Record attendances in United States club soccer
Competitive men's professional soccer has been played in the United States since 1912 and since 2001 for women's. Numerous leagues have existed over the years with some recognized by the United States Soccer Federation and some not. The lists below are the single game attendance records for men's outdoor (60,000+), men's indoor (18,000+), and women's outdoor (18,000+) matches in American club soccer.
Men's soccer
MLS attendance
This list includes matches in which at least one Major League Soccer team has participated. This list does not include several matches played in the U.S. between two clubs not based in the United States (e.g. Chelsea vs. A.C. Milan in the 2009 World Football Challenge).
International doubleheaders
The following are MLS league matches that were part of a double-header involving international teams.
# | Year | Attendance | Teams | Competition | Venue & location |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2006 | 92,516[21] | New England Revolution at Chivas USA | MLS | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles |
2 | 1996 | 92,216 | Tampa Bay Mutiny at LA Galaxy | MLS | Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California |
3 | 2005 | 88,816 | LA Galaxy at Chivas USA | MLS | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles |
4 | 1996 | 78,416 | MLS East vs. MLS West | MLS All-Star Game | Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey |
5 | 1999 | 73,123 | D.C. United at San Jose Clash | MLS | Stanford Stadium, Stanford, California |
6 | 2006 | 70,550 | LA Galaxy at Houston Dynamo | MLS | Reliant Stadium, Houston |
7 | 2009 | 61,572 | Columbus Crew at San Jose Earthquakes | MLS | Candlestick Park, San Francisco |
NASL attendance
This list includes matches in which at least one team from the North American Soccer League (1968–84) has participated.
*Cosmos dropped "New York" from name in 1977 and 1978 seasons
Indoor soccer
This list refers to indoor soccer matches, not to regulation soccer matches played in indoor stadiums. Nearly all of the most attended indoor matches occurred during the 1980s in the Major Indoor Soccer League. The majority of these were hosted by the St. Louis Steamers during the early 1980s, or by the Cleveland Force during the mid 1980s.
# | Year | Attendance | Teams | Competition | Venue & Location |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1987 | 21,728 | Dallas Sidekicks at Tacoma Stars | MISL Championship | Tacoma Dome, Tacoma, Washington |
2 | 1987 | 20,284 | Dallas Sidekicks at Tacoma Stars | MISL Championship | Tacoma Dome, Tacoma, Washington |
3 | 1986 | 20,174 | Minnesota Strikers at Cleveland Force | MISL | Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, Ohio |
4 | 1986 | 19,476 | San Diego Sockers at St. Louis Steamers | MISL playoffs | St. Louis Arena, St. Louis, Missouri |
5 | 1986 | 19,468 | Baltimore Blast at Cleveland Force | MISL | Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, Ohio |
6 | 1982 | 19,398[39][40] | Tampa Bay Rowdies at Chicago Sting | NASL | Chicago Stadium, Chicago |
7 | 1984 | 19,360 | New York Arrows at Cleveland Force | MISL | Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, Ohio |
8 | 1981 | 19,298 | Denver Avalanche at St. Louis Steamers | MISL | Checkerdome, St. Louis, Missouri |
9 | 1980 | 19,229 | Philadelphia Fever at St. Louis Steamers | MISL | Checkerdome, St. Louis, Missouri |
10 | 1981 | 19,112 | Philadelphia Fever at St. Louis Steamers | MISL | Checkerdome, St. Louis, Missouri |
11 | 1980 | 19,108 | Detroit Lightning at St. Louis Steamers | MISL | Checkerdome, St. Louis, Missouri |
12 | 1983 | 19,106 | Chicago Sting at Cleveland Force | MISL playoffs | Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, Ohio |
13 | 1984 | 19,048 | Pittsburgh Spirit at Cleveland Force | MISL | Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, Ohio |
