View source for 1978 North American Soccer League season

{| class="wikitable"
|+
|[[1977 North American Soccer League season|1977]]
|'''1978'''
|[[1979 North American Soccer League season|1979]]
|}

== Teams and Alignment ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Conference
!Division
!Team
!Primary Venue
!Municipality
|-
| rowspan="12" |American Conference
| rowspan="4" |Central Division
|Chicago Sting
|Wrigley Field
|Chicago
|-
|Detroit Express
|Pontiac Silverdome
|Pontiac, Michigan
|-
|Houston Hurricane
|NRG Astrodome
|Houston
|-
|Memphis Rogues
|Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium
|Memphis, Tennessee
|-
| rowspan="4" |Eastern Division
|Ft. Lauderdale Strikers
|Lockhart Stadium
|Fort Lauderdale, Florida
|-
|New England Tea Men
|Foxboro Stadium
|Norfolk County, Massachusetts
|-
|Philadelphia Fury
|Veterans Stadium
|Philadelphia
|-
|Tampa Bay Rowdies
|Tampa Stadium
|Tampa, Florida
|-
| rowspan="4" |Western Division
|California Surf
|Angel Stadium
|Anaheim, California
|-
|Oakland Stompers
|Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
|Oakland, California
|-
|San Diego Sockers
|San Diego Stadium
|San Diego
|-
|San Jose Earthquakes
|CEFCU Stadium
|San José, California
|-
| rowspan="12" |National Conference
| rowspan="4" |Central Division
|Caribous of Colorado
|Mile High Stadium
|Denver
|-
|Dallas Tornado
|Ownby Stadium
|University Park, Texas
|-
|Minnesota Kicks
|Metropolitan Stadium
|Bloomington, Minnesota
|-
|Tulsa Roughnecks
|Skelly Field @ H.A. Chapman Stadium
|Tulsa, Oklahoma
|-
| rowspan="4" |Eastern Division
|Cosmos
|Giants Stadium
|East Rutherford, New Jersey
|-
|Rochester Lancers
|Holleder Memorial Stadium
|Rochester, New York
|-
|Toronto Metros-Croatia
|Varsity Stadium (1911)
|Old Toronto, Toronto
|-
|Washington Diplomats
|Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium
|Washington
|-
| rowspan="4" |Western Division
|Los Angeles Aztecs
|The Rose Bowl
|Pasadena, California
|-
|Portland Timbers
|Providence Park
|Portland, Oregon
|-
|Seattle Sounders
|The Kingdome
|Seattle
|-
|Vancouver Whitecaps
|Empire Stadium
|Vancouver, British Columbia
|}

