National Women's Soccer League attendance
The National Women's Soccer League is the top-tier professional women's soccer league in the United States and Canada. Founded in 2013, the 2019 season saw an average 7,337 spectators among the 9 teams, the highest average attendance in league history. Its overall attendance in 2019 was also its highest ever, with 792,409 total. The NWSL has the highest average attendance per game among all women's professional sports leagues in the United States.
NWSL attendance has grown since the league's inaugural season in 2013. The per-game average attendance of 7,337 in 2019 was a 21.8% increase over the previous record of 6,024 set in 2018. The 2019 average was a 71.8% increase over the 4,270 average in the league's inaugural 2013 season, a growth rate of 9.4% per year. The total attendance in 2019 was a 111% increase over the 375,763 total in 2013, a growth rate of 13.2% per year.
2019 season
The following is a list of the average per-game regular-season attendance for each of the 9 teams that played in the 2019 season. It includes the team, the average attendances for the 2019 and 2018 regular seasons, the percentage change in attendance from season-to-season, the home venue, the home venue's capacity, and the percent of capacity that the average attendance represents. Capacities listed are accurate for the 2019 season. Percentages are adjusted to reflect any home games played at venues other than the team's normal home.| Team | 2019 Attendance | 2018 Attendance | Change | Stadium | Capacity | Percent |
| Chicago Red Stars | 5,451 | 4,368 | +24.8% | SeatGeek Stadium | 27.3% | |
| Houston Dash | 3,615 | 3,896 | −7.2% | BBVA Stadium | 51.6% | |
| North Carolina Courage | 5,875 | 5,129 | +14.5% | WakeMed Soccer Park | 58.8% | |
| Orlando Pride | 5,565 | 4,837 | +15.1% | Exploria Stadium | 21.8% | |
| Portland Thorns FC | 20,098 | 16,959 | +18.5% | Providence Park | 79.3% | |
| Reign FC | 5,213 | 3,824 | +36.3% | Cheney Stadium | 80.2% | |
| Sky Blue FC | 3,338 | 2,531 | +31.9% | Yurcak Field | 26.7% | |
| Utah Royals FC | 10,774 | 9,466 | +13.8% | Rio Tinto Stadium | 20213 | 53.3% |
| Washington Spirit | 6,105 | 3,892 | +56.9% | Maryland SoccerPlex | 61.1% |
;Notes
Season averages
Notes:- Green shading indicates record highs; red shading indicates record lows.
By team
| Season | BOS | CHI | KC | HOU | NC | NJ | ORL | POR | RFC | UTA | WAS | WNY |
| 2013 | 2,427 | 1,711 | 4,626 | -- | -- | 1,666 | -- | 13,320 | 2,306 | -- | 3,625 | 4,485 |
| 2014 | 2,437 | 2,949 | 2,018 | 4,650 | -- | 1,656 | -- | 13,362 | 3,666 | -- | 3,335 | 3,177 |
| 2015 | 2,863 | 4,210 | 3,091 | 6,413 | -- | 2,189 | -- | 15,639 | 4,060 | -- | 4,087 | 2,860 |
| 2016 | 3,570 | 3,005 | 3,162 | 5,696 | -- | 2,162 | 8,785 | 16,945 | 4,602 | -- | 3,782 | 3,868 |
| 2017 | 2,896 | 3,196 | 1,788 | 4,578 | 4,389 | 2,613 | 6,186 | 17,653 | 4,037 | -- | 3,491 | -- |
| 2018 | — | 4,368 | — | 3,896 | 5,129 | 2,531 | 4,837 | 16,959 | 3,824 | 9,466 | 3,892 | — |
| 2019 | — | 5,451 | — | 3,615 | 5,875 | 3,338 | 5,565 | 20,098 | 5,213 | 10,774 | 6,105 | — |
NWSL attendance vs. other leagues
vs. other North American women's professional leagues
The following table compares the NWSL regular season average attendance against the regular season average attendance for other professional women's sports leagues in North America.| League | Year Started | Sport | # Teams | Season | Average attendance | Average vs. prior season | Total Attendance | Ref |
| National Women's Soccer League | 2013 | Soccer | 9 | 2019 | 7337 | +21.8% | 792409 | |
| Women's National Basketball Association | 1996 | Basketball | 12 | 2019 | 6535 | −3.5% | 1333093 | |
| National Pro Fastpitch | 2004 | Fastpitch | 5 | 2015 | 1128 | +26% | ~135360 | |
| National Women's Hockey League | 2015 | Ice hockey | 4 | 2016–17 | 900 |
Notes: Italics indicate statistics for the previous season; NPF had 6 teams for its 2016 & 2017 seasons, though attendance numbers for those are not available.
vs. other North American professional soccer leagues
The following table compares the NWSL regular season average attendance against the regular season average attendance for other professional soccer leagues in North America.| League | Year Started | Division | # Teams | Season | Average attendance | Average vs. prior season | Total Attendance | Ref |
| Major League Soccer | 1996 | Men's DI | 24 | 2019 | 21305 | −2.6% | 8694584 | |
| National Women's Soccer League | 2013 | Women's DI | 9 | 2019 | 7337 | +21.8% | 792409 | |
| North American Soccer League | 2011 | Men's DII | 8 | 2017 | 4734 | −5.4% | 550826 | |
| USL Championship | 2011 | Men's DII | 36 | 2019 | 4476 | −9.1% | 2734599 | |
| USL League One | 2019 | Men's DIII | 10 | 2019 | 1911 | 267555 |
vs. other worldwide women's top-division soccer leagues
The following table compares the NWSL regular season average attendance against the regular season average attendance for a selection other top-flight soccer leagues from around the world; this list is not exhaustive.| League | Year Started | Nation | # Teams | Season | Average attendance | Average vs. prior season | Total Attendance | Ref |
| National Women's Soccer League | 2013 | United States | 9 | 2019 | 7337 | +21.8% | 792409 | |
| Liga MX Femenil | 2017 | Mexico | 16 | 2017 Apertura | 2743 | NA | ~307200 | |
| W-League | 2008 | Australia | 9 | 2017–18 | 2139 | 116290 | ||
| FA WSL 1 | 2011 | England | 11 | 2018-19 | 1,010 | +21.2% | ~111,100 | |
| Frauen-Bundesliga | 1990 | Germany | 12 | 2016–17 | 835 | −22.4% | 110642 |