Major League Soccer (MLS) is the premier professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. The league has 29 teams in 29 stadiums as of the 2023 season: 26 in the United States and 3 in Canada; a 30th team is planned to enter in 2025. At the time of the league's inauguration in 1996, MLS teams used multi-purpose stadiums, often shared with National Football League (NFL) or college football teams. Because of lower attendance, these stadiums had rows of seats covered in tarps to limit capacity. Starting in 1999 with the Columbus Crew's construction of Historic Crew Stadium, the league has constructed soccer-specific stadiums which are tailor-made for soccer and which have smaller capacity. Today, the majority of MLS stadiums are soccer-specific stadiums. While the league's early stadiums relied heavily on public financing, several modern soccer-specific stadiums have been majority-funded by clubs and their owners.[1]
The league's soccer-specific stadiums, with the exception of Providence Park in Portland, Oregon, have grass playing surfaces. The remaining stadiums with artificial turf surfaces are mostly used by teams sharing their venues with other sports, including American football.[2] Pitch sizes range from a width of 70 yards (64 m) used by New York City FC at Yankee Stadium and the Houston Dynamo at Shell Energy Stadium, to 80 yards (73 m) used by the LA Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park.[3]
As with the other major North American sports leagues, the majority of MLS stadiums have sold their naming rights to corporations. BC Place, Soldier Field, and Yankee Stadium are the only current MLS stadiums without a corporate-sponsored name.
(2025)
Stadiums
editThe following is a list of current primary MLS stadiums.
Soccer-specific stadium |
Reduced capacity (Full capacity) |
‡ Stadiums with a retractable roof |
Future stadiums
editThe following is a table of future MLS stadiums that are undergoing construction, have been approved for construction, or are existing venues that are planned to be used by a future team.
The New England Revolution have reportedly been in negotiations over a potential site in Everett, Massachusetts.[40]
Soccer-specific stadium |
Reduced capacity (Full capacity) |
‡ Stadiums with a retractable roof |
Stadium | Team | Location | Capacity | Construction begin |
Planned opening |
Surface | Roof type | Soccer specific | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Miami Freedom Park | Inter Miami CF | Miami, Florida | 25,000 | 2023 | 2026 | Grass | Open | Yes | [41][42][43] |
New York City FC stadium | New York City FC | Queens, New York | 25,000 | 2024 | 2027 | Grass | Open | Yes | [44] |
Snapdragon Stadium | San Diego FC | San Diego, California | 35,000 | 2020 | 2025[a] | Grass | Open | No | [45] |
- ^ Snapdragon Stadium opened in 2022 for its primary tenant, the San Diego State Aztecs football team.
Former stadiums
editThe following is a list of former MLS stadiums.
Soccer-specific stadium |
Reduced capacity (Full capacity) |
Defunct teams
editReduced capacity (Full capacity) |
Image | Stadium | Team(s) | Location | Used for MLS | Capacity | Opened | Surface | Field Dimensions | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Houlihan's Stadium | Tampa Bay Mutiny | Tampa, Florida | 1996–1998 | 16,000 (65,857) |
1967 | Grass | unknown | ||
Lockhart Stadium (1959) | Miami Fusion | Fort Lauderdale, Florida | 1998–2002 | 20,450 | 1959 | Grass | 116 by 75 yards (106 m × 69 m) | ||
Miami Orange Bowl | Miami Fusion | Miami | 2000-2001 | 23,739 (74,476) |
1937 | Natural Grass | [58] | ||
Raymond James Stadium | Tampa Bay Mutiny | Tampa, Florida | 1999–2002 | 32,000 (65,857) |
1998 | Grass | 115 by 72 yards (105 m × 66 m) | ||
StubHub Center | Chivas USA | Carson, California | 2005–2014 (Chivas USA) | 18,800 (27,000) |
2003 | Grass | 120 by 75 yards (110 m × 69 m) | [16] |
See also
edit- List of soccer stadiums in the United States
- List of soccer stadiums in Canada
- List of current Major League Baseball stadiums
- List of current National Football League stadiums
- List of Major League Lacrosse stadiums
- List of National Basketball Association arenas
- List of National Hockey League arenas
- List of association football stadiums by country
- Lists of stadiums
Notes
edit- ^ Full MLS capacity, portion used by CFL: 25,000
- ^ Providence Park began as a track and field stadium and later was used as a minor league baseball stadium, which was converted to primarily soccer use in 2011. It occasionally has and still hosts collegiate American football games.
- ^ For most of the Wizards' history at Arrowhead, the team did not sell tickets in most of the stadium. At different times, either one side of the stadium or the upper seating bowl was tarped off.
References
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