Record attendances in United States club soccer
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2023}}
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+), women's outdoor (20,000+), and men's indoor (18,000+) matches in American club soccer.
File:Real Madrid vs. Manchester United August 2nd, 2014.jpg during Real Madrid vs. Manchester United friendly game which set a record for most fans to watch a soccer game in the United States, August 2, 2014]]
Men's soccer
=MLS attendance=
{{See also|Major League Soccer 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).
| class= "wikitable sortable" |
| Rank
!Year !Attendance !Teams !Competition !Venue & Location |
|---|
| 1
|2015 | rowspan="5" |Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California |
| 2
|2009 |Barcelona at LA Galaxy |Friendly |
| 3
|2010 |Real Madrid at LA Galaxy |Friendly |
| 4
|2014 |Manchester United at LA Galaxy |Friendly |
| 5
|2023 |Los Angeles FC at LA Galaxy |MLS |
| 6
|2022 |LA Galaxy at Charlotte FC (club inaugural home match) |MLS |
| 7
|2018 |
| 8
|2024 | Inter Miami CF at Sporting Kansas City | MLS |
| 9
| 2019 | LA Galaxy at Atlanta United FC | MLS | rowspan="9" |Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia |
| 10
| 2018 | Juventus at MLS All-Stars |
| 11
| 2018 | Seattle Sounders FC at Atlanta United FC | MLS |
| 12
| 2018 | D.C. United at Atlanta United FC | MLS |
| 13
| 2018 | Real Salt Lake at Atlanta United FC | MLS |
| 14
| 2018 | Orlando City SC at Atlanta United FC | MLS |
| 15
| 2017 | Toronto FC at Atlanta United FC | MLS |
| 16
| 2018 | Chicago Fire FC at Atlanta United FC | MLS |
| 17
| 2023 | Inter Miami CF at Atlanta United FC | MLS |
| 18
| 2010 | Manchester United at MLS All-Stars |
| 19
| 2018 | New York City FC at Atlanta United FC | MLS Playoffs | rowspan="3" |Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia |
| 20
| 2017 | Orlando City SC at Atlanta United FC | MLS |
| 21
| 2019 | FC Cincinnati at Atlanta United FC | MLS |
| 22
|2024 |Los Angeles FC at LA Galaxy |MLS |Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California |
| 23
| 2018 | New York Red Bulls at Atlanta United FC | MLS Playoffs |Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia |
==International doubleheaders==
The following are MLS league matches that were part of a double-header involving international or foreign teams.
| class= "wikitable sortable" |
| Rank
!Year !Attendance !Teams !Competition !Venue & location |
|---|
| 1
|2006 | New England Revolution at Chivas USA |MLS |
| 2
|1996 |92,216 | Tampa Bay Mutiny at LA Galaxy |MLS |
| 3
|2005 |88,816 | LA Galaxy at Chivas USA |MLS |
| 4
|1996 |78,416 |
| 5
|1999 |73,123 | D.C. United at San Jose Clash |MLS |
| rowspan=2|6
|rowspan=2|2022 |rowspan=2|71,189{{cite news |last=Baxter |first=Kevin |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/soccer/story/2022-08-03/galaxy-chivas-de-guadalajara-lafc-club-america-recap-leagues-cup |title=Leagues Cup friendlies showing L.A. is a soccer market |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=August 3, 2022 |access-date=December 23, 2022}} |Chivas de Guadalajara at LA Galaxy |rowspan=2|Leagues Cup |rowspan=2|SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California |
| América at Los Angeles FC |
| 8
|2006 |70,550 | LA Galaxy at Houston Dynamo |MLS |
| 9
|2009 |61,572 | Columbus Crew at San Jose Earthquakes |MLS |
= NASL attendance =
This list includes matches in which at least one team from the North American Soccer League (1968–84) has participated.
