NEWARK, New Jersey — North Jersey Alliance FC has joined the WPSL as a 2020 expansion club, the league announced Tuesday.

The addition of NJAFC strengthens the league’s New York City area presence, specifically on the New Jersey side with two clubs now west of the Hudson River in the Metropolitan Conference.

Edgar Guardia, NJAFC’s president, is a successful local businessman that has worked the past eight years incorporating a competitive, family environment into soccer in Northern New Jersey. Guardia’s founding North Jersey Alliance FC team is a member of the Garden State Soccer League. He also commits to sponsoring teams in New Jersey’s youth programs, currently two in the Lyndhurst (New Jersey) Youth Program.

“Quality and professional growth is the focus of our club, North Jersey Alliance FC,” Guardia said. “This opportunity to compete in the WPSL is the right fit at the right time.

“Our teams are pushing for success on-the-field and positive influence in communities around us who are excitedly waiting to embrace a club competing in a national league against professional talent. We’re ready.”

Briana Morales de Guerra, NJAFC’s Vice President, is the WPSL club’s sporting director. Morales is a professional entrepreneur from Paterson, New Jersey, who played collegiately for NJIT in Newark. Morales currently plays on NJAFC’s GSSL team.

NJAFC will play in the greater Newark area at a stadium to be announced later. The club has a men’s side that began competing in the United Premier Soccer League this past Fall 2019 season.

For additional details about NJAFC, follow its Instagram and Facebook pages. For more information about the WPSL, visit wpslsoccer.com.

The WPSL is in its 23rd season and is the largest women’s soccer league in the world with 131 clubs from coast-to-coast.  WPSL rosters feature elite collegiate, post-collegiate, international and standout prep student-athletes.  Many of the United States’ most accomplished women’s players have played in the WPSL, including household names such as Alex Morgan, Abby Wambach, Megan Rapinoe, Julie Foudy and Brandi Chastain.

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