View source for 1979-80 North American Soccer League season

{| class="wikitable"
|+
|Inaugural indoor season
|'''1979-80'''
|[[1980-81 North American Soccer League season|1980-81]]
|}

== Teams and Alignment ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Division
!Team
!Primary Venue
!Municipality
|-
| rowspan="5" |Eastern Division
|Atlanta Chiefs
|Omni Coliseum
|Atlanta
|-
|Detroit Express
|Pontiac Silverdome
|Pontiac, Michigan
|-
|Ft. Lauderdale Strikers
|West Palm Beach Auditorium
|West Palm Beach, Florida
|-
|New England Tea Men
|Amica Mutual Pavilion
|Providence, Rhode Island
|-
|Tampa Bay Rowdies
|Bayfront Center
|St. Petersburg, Florida
|-
| rowspan="5" |Western Division
|California Surf
|Anaheim Arena at the Anaheim Convention Center
|Anaheim, California
|-
|Los Angeles Aztecs
|Kia Forum
|Inglewood, California
|-
|Memphis Rogues
|Mid-South Coliseum
|Memphis, Tennessee
|-
|Minnesota Kicks
|Met Center
|Bloomington, Minnesota
|-
|Tulsa Roughnecks
|Expo Square Pavilion
|Tulsa, Oklahoma
|}

=== Changes ===

* Indoor competition established and league aligned into Eastern Division and Western Division.
* Atlanta Chiefs enter indoor competition in Eastern Division, playing at Omni Coliseum in Atlanta.
* California Surf enter indoor competition in Western Division, playing at Anaheim Arena at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California.
* Detroit Express enter indoor competition in Eastern Division, playing at Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan, sharing venue with outdoor team.
* Ft. Lauderdale Strikers enter indoor competition in Eastern Division, playing at West Palm Beach Auditorium in West Palm Beach, Florida.
* Los Angeles Aztecs enter indoor competition in Western Division, playing at Kia Forum in Inglewood, California.
* Memphis Rogues enter indoor competition in Western Division, playing at Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis, Tennessee.
* Minnesota Kicks enter indoor competition in Western Division, playing at Met Center in Bloomington, Minnesota.
* New England Tea Men enter indoor competition in Eastern Division, playing at Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, Rhode Island.
* Tampa Bay Rowdies enter indoor competition in Eastern Division, playing at Bayfront Center in St. Petersburg, Florida.
* Tulsa Roughnecks enter indoor competition in Western Division, playing at Expo Square Pavilion in Tulsa, Oklahoma.