’s teams and both played the 2022-2023 season in the GSSL.  Vistula Garfield won the GSSL Super Division during the 2022-2023 season and has been promoted to the EPSL Metropolitan Division for the 2023-2024 season.  The Vistula Garfield Eagles finished 3rd in the GSSL second division in the 2022-2023 season.  Some recent highlights from the current seasons are below:

    • 2023 GSSL League Champions
    • 2023 Werner Fricker Cup Region I Semifinalist
    • 2023 US Open Cup 4th Qualifying Round
    • 2022 US Amateur Cup Region I Semifinalist
    • 2022 GSSL League Cup Champions

Reaction from Club Management

"The management at the club is very excited to accept promotion.  The players are ready and eager to challenge themselves at this level. The club management and all the youth teams have been very supportive and are all proud of our success on the field.  Our promotion has created a buzz around the Polish community in the NY/NJ area.  We will do our best to represent our community and our club at the next level.  The Vistula Garfield supporters are also up for the challenge of more bridges and tunnels for Away games."

 

The goal is to have 12 clubs in the 2022-23 Metropoltian Conference, therefore invites for promotion are not done yet. There is a chance for more announcements in the coming days.