| class= "wikitable sortable" | |
| scope=col | Rank
! scope=col | Year ! scope=col | Attendance ! scope=col | Teams ! scope=col | Competition ! scope=col class=unsortable | Venue & location | |
|---|---|
| 1
|1977 |Ft. Lauderdale Strikers at Cosmos |NASL playoffs |rowspan=18|Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey | |
| 2
|1979 |Tulsa Roughnecks at New York Cosmos |NASL playoffs | |
| 3
|1977 |Santos FC at Cosmos (Pelé farewell, 10/1/77) |friendly | |
| 4
|1978 |Cosmos vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies | NASL Soccer Bowl |
| 5
|1977 |Rochester Lancers at Cosmos |NASL playoffs | |
| 6
|1979 |Ft. Lauderdale Strikers at New York Cosmos |NASL | |
| 7
|1980 |NASL Select at New York Cosmos |friendly | |
| 8
|1978 |Seattle Sounders at Cosmos |NASL | |
| 9
|1980 |Ft. Lauderdale Strikers at New York Cosmos |NASL | |
| 10
|1979 |Argentina at New York Cosmos (6/6/79) |friendly | |
| 11
|1979 |Tampa Bay Rowdies at New York Cosmos (8/8/79) |NASL | |
| 12
|1978 |Portland Timbers at Cosmos |NASL playoffs | |
| 13
|1978 |New England Tea Men at Cosmos |NASL | |
| 14
|1977 |Tampa Bay Rowdies at Cosmos |NASL | |
| 15
|1980 |Vancouver Whitecaps at New York Cosmos |Trans-Atlantic Challenge | |
| 16
|1978 |Minnesota Kicks at Cosmos |NASL playoffs | |
| 17
|1980 |Seattle Sounders at New York Cosmos |NASL | |
| 18
|1978 |Tampa Bay Rowdies at Cosmos |NASL |
= 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.
| class= "wikitable sortable" |
| Rank
!Year !Attendance !Teams !Competition !Venue & Location |
|---|
| 1
|1987 |21,728 |Dallas Sidekicks at Tacoma Stars |MISL Championship | rowspan="2" |Tacoma Dome, Tacoma, Washington |
| 2
|1987 |20,284 |Dallas Sidekicks at Tacoma Stars |MISL Championship |
| 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{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=888&dat=19820216&id=RvcNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UXsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3732,176938 |title=Chicago loss may fire up Rowdies for Manic |work=St. Petersburg Times |date=Feb 16, 1982 |access-date=2013-10-30}}{{cite web|url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1982/02/15/page/55/ |title=Record 19,398 watch Sting's latest miracle |work=Chicago Tribune |date=1982-02-15 |access-date=2017-05-15}} |Tampa Bay Rowdies at Chicago Sting |NASL |Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois |
| 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 | rowspan="4" |Checkerdome, St. Louis, Missouri |
| 9
|1980 |19,229 |Philadelphia Fever at St. Louis Steamers |MISL |
| 10
|1981 |19,112 |Philadelphia Fever at St. Louis Steamers |MISL |
| 11
|1980 |19,108 |Detroit Lightning at St. Louis Steamers |MISL |
| 12
|1983 |19,106 |Chicago Sting at Cleveland Force |MISL playoffs | rowspan="2" |Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, Ohio |
| 13
|1984 |19,048 |Pittsburgh Spirit at Cleveland Force |MISL |
| 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 | rowspan="4" |Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, Ohio |
| 16
|1987 |18,674 |San Diego Sockers at Cleveland Force |MISL |
| 17
|1984 |18,630 |Pittsburgh Spirit at Cleveland Force |MISL playoffs |
| 18
|1984 |18,627 |Baltimore Blast at Cleveland Force |MISL |
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.https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1X4rEiUgqEK47vzYanOqCs-s18kOpSAwHADP07-IX_cI/edit#gid=0 via Keepernotes.com
==Standalone matches==
The Chicago Red Stars of the NWSL set the standalone club match attendance record across all United States women's leagues of 35,038 at Wrigley Field against Bay FC on June 8, 2024.{{Cite news |url=https://apnews.com/article/gotham-angel-city-red-stars-bay-royals-spirit-thorns-courage-65cef0dc4a7eefe194c246ec4c1e65d3 |title=Red Stars set NWSL attendance record but fall to Bay FC 2-1 at Wrigley Field |date=June 8, 2024 |access-date=November 5, 2024 |first1=Susie |last1=Rantz |work=Associated Press}}
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 and still later by San Diego Wave FC in its debut at the new Snapdragon Stadium in 2022. The Thorns consistently draw over 14,000 fans and averaged slightly over 20,000 in the 2019 season, the last before COVID-19 effects; 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{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/soccer/ct-chicago-red-stars-north-carolina-courage-20190722-hffr7taccrep3nrcwqgesmy6n4-story.html|title='A huge lift for the players': A record crowd of 17,388 sees returning World Cup players spur Red Stars to comeback win|website=Chicago Tribune|date=July 21, 2019 }} pushed both clubs to their fourth 10,000-plus attendances.
The 2022 NWSL season, the first season since 2019 that was relatively unaffected by COVID-19, not only saw a new league single-game attendance record, but was also marked by very strong attendance for the debuting Angel City FC, which sold out its stadium four times in its first regular season and drew over 18,000 for two other home matches. Angel City was also Wave FC's opponent for the latter side's record-setting game.