14 | 1983 | 18,881 | Wichita Wings at St. Louis Steamers | MISL | Checkerdome, St. Louis, Missouri |
15 | 1986 | 18,797 | Minnesota Strikers at Cleveland Force | MISL playoffs | Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, Ohio |
16 | 1987 | 18,674 | San Diego Sockers at Cleveland Force | MISL | Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, Ohio |
17 | 1984 | 18,630 | Pittsburgh Spirit at Cleveland Force | MISL playoffs | Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, Ohio |
18 | 1984 | 18,627 | Baltimore Blast at Cleveland Force | MISL | Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, Ohio |
Women's soccer
WUSA, WPS, NWSL attendance
These lists include the top-attended league matches from WUSA (2001–2003), WPS (2009–2011), and NWSL (2013–present), split into standalone matches and matches that were doubleheaders with MLS teams. [41]
Standalone matches
The Washington Freedom of WUSA hold the overall attendance record. Portland Thorns FC held the top six NWSL attendance records until the debut home game of the Orlando Pride in 2016, which set the new NWSL record; that record was eclipsed by the Thorns in 2019. The Thorns consistently draw over 14,000 fans and averaged slightly over 20,000 in their most recent 2019 season; until that season they were the only NWSL team to have drawn over 10,000 fans more than thrice – continued strong numbers from Utah Royals FC and a club-record post-World Cup standalone match from the Chicago Red Stars[42] pushed both clubs to their fourth 10,000-plus attendances.
# | Year | Attendance | Teams | Competition | Venue & Location |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2001[43] | 34,148 | Bay Area CyberRays at Washington Freedom (league inaugural match) | WUSA | RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C. |
2 | 2019 | 25,218[44] | North Carolina Courage at Portland Thorns FC | NWSL | Providence Park, Portland, Oregon |
3 | 2019 | 24,521[45] | Washington Spirit at Portland Thorns FC | NWSL | Providence Park, Portland, Oregon |
4 | 2016 | 23,403[46] | Houston Dash at Orlando Pride (club inaugural match) | NWSL | Citrus Bowl, Orlando, Florida |
5 | 2019 | 22,329 | Houston Dash at Portland Thorns FC | NWSL | Providence Park, Portland, Oregon |
6 | 2015 | 21,144 | Seattle Reign FC at Portland Thorns FC[47] | NWSL | Providence Park, Portland, Oregon |
Washington Spirit at Portland Thorns FC[48] | |||||
2016 | Western New York Flash at Portland Thorns FC[49] | ||||
2017 | Chicago Red Stars at Portland Thorns FC[50] | ||||
2018 | Seattle Reign FC at Portland Thorns FC | NWSL playoffs | |||
North Carolina Courage[lower-alpha 1] at Portland Thorns FC[51] | |||||
12 | 2001 | 21,078 | Bay Area CyberRays at Atlanta Beat | WUSA final | Foxboro Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts |
13 | 2019 | 20,895 | Washington Spirit at Portland Thorns | NWSL | Providence Park, Portland, Oregon |
14 | 2001 | 20,170 | New York Power at Atlanta Beat | WUSA | Bobby Dodd Stadium, Atlanta |
15 | 2016 | 20,086[52] | Western New York Flash at Portland Thorns FC | NWSL playoffs | Providence Park, Portland, Oregon |
16 | 2017 | 19,672[53] | Houston Dash at Portland Thorns FC | NWSL | Providence Park, Portland, Oregon |
17 | 2019 | 19,471 | Orlando Pride at Washington Spirit | NWSL | Audi Field, Washington, D.C. |
18 | 2019 | 19,461 | Chicago Red Stars at Portland Thorns | NWSL | Providence Park, Portland, Oregon |
19 | 2018 | 19,302[54] | Chicago Red Stars at Utah Royals FC (club inaugural match) | NWSL | Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, Utah |
20 | 2016 | 19,231[55] | Seattle Reign FC at Portland Thorns FC | NWSL | Providence Park, Portland, Oregon |
21 | 2017 | 19,141[56] | Washington Spirit at Portland Thorns FC | NWSL | Providence Park, Portland, Oregon |
