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Current Major and Notable Leagues

League Sport Franchises First Season Notes
Canadian Football League Canadian football Nine 1981 Interprovincial Rugby Football Union and Western Interprovincial Football Union created umbrella Canadian Football Council within the Canadian Rugby Union in 1956 which evolved into the Canadian Football League after leaving the Canadian Rugby Union in 1958. The two leagues, by then named the Eastern Football Conference and Western Football Conference formally merged in 1981.
Major Arena Soccer League Indoor association football 13 2008-09 Named Professional Arena Soccer League until 2014-15.
Major League Baseball Baseball 30 2000 American League and National League and American Association (returning to simply the National League in 1904) began cooperating under the National Agreement in 1903. The leagues each submitted to the authority of the new Office of the Commissioner of Baseball in 1920 and the overarching name of Major League Baseball entered into use for the 1969 season. The two leagues formally merged in 2000.
Major League Cricket Twenty20 cricket Six 2023 Plays at only a couple venues; teams do not play in home markets.
Major League Rugby Rugby union 11 2018
Major League Soccer Association football 30 1996 30th team beginning play in 2025.
National Basketball Association Basketball 30 1949-50 Formed by merger of the Basketball Association of America and National Basketball League.
National Football League American football 32 1920 Named American Professional Football Conference initially but renamed American Professional Football Association prior to commencing play in 1920. Briefly renamed National-American Football League in 1950-51 but returned simply to National Football League prior to commencing play.
National Hockey League Ice hockey 32 1917-18 Superseded National Hockey Association of Canada. League did not play 2004-05 season.
National Lacrosse League Box lacrosse 14 1998 Absorbed its predecessor Major Indoor Lacrosse League prior to commencing play. League did not play 2020-21 season.
National Thoroughbred League Equestrian racing 10 2024 Touring model.
National Women's Soccer League Women's association football 15 2013 15th team beginning play in 2026.
PBR Camping World Team Series Bull riding 10 2022 Touring model.
Premier Lacrosse League Field lacrosse Eight 2019 Touring model.
Pro Volleyball Federation Women's indoor volleyball 10 2024
Professional Women's Hockey League Women's ice hockey Six 2024 Absorbed its predecessor Premier Hockey Federation but does not recognize or claim its history.
United Football League American football 8 2024 United States Football League and XFL merged.
Women's National Basketball Association Women's basketball 15 1997 13th team beginning play in 2025, 14th and 15th teams beginning play in 2026.