=== Changes ===

* League realigned into American Conference, divided into Central Division, Eastern Division, and Western Division, and National Conference, divided into Central Division, Eastern Division, and Western Division.
* Caribous of Colorado enfranchised in National Conference Central Division, playing at Mile High Stadium in Denver.
* Chicago Sting relocate primary venue from Soldier Field (1924) to Wrigley Field and realigned from Atlantic Conference Northern Division to American Conference Central Division.
* Connecticut Bicentennials relocate from Yale Bowl, Class of 1954 Field in New Haven, Connecticut to Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California, renamed Oakland Stompers, and realigned from Atlantic Conference Northern Division to American Conference Western Division.
* Cosmos realigned from Atlantic Conference Eastern Division to National Conference Eastern Division.
* Dallas Tornado realigned from Pacific Conference Southern Division to National Conference Central Division.
* Detroit Express enfranchised in American Conference Central Division, playing at Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan.
* Ft. Lauderdale Strikers realigned from Atlantic Conference Eastern Division to American Conference Eastern Division.
* Houston Hurricane enfranchised in American Conference Central Division, playing at NRG Astrodome in Houston.
* Las Vegas Quicksilvers relocate from Sam Boyd Stadium in Whitney, Nevada to San Diego Stadium in San Diego, renamed San Diego Sockers, and realigned from Pacific Conference Southern Division to American Conference Western Division.
* Los Angeles Aztecs relocate from United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles to The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California and realigned from Pacific Conference Southern Division to National Conference Western Division.
* Memphis Rogues enfranchised in American Conference Central Division, playing at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee.
* Minnesota Kicks realigned from Pacific Conference Western Division to National Conference Central Division.
* New England Tea Men enfranchised in American Conference Eastern Division, playing at Foxboro Stadium in unincorporated Norfolk County, Massachusetts.
* Philadelphia Fury enfranchised in American Conference Eastern Division, playing at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia.
* Portland Timbers realigned from Pacific Conference Western Division to National Conference Western Division.
* Rochester Lancers realigned from Atlantic Confrence Northern Division to National Conference Eastern Division.
* San Jose Earthquakes realigned from Pacific Conference Southern Division to American Conference Western Division.
* Seattle Sounders realigned from Pacific Conference Western Division to National Conference Western Division.
* St. Louis Stars relocate from Francis Olympic Field in unincorporated St. Louis County, Missouri to Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, renamed California Surf, and realigned from Atlantic Conference Northern Division to American Conference Western Division.
* Tampa Bay Rowdies realigned from Atlantic Conference Eastern Division to American Conference Eastern Division.
* Team Hawaii relocate from Aloha Stadium (1975) in Hālawa, Hawaiʻi to Skelly Field @ H.A. Chapman Stadium, renamed Tulsa Roughnecks, and realigned from Pacific Conference Southern Division to National Conference Central Division.
* Toronto Metros-Croatia realigned from Atlantic Conference Northern Division to National Conference Eastern Division.
* Vancouver Whitecaps realigned from Pacific Conference Western Division to National Conference Western Division.
* Washington Diplomats realigned from Atlantic Conference Eastern Division to National Conference Eastern Division.

== Regular Season Results ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Conference
!Division
!Team
!W
!L
!Pts
|-
| rowspan="12" |American Conference
| rowspan="4" |Central Division
|'''Detroit Express'''
|'''20'''
|'''10'''
|'''176'''
|-
|'''Chicago Sting'''
|'''12'''
|'''18'''
|'''123'''
|-
|Memphis Rogues
|10
|20
|101
|-
|Houston Hurricane
|10
|20
|96
|-
| rowspan="4" |Eastern Division
|'''New England Tea Men'''
|'''19'''
|'''11'''
|'''165'''
|-
|'''Tampa Bay Rowdies'''
|'''18'''
|'''12'''
|'''165'''
|-
|'''Ft. Lauderdale Strikers'''
|'''16'''
|'''14'''
|'''143'''
|-
|'''Philadelphia Fury'''
|'''12'''
|'''18'''
|'''111'''
|-
| rowspan="4" |Western Division
|'''San Diego Sockers'''
|'''18'''
|'''12'''
|'''164'''
|-
|'''California Surf'''
|'''13'''
|'''17'''
|'''115'''
|-
|Oakland Stompers
|12
|18
|103
|-
|San Jose Earthquakes
|8
|22
|83
|-
| rowspan="12" |National Conference
| rowspan="4" |Central Division
|'''Minnesota Kicks'''
|'''17'''
|'''13'''
|'''156'''
|-
|'''Tulsa Roughnecks'''
|'''15'''
|'''15'''
|'''132'''
|-
|Dallas Tornado
|14
|16
|131
|-
|Caribous of Colorado
|8
|22
|81
|-
| rowspan="4" |Eastern Division
|'''Cosmos'''
|'''24'''
|'''6'''
|'''212'''
|-
|'''Washington Diplomats'''
|'''16'''
|'''14'''
|'''145'''
|-
|'''Toronto Metros-Croatia'''
|'''16'''
|'''14'''
|'''144'''
|-
|Rochester Lancers
|14
|16
|131
|-
| rowspan="4" |Western Division
|'''Vancouver Whitecaps'''
|'''24'''
|'''6'''
|'''199'''
|-
|'''Portland Timbers'''
|'''20'''
|'''10'''
|'''167'''
|-
|'''Seattle Sounders'''
|'''15'''
|'''15'''
|'''138'''
|-
|Los Angeles Aztecs
|9
|21
|88
|}