In 2023, the NWSL broke its single-match record once again at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington, when OL Reign hosted the Washington Spirit before 34,130 spectators for the team's regular-season finale and final regular-season home match of retiring player Megan Rapinoe.{{cite news |last=Anderson |first=Jason |date=October 6, 2023 |title=OL Reign sets standalone NWSL attendance record for Rapinoe farewell game |url=https://prosoccerwire.usatoday.com/2023/10/06/nwsl-attendance-record-rapinoe-ol-reign-lumen-field/ |work=USA Today |department=Pro Soccer Wire |accessdate=October 6, 2023}}
{{notelist|group=NWSL}}
==MLS doubleheaders==
WUSA attendances:{{cite web|url=http://soccerstats.us/c/womens-united-soccer-association/2001/games/ |title=2001 Women's United Soccer Association |publisher=SoccerStats.us |access-date=September 19, 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://soccerstats.us/c/womens-united-soccer-association/2002/games/ |title=2002 Women's United Soccer Association |publisher=SoccerStats.us |access-date=September 19, 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://soccerstats.us/c/womens-united-soccer-association/2003/games/ |title=2003 Women's United Soccer Association |publisher=SoccerStats.us |access-date=September 19, 2014}}
WUSA doubleheader listing:{{cite web|url=http://www.kenn.com/soccer/results/leagues/wusa.html |title=WUSA Scores |publisher=Kenn.com |access-date=March 19, 2018}}
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.
| class= "wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Attendance ! Teams ! Competition ! Venue & Location ! Ref. |
|---|
| 2014
| 109,318 | Manchester United vs. Real Madrid | 2014 ICC | Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan |
| 2016
| 105,826 | Chelsea vs. Real Madrid | 2016 ICC | Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan | [http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2654873-real-madrid-vs-chelsea-score-and-reaction-from-2016-icc "Real Madrid vs. Chelsea: Score and Reaction from 2016 ICC"] |
| 2018
| 101,254 | Liverpool vs. Manchester United | 2018 ICC | Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan | [https://www.mlive.com/sports/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2018/07/liverpool_fc_tops_manchester_u.html "Liverpool FC tops Manchester United 4-1 in front of 101,254 at Michigan Stadium"] |
| 2022
| 93,702 | Real Madrid vs. Juventus | Soccer Champions Tour | Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California |
| 2017
| 93,098 | Manchester City vs. Real Madrid | 2017 ICC | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California | {{cite news|title=Manchester City routs Real Madrid 4-1 in front of Coliseum soccer record 93,098|url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/soccer/la-sp-manchester-city-real-madrid-20170726-story.html|access-date=27 July 2017|work=Los Angeles Times|date=26 July 2017}} |
| 2006
| 92,650 | Chivas de Guadalajara vs. Barcelona | | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California |
| 2016
| 86,641 | Real Madrid vs. Paris Saint-Germain | 2016 ICC | Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio | {{Cite web|url=http://www.thelantern.com/2016/07/soccer-fans-around-the-country-gather-at-international-champions-cup/|title = Soccer fans around the country gather at International Champions Cup|date = 28 July 2016}} |
| 2023
| 83,164 | Chivas de Guadalajara vs. Club América | Friendly (El Súper Clásico) | Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California |
| 2024
|82,154 |Real Madrid vs. Barcelona |Soccer Champions Tour 2024 |MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey |
| 2017
| 82,104 | Juventus vs. Barcelona | 2017 ICC | MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey |
| 2023
| 82,026 | Barcelona vs. Real Madrid | Soccer Champions Tour | AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas |
| 2016
| 82,012 | Bayern Munich vs. Real Madrid | 2016 ICC | MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey |
| 2009
| 81,807 | Chelsea vs. Internazionale | 2009 WFC | Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California | {{cite web |url=http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/match?id=276252&league=GLOBAL.WORLD_FOOTBALL_CHALLENGE&cc=5901 |title=Match: Chelsea vs Internazionale - World Football Challenge - ESPN Soccernet |website=ESPN |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090725215825/http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/match?id=276252&cc=5901&league=GLOBAL.WORLD_FOOTBALL_CHALLENGE |archive-date=25 July 2009}} |
| 2011
| 81,807 | Manchester United vs. Barcelona | 2011 WFC | FedExField, Landover, Maryland |
| 2017
| 80,162 | Barcelona vs. Manchester United | 2017 ICC | FedExField, Landover, Maryland |
| 2015
| 78,914 | Chelsea vs. Barcelona | 2015 ICC | FedExField, Landover, Maryland |
| 2022
| 78,128 | Bayern Munich vs. Manchester City | Audi Summer Tour | Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin |
| 2024
|77,559 |Manchester United vs. Liverpool |Friendly |Williams–Brice Stadium, Columbia, South Carolina |
| 2018
| 71,597 | Real Madrid vs. Juventus | 2018 ICC | FedExField, Landover, Maryland |
| 2024