22 | 2001 | 19,133 | Washington Freedom at Atlanta Beat | WUSA | Bobby Dodd Stadium, Atlanta |
23 | 2014 | 19,123[57] | Houston Dash at Portland Thorns FC | NWSL | Providence Park, Portland, Oregon |
24 | 2019 | 19,116 | Reign FC at Portland Thorns FC | NWSL | Providence Park, Portland, Oregon |
25 | 2019 | 19,070 | Reign FC at Portland Thorns FC | NWSL | Providence Park, Portland, Oregon |
26 | 2019 | 18,909 | Orlando Pride at Portland Thorns FC | NWSL | Providence Park, Portland, Oregon |
27 | 2001 | 18,887 | Washington Freedom at Atlanta Beat | WUSA | Bobby Dodd Stadium, Atlanta |
28 | 2017 | 18,637[58] | Boston Breakers at Portland Thorns FC | NWSL | Providence Park, Portland, Oregon |
29 | 2018 | 18,631 | Chicago Red Stars at Portland Thorns FC | NWSL | Providence Park, Portland, Oregon |
30 | 2017 | 18,478[59] | Washington Spirit at Portland Thorns FC | NWSL | Providence Park, Portland, Oregon |
31 | 2017 | 18,243[60] | Houston Dash at Portland Thorns FC | NWSL | Providence Park, Portland, Oregon |
32 | 2018 | 18,231 | Sky Blue FC at Portland Thorns FC | NWSL | Providence Park, Portland, Oregon |
33 | 2017 | 18,193[61] | Houston Dash at Portland Thorns FC | NWSL playoffs | Providence Park, Portland, Oregon |
34 | 2016 | 18,114[62] | Seattle Reign FC at Portland Thorns FC | NWSL | Providence Park, Portland, Oregon |
35 | 2019 | 18,015 | Washington Spirit at Utah Royals FC | NWSL | Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, Utah |
- Although the game was at the Thorns' home stadium, the Courage was the designated "home" team by NWSL rule.
MLS doubleheaders
Doubleheaders make up the majority of attendance records above 12,000 fans when discounting the Portland Thorns.
WUSA doubleheader listing:[66]
# | Year | Attendance | Teams | Competition | Venue & Location |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2001 | 30,271 | Carolina Courage at Washington Freedom | WUSA | RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C. |
2 | 2002 | 24,240 | San Diego Spirit at Washington Freedom | WUSA | RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C. |
3 | 2003 | 21,892 | New York Power at Washington Freedom | WUSA | RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C. |
4 | 2003 | 21,859 | Carolina Courage at Washington Freedom | WUSA | RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C. |
5 | 2001 | 21,682[67] | Boston Breakers at Washington Freedom | WUSA | RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C. |
6 | 2002 | 21,539 | Washington Freedom at Boston Breakers | WUSA | CMGI Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts[68] |
7 | 2002 | 20,105 | Carolina Courage at Washington Freedom | WUSA | RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C. |
8 | 2003 | 17,032 | Washington Freedom at San Jose CyberRays | WUSA | Spartan Stadium, San Jose, California |
9 | 2009[69] | 16,098 | Sky Blue FC at Washington Freedom | WPS | RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C. |
10 | 2015 | 16,017[70] | Boston Breakers at Chicago Red Stars | NWSL | Toyota Park, Bridgeview, Illinois |
11 | 2014 | 15,743[71] | Western New York Flash at Chicago Red Stars | NWSL | Toyota Park, Bridgeview, Illinois |
12 | 2003 | 13,772 | San Diego Spirit at Boston Breakers | WUSA | CMGI Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts |
13 | 2018 | 13,678[72] | Portland Thorns at Chicago Red Stars | NWSL | Toyota Park, Bridgeview, Illinois |
14 | 2019 | 12,967 | Portland Thorns at Chicago Red Stars | NWSL | Toyota Park, Bridgeview, Illinois |
Foreign clubs attendance
The following table shows record attendances for club soccer matches played in the U.S. where neither team was from a U.S. based league.
See also
References
- attendance 93,226
- Barcelona at Los Angeles Galaxy, attendance 93,137
- Real Madrid at LA Galaxy, attendance 89,134
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