2024 American Club Soccer Attendance Super Table

Average attendance for every MLS, NWSL, USL Championship, and USL League One Team

Soccer in the United States is growing. There are more clubs now than ever, and most of those clubs are more stable than ever. These teams now have top notch facilities as it seems like a new soccer-specific stadium is opened every month.

But it’s not just MLS that’s thriving. Several NWSL teams seem to have quite the following and with reports swirling that the USL is on the verge of creating a new first division and implementing promotion and relegation, it’s worth looking at how some of those teams are doing as well.

Here is a list of the average attendance in 2024 for every American soccer team across MLS, the NWSL, USL Championship, and USL League One.

1. Atlanta United (MLS) - 46,489

2. Charlotte FC (MLS) - 33,494

3. Seattle Sounders (MLS) - 29,041

4. Nashville SC (MLS) - 27,408

5. New England Revolution (MLS) - 24,284

6. LA Galaxy (MLS) - 23,966

7. FC Cincinnati (MLS) - 23,512

8. New York City (MLS) - 22,729

9. Chicago Fire (MLS) - 22,003

10. Portland Timbers (MLS) - 21,775

11. St. Louis City (MLS) - 21,304

12. Orlando City (MLS) - 20,753

13. Austin FC (MLS) - 20,738*

14. Real Salt Lake (MLS) - 20,245

15. LAFC (MLS) - 20,147*

16. Inter Miami (MLS) - 20,120

17. San Diego Wave (NWSL) - 19,575*

18. Angel City (NWSL) - 19,313*

19. Minnesota United (MLS) - 18,987

20. Columbus Crew (MLS) - 18,931

21. New York Red Bulls (MLS) - 18,566

22. Portland Thorns (NWSL) - 18,473*

23. FC Dallas (MLS) - 18,101

24. DC United (MLS) - 17,670*

25. Philadelphia Union (MLS) - 17,400

26. Sporting Kansas City (MLS) - 16,524

27. Houston Dynamo (MLS) - 15,407

28. Colorado Rapids (MLS) - 14,835

29. Washington Spirit (NWSL) - 14,648

30. San Jose Earthquakes (MLS) - 13,371

31. Bay FC (NWSL) - 13,198

32. KC Current (NWSL) - 11,500*

33. Utah Royals (NWSL) - 9,921*

34. Sacramento Republic (USLC) - 9,892

35. Indy Eleven (USLC) - 9,433

36. New Mexico United (USLC) - 9,316

37. NJNY Gotham (NWSL) - 9,306*

38. Louisville City (ULSC) - 9,230

39. Orlando Pride (NWSL) - 8,963*

40. Seattle Reign (NWSL) - 8,145*

41. Colorado Springs Switchbacks (ULSC) - 7,668

42. San Antonio FC (USLC) - 6,612

43. Phoenix Rising (USLC) - 6,256

44. Houston Dash (NWSL) - 6,191

45. Detroit City (USLC) - 6,132

46. Racing Louisville (NWSL) - 6,099*

47. North Carolina Courage (NWSL) - 5,996

48. El Paso Locomotive (USLC) - 5,956

49. Tampa Bay Rowdies (USLC) - 5,102

50. Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USLC) - 4,869

51. Hartford Athletic (USLC) - 4,728

52. Chicago Red Stars (NWSL) - 4,687

53. Rhode Island FC (USLC) - 4,306

54. Orange County SC (USLC) - 4,053

55. Monterey Bay (USLC) - 3,931

56. Richmond Kickers (USL1) - 3,915

57. Forward Madison (USL1) - 3,892*

58. Birmingham Legion (USLC) - 3,884

59. Oakland Roots (USLC) - 3,878

60. Spokane Velocity (USL1) - 3,849

61. Charleston Battery (USLC) - 3,746

62. FC Tulsa (USLC) - 3,650

63. Union Omaha (USL1) - 3,120

64. Memphis 901 FC (USLC) - 2,874

65. Loudoun United (USLC) - 2,763

66. Chattanooga Red Wolves (USL1) - 2,309

67. North Carolina FC (USLC) - 2,177*

68. Greenville Triumph (USL1) - 2,042

69. Las Vegas Lights (USLC) - 1,940

70. One Knoxville (USL1) - 1,700

71. Lexington SC (USL1) - 1,208

72. Charlotte Independence (USL1) - 1,170

73. South Georgia Tormenta (USL1) - 1,165

74. Miami FC (USLC) - 1,096
    *indicates that attendance figures were not available for all home games

