Participation in MLS games are up 12% compared to records through the same date in 2023, the league announced Monday. Nearly 6.5 million fans attended a total of 279 MLS games in the first half of the regular season – nearly 700,000 more fans than the same date in 2023.
The year-over-year growth is anchored by upward trends for 25 of the league’s 29 active franchises. Nine teams are currently averaging 100 percent of their stadium capacity. Additionally, five games have featured an attendance of 60,000 or more in 2024, the most during that date in league history.
It is tempting to assume that much of this increase in interest can be attributed primarily to Lionel Messihis presence in the league. After all, three clubs set new single-match attendance records when they hosted Inter Miami: Sporting Kansas City (72,610 fans), The New England Revolution (65,612 fans), Vancouver Whitecaps (51,035 fans).
However, eight of the 11 teams not hosting Miami this season are seeing their year-over-year increases compared to 2023, further illustrating a broader trend beyond the iconic Argentine’s direct influence. Despite a season that saw Atlanta United fired its coach in early June, the club has drawn 60,000 fans twice — and neither came against Miami. Perhaps surprisingly, 2024 marks the first time in CF Montréal’s 13 seasons as an MLS franchise that they have managed to sell out their share of season tickets.
Nine different clubs have drawn at least 30,000 in a combined 33 games: Atlanta, Charlotte FC, Nashville SCNew England, New York City FC (at Citi Field), the San Jose earthquakes (at Levi’s Stadium), Seattle Sounders FC, Sporting KC and Vancouver. The league also has the top halftime marks for 50,000 fan attendance (six) and 40,000+ attendance in a game (15).
Team by team
In total, only four teams are seeing their average attendance drop by at least 5% – although none of that quartet see a 6% drop. Those teams are Charlotte FC (-5.8%), e Colorado Rapids (-5.3%), of Portland Timbers (-5.2%) and Seattle Sounders (-5.2%). A fifth team, FC Cincinnatithere is some rounding error regression, falling just 0.2% percent from last year’s benchmark at TQL Stadium.
On the other hand, nine teams have seen attendance increase by at least 10% compared to the same point in 2023. Anchored by tying the aforementioned club records, Vancouver’s average draw has increased by 82%, from 15,978 to 29,085 . Despite a rough season on the field, New England has seen similar growth behind Miami, increasing 33.1% to an average of 29,429. Other teams growing by over 10% are Chicago Fire (29.4%), Sporting KC (28.2%), Inter Miami (26.6%), Orlando City (15.6%), of LA Galaxy (13.1%), of New York Red Bulls (12.8%) and CF Montréal (10.5%).
For years, there have been genuine concerns about how MLS’s legacy clubs — that is, the 10 that debuted before 2000 — can keep pace with the ambitious newcomers who have joined in recent waves of expansion. With that in mind, it’s notable that only one legacy club (Colorado) is in decline while the other four (Chicago, Kansas City, LA, New York) are up sharply.
(Photo: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports)