Defunct Major and Notable Leagues

League Sport First Season Last Season Notes
National Association Baseball 1871 1875 Superseded by National League.
National League Baseball 1876 1999 Superseded National Association. Renamed National League and American Association in 1892. Returned to National League in 1904. Merged with American League as Major League Baseball in 2000.
American Association Baseball 1882 1891 Merged into National League as National League and American Association in 1892.
Union Association Baseball 1884 1884 Merged into National League in 1885.
Players' National League Baseball 1890 1890 Merged into American Association in 1891.
American League Baseball 1901 1999 Merged with National League as Major League Baseball in 2000.
National Football League American football 1902 1902
Eastern Football Conference Canadian football 1907 1980 Named Interprovincial Rugby Football Union until 1960. League did not play 1916-1918 seasons. League did not play 1941-1944 seasons. Merged with Western Football Conference as Canadian Football League in 1981.
Canadian Hockey Association Ice hockey 1909-10 1909-10 Merged into National Hockey Association of Canada mid-season 1909-10.
National Hockey Association of Canada Ice hockey 1910 1916-17 Absorbed Canadian Hockey Association mid-season 1910. Superseded by National Hockey League.
Pacific Coast Hockey Association Ice hockey 1912 1923-24 Merged into Western Canada Hockey League in 1924-25.
Federal League Baseball 1914 1915 Merged into National League in 1916.
Negro National League Negro baseball 1920 1931
Western Hockey League Ice hockey 1921-22 1925-26 Named Western Canada Hockey League until 1925-26.
Mutual Association of Eastern Colored Clubs Negro baseball 1923 1928
American Basketball League Basketball 1925-26 1930-31
American Football League American football 1926 1926
American Negro League Baseball 1929 1929
American Hockey League Ice hockey 1930 1932
International Professional Lacrosse League Box lacrosse 1931 1932
American Box Lacrosse League Outdoor box lacrosse 1932 1932
East-West League Negro baseball 1932 1932
Negro Southern League Negro baseball 1932 1932
Negro National League Negro baseball 1933 1948
American Basketball League Basketball 1933-34 1952-53
National Basketball League Basketball 1935-36 1948-49 Named Midwest Basketball Conference until 1935-36. Merged with Basketball Association of America as National Basketball Association in 1949-50.
American Football League American football 1936 1937
Western Football Conference Canadian football 1936 1980 Named Western Interprovincial Football Union until 1961. League did not play 1942-1944 seasons. Merged with Eastern Football Conference as Canadian Football League in 1981.
Negro American League Negro baseball 1937 1948
American Football League American football 1940 1941
Eastern Rugby Football Union Canadian football 1941 1941
American Girls Baseball League Women's softball/baseball 1943 1954 Named All-American Girls Softball League until mid-season 1943. Named All-American Girls Baseball League until 1944. Named All-American Girls Professional Baseball League until 1946. Named All-American Girls Baseball League until 1951.
All-America Football Conference American football 1946 1949 Merged into National Football League as National-American Football League in 1950-51.
Basketball Association of America Basketball 1946-47 1948-49 Merged with National Basketball League as National Basketball Association in 1949-50.
Professional Basketball League of America Basketball 1947-48 1947-48
National Professional Basketball League Basketball 1950-51 1950-51
American Football League American football 1960-61 1969-70 Merged into National Football League.
American Basketball League Basketball 1961-62 1962-63
American Basketball Association Basketball 1967-68 1975-76 Merged into National Basketball Association in 1976-77.
National Professional Soccer League Association football 1967 1967 Merged with United Soccer Association as North American Soccer League in 1968.
United Soccer Association Association football 1967 1967 Merged with National Professional Soccer League as North American Soccer League in 1968.
National Lacrosse Association Box lacrosse 1968 1968
North American Soccer League Association football
Indoor association football
1968 1984 Formed by merger of National Professional Soccer League and United Soccer Association. Indoor season played formally 1979-80, did not play 1982-83, folded after 1983-84.
World Hockey Association Ice hockey 1972-73 1978-79 Merged into National Hockey League in 1979-80.
National Lacrosse League Box lacrosse 1974 1975
World Football League American football 1974 1975
Major Soccer League Indoor association football 1978-79 1991-92 Named Major Indoor Soccer League until 1990-91.
Women's Pro Basketball League Women's basketball 1978-79 1980-81
United States Football League American football 1983 1985
National Professional Soccer League Indoor association football 1984-85 2000-01 Named American Indoor Soccer Association until 1990-91.
Major Indoor Lacrosse League Box lacrosse 1987 1997 Named Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League until 1989. Merged into successor National Lacrosse League in 1998.
American Lacrosse League Field lacrosse 1988 1988
NFL Europa American football 1991 2007 Named World League of American Football until 1992. League did not play 1993-1994 seasons. Named World League until 1998. Named NFL Europe League until 2007.
Continental Indoor Soccer League Indoor association football 1993 1997
American Basketball League Women's basketball 1996-97 1998-99
World Indoor Soccer League Indoor association football 1998 2001 Named Premier Soccer Alliance until 1999.
Major League Lacrosse Field lacrosse 2001 2020 Merged into Premier Lacrosse League in 2021.
Women's United Soccer Association Women's association football 2001 2003
XFL American football 2001 2001
Major Indoor Soccer League Indoor association football 2001-02 2007-08
Major Indoor Soccer League Indoor association football 2008-09 2013-14 Named National Indoor Soccer League until 2009-10.
Xtreme Soccer League Indoor association football 2008-09 2008-09
United Football League American football 2009 2012
Women's Professional Soccer Women's association football 2009 2011
Premier Hockey Federation Women's ice hockey 2015-16 2022-23 Named National Women's Hockey League until 2021-22. Merged into successor Professional Women's Hockey League in 2024 but without its teams or history recognized.
Alliance of American Football American football 2019 2019
XFL American football 2020 2023 League did not play 2021-2022 seasons. Merged with United States Football League as United Football League in 2024.
United States Football League American football 2022 2023 Merged with XFL as United Football League in 2024.