Puerto Rico creates 8-team soccer league

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Puerto Rico has created a soccer league of eight teams that will debut in a 56-game tournament.

Four teams have international backing from Argentina's River Plate, Brazil's Fluminense, Mexico's Pachuca and Spain's Sevilla.

Ponce River Plate will play San Juan Athletic in the tournament's first game on Saturday. Ponce is a subsidiary of the Argentinian team since 2004.

The Puerto Rican Soccer League features the Carolina Giants, Academia Quintana, Guaynabo Fluminense, Caguas Huracan, Sevilla Puerto Rico and Humacao Tornados, affiliated with the Pachuca.

The league issued a statement Wednesday saying the Giants are in negotiations with Spain's Barcelona.

Puerto Rico already has a U.S. Soccer League team, the Islanders.