== Postseason Results ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
! colspan="2" |Team (Single-Game)
! colspan="2" |Team (Best-of-Two-Plus-Minigame)
! colspan="2" |Team (Best-of-Two-Plus-Minigame)
! colspan="2" |Team (Single-Game)
!Champions
|-
|'''Detroit Express'''
|'''1'''
| rowspan="2" |Detroit Express
| rowspan="2" |1
| rowspan="4" |Ft. Lauderdale Strikers
| rowspan="4" |1
| rowspan="8" |Tampa Bay Rowdies
| rowspan="8" |1
| rowspan="16" |'''Cosmos'''
|-
|Philadelphia Fury
|0
|-
|New England Tea Men
|1
| rowspan="2" |'''Ft. Lauderdale Strikers'''
| rowspan="2" |'''2'''
|-
|'''Ft. Lauderdale Strikers'''
|'''3'''
|-
|'''San Diego Sockers'''
|'''2'''
| rowspan="2" |San Diego Sockers
| rowspan="2" |1
| rowspan="4" |'''Tampa Bay Rowdies'''
| rowspan="4" |'''2'''
|-
|California Surf
|1
|-
|'''Tampa Bay Rowdies'''
|'''3'''
| rowspan="2" |'''Tampa Bay Rowdies'''
| rowspan="2" |'''2'''
|-
|Chicago Sting
|1
|-
|'''Cosmos'''
|'''5'''
| rowspan="2" |'''Cosmos'''
| rowspan="2" |'''2'''
| rowspan="4" |'''Cosmos'''
| rowspan="4" |'''2'''
| rowspan="8" |'''Cosmos'''
| rowspan="8" |'''3'''
|-
|Seattle Sounders
|2
|-
|'''Minnesota Kicks'''
|'''3'''
| rowspan="2" |Minnesota Kicks
| rowspan="2" |1
|-
|Tulsa Roughnecks
|1
|-
|'''Vancouver Whitecaps'''
|'''4'''
| rowspan="2" |Vancouver Whitecaps
| rowspan="2" |0
| rowspan="4" |Portland Timbers
| rowspan="4" |0
|-
|Toronto Metros-Croatia
|0
|-
|'''Portland Timbers'''
|'''2'''
| rowspan="2" |'''Portland Timbers'''
| rowspan="2" |'''2'''
|-
|Washington Diplomats
|1
|}