|71,280 |Manchester City vs. Chelsea |Friendly |Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio |
| 2009
| 71,203 | Chelsea vs. Milan | 2009 WFC | M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland | {{cite web |url=http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/match?id=276255&league=GLOBAL.WORLD_FOOTBALL_CHALLENGE&cc=5901 |title=Match: AC Milan vs Chelsea - World Football Challenge - ESPN Soccernet |website=ESPN |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090727163643/http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/match?id=276255&league=GLOBAL.WORLD_FOOTBALL_CHALLENGE&cc=5901 |archive-date=27 July 2009}} |
| 2023
| 70,814 | Real Madrid vs. Milan | Soccer Champions Tour | Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California |
| rowspan=2| 2023
|rowspan=2| 70,789 | Newcastle United vs. Chelsea |rowspan=2| 2023 Premier League Summer Series |rowspan=2| Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia |
| Brentford vs. Brighton & Hove Albion |
| 2011
| 70,780 | Chivas de Guadalajara vs. Barcelona | 2011 WFC | Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida |
| 2023
| 70,223 | Arsenal vs. Barcelona | Soccer Champions Tour | SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California |
| 2024
|69,879 |Liverpool vs. Arsenal |Friendly |Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| 2014
| 69,364 | Milan vs. Liverpool | 2014 ICC | Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina |
| 2015
| 68,416 | Barcelona vs. Manchester United | 2015 ICC | Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California |
| 2023
| 67,801 | Real Madrid vs. Manchester United | Soccer Champions Tour | NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas |
| 2017
| 67,401 | Manchester United vs. Manchester City | 2017 ICC | NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas |
| 2013
| 67,273 | Real Madrid vs. Chelsea | 2013 ICC | Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida |
| 2018
| 66,805 | Barcelona vs. Tottenham Hotspur | 2018 ICC | Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California |
| 2017
| 66,014 | Real Madrid vs. Barcelona | 2017 ICC | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida |
| 2023
| 65,128 | Chelsea vs. Brighton & Hove Albion | 2023 Premier League Summer Series | Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| 2017
| 65,109 | Real Madrid vs. Manchester United | 2017 ICC | Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California |
| 2018
| 64,141 | Manchester United vs. Real Madrid | 2018 ICC | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida |
| 2016
| 64,101 | Chelsea vs. Milan | 2016 ICC | U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| 2022
| 63,811 | Arsenal vs. Chelsea | Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Florida |
| 2024
|62,617 |Real Madrid vs. Chelsea |Soccer Champions Tour 2024 |Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina |
| 2023
| 63,503 | Juventus vs. Real Madrid | Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Florida |
| 2014
| 62,583 | Real Madrid vs. Internazionale | 2014 ICC | California Memorial Stadium, Berkeley, California |
| 2024
| 62,486 | Arsenal vs. Manchester United | Friendly | SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California | {{cite web |last1=Dawson |first1=Rob |title=Man United suffer double injury blow in loss to Arsenal |url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/report/_/gameId/700487 |publisher=ESPN |access-date=Jul 29, 2024 |date=Jul 28, 2024}} |
| 2019
| 61,417 | Club América vs. Chivas de Guadalajara | Friendly (El Súper Clásico) | Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois |
| 2015
| 61,351 | Manchester United vs. Paris Saint-Germain | 2015 ICC | Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois |
| 2022
| 61,299 | Real Madrid vs. Barcelona | Soccer Champions Tour | Allegiant Stadium, Paradise, Nevada |
| 2014
| 61,238 | Manchester United vs. Internazionale | 2014 ICC | FedExField, Landover, Maryland | {{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/dcunited/manchester-united-defeats-inter-milan-before-61238-at-fedex-field/2014/07/29/fdf48aa8-1791-11e4-88f7-96ed767bb747_story.html |title=Manchester United defeats Inter Milan before an announced 61,238 at FedEx Field |date=2014-07-30 |author1=Steven Goff |newspaper=The Washington Post |place=Washington, D.C. |issn=0190-8286 |oclc=1330888409}} |
| 2015
| 61,224 | Paris Saint-Germain vs. Chelsea | 2015 ICC | Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina |
| 1980
| 60,384 | Manchester City vs. Roma | Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey |
| 2019
| 60,143 | Bayern Munich vs. Real Madrid | 2019 ICC | NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas |
| 2011
| 60,087 | Barcelona vs. Club América | 2011 WFC | Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas |
| 2019
| 60,043 | Napoli vs. Barcelona | Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan |
See also
References
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
{{USSoccer}}
{{North America in topic|Association football in}}
Category:Soccer records and statistics in the United States
Category:American soccer clubs records and statistics
Category:Women's association football records and statistics