Major League Soccer attendance


is the premier professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Competition began in 1996 and MLS attendance has grown rapidly since the early 2000s, making it one of the fastest-growing sports leagues in the world. The average attendance of 21,692 in 2016 was a 57% increase over the 13,756 average in 2000. The total attendance of 7,375,144 in 2016 is more than triple the 2,215,019 total of 2002. Similar to Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League, attendance is based on the number of tickets distributed.

2019 season

The following is a list of the average attendance during the 2019 regular season for each of the 24 MLS teams that were active in that season. It includes the team, the average attendance during the 2019 regular season, the average attendance during the 2018 regular season, the percentage change in attendance from season-to-season, the home venue, the home venue's capacity, and the percent of the home venue's capacity filled by the 2019 season's average attendance. Percentages are adjusted to reflect any home games that were held at venues other than the team's usual stadium.
Team2019 average
attendance		2018 average
attendance		Percent
change		StadiumCapacity
Percent
capacity
Atlanta United FC52,51053,002−0.9%Mercedes-Benz Stadium* %
Seattle Sounders FC40,24740,641−1.0%CenturyLink Field* %
FC Cincinnati27,336Nippert Stadium* %
Portland Timbers25,21821,114+19.3%Providence Park%
Toronto FC25,04826,628−5.9%BMO Field%
LA Galaxy23,20524,444−5.1%Dignity Health Sports Park%
Orlando City SC22,76123,866−4.6%Exploria Stadium%
Los Angeles FC22,25122,042+0.9%Banc of California Stadium%
New York City FC21,10723,211−9.1%Yankee Stadium* %
Minnesota United FC19,72323,902−17.5%Allianz Field%
Vancouver Whitecaps FC19,51421,946−11.1%BC Place* %
San Jose Earthquakes18,78119,032–1.3%Avaya Stadium%
Sporting Kansas City18,60119,950–6.8%Children's Mercy Park%
Real Salt Lake18,12118,605–2.6%Rio Tinto Stadium%
D.C. United17,74417,635+0.6%Audi Field%
New York Red Bulls17,28118,601−7.1%Red Bull Arena%
Philadelphia Union17,11116,518+3.6%Talen Energy Stadium%
New England Revolution16,73718,347−8.8%Gillette Stadium* %
Montreal Impact16,17118,569–12.9%Saputo Stadium%
Houston Dynamo15,87416,906−6.1%BBVA Stadium%
Columbus Crew14,85612,447+19.4%Mapfre Stadium%
FC Dallas14,84215,512−4.3%Toyota Stadium%
Colorado Rapids14,28415,333−6.8%Dick's Sporting Goods Park%
Chicago Fire12,32414,806−16.8%SeatGeek Stadium%

;Notes
Some clubs have attendances over 100% capacity due to limited stadium capacity that is lifted during certain matches, when additional sections are opened. Other clubs use larger venues for certain matches that attract large attendances.
*Stadium capacity artificially reduced for soccer matches

Season averages

SeasonTotal
attendance		GamesAverageChangeHigh avg.TeamLow avg.TeamRef
19962,785,00116017,406--28,916Los Angeles Galaxy10,213Colorado Rapids
19972,339,01916014,619–16.0%21,423New England Revolution9,058Kansas City Wizards
19982,747,89719214,312–2.1%21,784Los Angeles Galaxy8,072Kansas City Wizards
19992,742,10219214,282–0.2%17,696Columbus Crew8,183Kansas City Wizards
20002,641,08519213,756–3.7%20,400Los Angeles Galaxy7,460Miami Fusion
20012,363,85915814,961+8.8%21,518D.C. United9,112Kansas City Wizards
20022,215,01914015,822+5.8%20,690Colorado Rapids11,150San Jose Earthquakes
20032,234,74715014,898–5.8%21,983Los Angeles Galaxy7,906Dallas Burn
20042,333,79715015,559+4.4%23,809Los Angeles Galaxy9,088Dallas Burn
20052,900,71619215,108–2.9%24,204Los Angeles Galaxy9,691Kansas City Wizards
20062,976,78719215,504+2.6%20,814Los Angeles Galaxy11,083Kansas City Wizards
20073,270,21019516,770+8.2%24,252Los Angeles Galaxy11,586Kansas City Wizards
20083,456,60021016,460–1.8%26,008Los Angeles Galaxy10,685Kansas City Wizards
20093,608,32522516,037–2.6%30,942Seattle Sounders FC9,883FC Dallas
20104,002,00024016,675+4.0%36,173Seattle Sounders FC9,659San Jose Earthquakes
20115,468,95130617,872+7.2%38,496Seattle Sounders FC11,858San Jose Earthquakes
20126,074,72932318,807+5.2%43,144Seattle Sounders FC13,056Chivas USA
20136,010,38432318,608–1.1%44,038Seattle Sounders FC8,366Chivas USA
20146,184,80432319,148+2.9%43,734Seattle Sounders FC7,063Chivas USA
20157,326,89934021,574+12.7%44,247Seattle Sounders FC15,657Colorado Rapids
20167,375,14434021,692+0.5%42,636Seattle Sounders FC14,094FC Dallas
20178,270,18737422,113+1.9%48,200Atlanta United FC15,122FC Dallas
20188,553,24539121,875–1.1%53,002Atlanta United FC12,447Columbus Crew SC
20198,676,10940821,305–2.7%52,510Atlanta United FC12,324Chicago Fire

Notes:
The following table compares the Major League Soccer regular-season average attendance against the regular-season average attendance for the other professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada that have average attendances of at least 10,000 spectators per game.
LeagueSport# TeamsSeasonAverage
attendance		Average vs.
prior season		Total
Attendance		Ref
National Football LeagueAmerican football32201867100−30417177581
Major League BaseballBaseball30201928187–64368494752
Canadian Football LeagueCanadian football9201922917–9381856263
Major League SoccerSoccer24201921305−4308676109
National Basketball AssociationBasketball302018–1917857−13021964447
National Hockey LeagueIce hockey302016–1717,501+1921451041

MLS attendance vs. other soccer leagues worldwide

No.LeagueCountryFederationSeasonTeamsGamesTotal
attendance		Average
attendance		Ref
1BundesligaGermanyUEFA2018–191830613,295,40543,449
2Premier LeagueEngland / WalesUEFA2018–192038014,503,95438,168
3La LigaSpainUEFA2018–192038010,189,13026,814
4Serie AItalyUEFA2018–19203809,590,16625,237
5Chinese Super LeagueChinaAFC2018162405,756,35423,985
6Ligue 1France / MonacoUEFA2018–19203808,663,78422,799
7Liga MXMexicoCONCACAF2018–19183066,972,95222,787
8Superliga ArgentinaArgentinaCONMEBOL2016203726,999,92421,374
9Major League SoccerUnited States / CanadaCONCACAF2019244088,676,10921,305
10EFL ChampionshipEngland / WalesUEFA2018–192455111,119,56420,181

Historic average attendances

Current active teams

Defunct teams

Notes:

Regular season

MLS Cup Playoffs

Doubleheader games highest attendance

MLS attendance rank by metro area

The table is sorted by MLS attendance rank, and then by MLS attendance.
Only attendances in MLS and the traditional major professional sports leagues of the U.S. and Canada are listed here. Many college football teams in MLS markets routinely outdraw MLS teams and even some or all other major professional teams.
MLS, NFL, CFL, and MLB attendances are for their 2019 seasons. NBA and NHL attendances are for their 2018–19 seasons.