Unsurprisingly, the top 16 spots on the list are occupied by MLS teams. Atlanta United continues to lead the way with over 46,000 people per game. Charlotte FC sits in second with over 33,000 people per game. It’s also no surprise to see the Seattle Sounders near the top of this list as they have been gold standard for American soccer support since joining the league in 2009 (though it is concerning to see them averaging less than 30,000 per game). And in the fourth spot in Nashville SC with over 27,000 per game. Again, this isn’t a real surprise considering that their home stadium, Geodis Park, is the largest soccer-specific stadium in the country (and is also set to host three games at this summer’s FIFA Club World Cup).

One of the most impressive things about the top NWSL teams on this list is that they are averaging more than a number of MLS teams. The San Diego Wave with 19,000 fans every game and Angel City with 19,000 fans every game both sit above ten MLS teams in average attendance. The slip side to that is the number of teams in the NWSL who draw poorly. NJNY Gotham averaged 9,300 per game which is less than three teams in the USL Championship. Additionally, the Chicago Red Stars averaged 4,687 which meant they were dead last in the NWSL and behind twelve teams in the USL Championhip.

In the USL Championship it’s the same four teams every year leading the way in terms of attendance. And it’s probbaly those same four teams who figures to be locks for the new USL first division: Sacramento Republic, Indy Eleven, New Mexico United, and Lousiville City. Other impressive averages belong to the Colorado Springs Switchbacks and San Antonio FC. The more concering ones were Memphis 901 FC (who’s average got worse every single year of their existence before they eventually moved to Santa Barbara at the end of 2024) and especilaly Miami FC who averaged barely over 1,000 fans per game and sit dead last out of all the teams in the US on this list.

The more impressive USL League One teams were stalwarts like the Richmond Kickers and new teams like the Spokane Velocity. While soccer has always been a huge deal in the Pacific Northwest, Spokane drawing over 3,800 fans per game in their debut season in the third division of American soccer is still quite an accomplishment.

It’s also worth comparing teams that share a stadium. For example, the Seattle Sounders of MLS share Lumen Field with the Seattle Reign of the NWSL with the Sounders drawing 29,000 a game and the Reign drawing 8,000 a game. Elsewhere, USL Championship side Louisville City shares Lynn Family Stadium with NWSL outfit Racing Louisville and draws roughly 3,000 more fans per game: 9,200 vs 6,000. Ironically, the San Jose Earthquakes draw a nearly identical average attendance at PayPal Park as their NWSL counterparts Bay FC do with the Quakes getting 13,371 and Bay FC getting 13,198. But the only NWSL team to outdraw another team in their stadium is the North Carolina Curage out-drawing North Carolina FC of the USL Championship 5,996 to 2,177.

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Some of these teams did quite well in the stands last year. Others need a lot of work. But the United States is in the midst of hosting more high-level soccer than it ever has before or ever will again. THe 2023 Gold Cup and the 2024 Copa America were played here. THis summer will see the Club World Cup and the Gold Cup on American soil. Next year is, of course, the big one with the World Cup making a return to the US for the first time in 32 years. And then in 2028 Olympic soccer is set to be played in Los Angeles. To properly sustain the growth of the beautiful game here in the US, these teams must go all-out to capitalize on these tournaments being player here. If soccer can’t “make it” after all this, will it ever?

Photo Credit: Urban Pitch