== Markets and Venues ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Combined Statistical Area
!Metropolitan Statistical Area
!Metropolitan Division
!County / Equivalent
!Municipality
!Venue
!Team / Event
!Regular
!Postseason
!Total
|-
|Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH Combined Statistical Area
|Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH Metropolitan Statistical Area
|Boston, MA Metropolitan Division
|Norfolk County, Massachusetts
|Unincorporated
|Foxboro Stadium
|New England Tea Men
|15
|One
|16
|-
| rowspan="2" |Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI Combined Statistical Area
| rowspan="2" |Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN Metropolitan Statistical Area
| rowspan="2" |Chicago-Naperville-Schaumburg, IL Metropolitan Division
| rowspan="2" |Cook County, Illinois
| rowspan="2" |Chicago
|Soldier Field (1924)
|Chicago Sting
|Seven
|
|Seven
|-
|Wrigley Field
|Chicago Sting
|Eight
|
|Eight
|-
|Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK Combined Statistical Area
|Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area
|Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division
|Dallas County, Texas
|University Park, Texas
|Ownby Stadium
|Dallas Tornado
|15
|
|15
|-
|Denver-Aurora-Greeley, CO Combined Statistical Area
| colspan="2" |Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area
|Denver County, Colorado
|Denver
|Mile High Stadium
|Caribous of Colorado
|15
|
|15
|-
|Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI Combined Statistical Area
|Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI Metropolitan Statistical Area
|Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills, MI Metropolitan Division
|Oakland County, Michigan
|Pontiac, Michigan
|Pontiac Silverdome
|Detroit Express
|15
|Three
|18
|-
|Houston-Pasadena, TX Combined Statistical  Area
| colspan="2" |Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area
|Harris County, Texas
|Houston
|NRG Astrodome
|Houston Hurricane
|15
|
|15
|-
| rowspan="2" |Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA Combined Statistical Area
| rowspan="2" |Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area
|Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division
|Orange County, California
|Anaheim, California
|Angel Stadium
|California Surf
|15
|
|15
|-
|Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division
|Los Angeles County, California
|Pasadena, California
|The Rose Bowl
|Los Angeles Aztecs
|15
|
|15
|-
|Memphis-Clarksdale-Forrest City, TN-MS-AR Combined Statistical Area
| colspan="2" |Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metropolitan Statistical Area
|Shelby County, Tennessee
|Memphis, Tennessee
|Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium
|Memphis Rogues
|15
|
|15
|-
|Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL Combined Statistical Area
|Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area
|Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Sunrise, FL Metropolitan Division
|Broward County, Florida
|Fort Lauderdale, Florida
|Lockhart Stadium
|Ft. Lauderdale Strikers
|15
|Two
|17
|-
|Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI Combined Statistical Area
| colspan="2" |Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI Metropolitan Statistical Area
|Hennepin County, Minnesota
|Bloomington, Minnesota
|Metropolitan Stadium
|Minnesota Kicks
|15
|Two
|17
|-
|New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area
|New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ Metropolitan Statistical Area
|New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division
|Bergen County, New Jersey
|East Rutherford, New Jersey
|Giants Stadium
|Cosmos
|15
|Five
|20
|-
|Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD Combined Statistical Area
|Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Metropolitan Statistical Area
|Phiadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division
|Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
|Philadelphia
|Veterans Stadium
|Philadelphia Fury
|15
|
|15
|-
|Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA Combined Statistical Area
| colspan="2" |Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA Metropolitan Statistical Area
|Multnomah County, Oregon
|Portland, Oregon
|Providence Park
|Portland Timbers
|15
|Three
|18
|-
|Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY Combined Statistical Area
| colspan="2" |Rochester, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area
|Monroe County, New York
|Rochester, New York
|Holleder Memorial Stadium
|Rochester Lancers
|15
|
|15
|-
| colspan="3" |San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area
|San Diego County, California
|San Diego
|San Diego Stadium
|San Diego Sockers
|15
|Two
|17
|-
| rowspan="2" |San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA Combined Statistical Area
|San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area
|Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley, CA Metropolitan Division
|Alameda County, California
|Oakland, California
|Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
|Oakland Stompers
|15
|
|15
|-
| colspan="2" |San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area
|Santa Clara County, California
|San José, California
|CEFCU Stadium
|San Jose Earthquakes
|15
|
|15
|-
|Seattle-Tacoma, WA Combined Statistical Area
|Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metropolitan Statistical Area
|Seattle-Bellevue-Kent, WA Metropolitan Division
|King County, Washington
|Seattle
|The Kingdome
|Seattle Sounders
|15
|
|15
|-
| colspan="2" |Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area
|Tampa, FL Metropolitan Division
|Hillsborough County, Florida
|Tampa, Florida
|Tampa Stadium
|Tampa Bay Rowdies
|15
|Five
|20
|-
| colspan="4" |Toronto Census Metropolitan Area
|Old Toronto, Toronto
|Varsity Stadium (1911)
|Toronto Metros-Croatia
|15
|
|15
|-
|Tulsa-Bartlesville-Muskogee, OK Combined Statistical Area
| colspan="2" |Tulsa, OK Metropolitan Statistical Area
|Tulsa County, Oklahoma
|Tulsa, Oklahoma
|Skelly Field @ H.A. Chapman Stadium
|Tulsa Roughnecks
|15
|
|15
|-
| colspan="4" |Vancouver Census Metropolitan Area
|Vancouver, British Columbia
|Empire Stadium
|Vancouver Whitecaps
|15
|Two
|17
|-
|Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA Combined Statistical Area
|Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area
|Washington, DC-MD Metropolitan Division
| colspan="2" |District of Columbia
|Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium
|Washington Diplomats
|15
|
|15
|-
| colspan="7" |'''Total'''
|'''360'''
|'''25'''
|'''385'''
|}
[[Category:1978]]
[[Category:North American Soccer League seasons]]