Major League Soccer logged a third straight regular-season attendance record in 2016, and the league now ranks sixth in the world in attendance -- ahead of Italy's Serie A and France's Ligue 1, according to ESPNFC.com.
The regular-season numbers were finalized Monday, after nine of 10 Decision Day matches sold out, according to Soccer America. Sunday also saw MLS set a record for most fans in a single day with 283,807.
For the year, MLS drew more than 7 million fans across 330 matches. Average attendance per match was 21,692, up slightly vs. 2015.
Seattle Sounders FC led the league with total home attendance of 724,809, averaging 42,636 fans per game. The biggest percentage gains were posted by the league's Canadian clubs, two of whom saw their average attendance go increase by double-digit percentages: Montreal Impact (20,669; 16.%) and Toronto FC (25,583; 13.4%). The Vancouver Whitecaps (22,330) were up 8.89 percent.
Overall, 11 clubs increased their attendance and 10 averaged more than 20,000 fans, both matching highs first set last season. MLS also set a new record with 162 sellouts, one more than the previous high, also set in 2015. Average attendance has also increased 40 percent in the 10-year span since 2006, when average attendance was 15,504.
MLS Attendance
SEA |
17 |
724,809 |
42,636 |
111.32 |
44,247 |
-3.64 |
38,300 |
ORL |
17 |
532,500 |
31,324 |
104.41 |
32,847 |
-4.64 |
30,000 |
NYC |
17 |
462,336 |
27,196 |
98.79 |
29,016 |
-6.27 |
27,528 |
TOR |
17 |
451,917 |
26,583 |
88.61 |
23,451 |
13.36 |
30,000 |
LA |
17 |
427,492 |
25,147 |
97.97 |
23,392 |
7.50 |
25,667 |
VAN |
17 |
379,603 |
22,330 |
100.95 |
20,507 |
8.89 |
22,120 |
POR |
17 |
359,448 |
21,144 |
100 |
21,142 |
0.01 |
21,144 |
MTL |
17 |
351,366 |
20,669 |
102.93 |
17,750 |
16.45 |
20,081 |
NY |
17 |
350,535 |
20,620 |
81.86 |
19,822 |
4.03 |
25,189 |
NE |
17 |
343,150 |
20,185 |
100.93 |
19,627 |
2.84 |
20,000 |
SJ |
17 |
338,816 |
19,930 |
110.72 |
20,979 |
-5 |
18,000 |
RSL |
17 |
335,909 |
19,759 |
97.75 |
20,160 |
-1.99 |
20,213 |
SKC |
17 |
333,155 |
19,597 |
106.12 |
19,687 |
-0.46 |
18,467 |
HOU |
17 |
323,361 |
19,021 |
86.31 |
20,658 |
-7.92 |
22,039 |
PHI |
17 |
297,825 |
17,519 |
94.7 |
17,451 |
0.39 |
18,500 |
CLB |
17 |
291,128 |
17,125 |
85.76 |
16,513 |
3.71 |
19,968 |
DC |
17 |
290,381 |
17,081 |
86.94 |
16,224 |
5.28 |
19,647 |
COL |
17 |
276,721 |
16,278 |
90.43 |
15,657 |
3.97 |
18,000 |
CHI |
17 |
265,234 |
15,602 |
78.01 |
16,003 |
-2.51 |
20,000 |
DAL |
17 |
239,601 |
14,094 |
85.42 |
16,013 |
-11.98 |
16,500 |
Totals |
330 |
7,375,287 |
21,692 |
95.50 |
21,558 |
0.62 |
MLS vs World Attendance
Source ESPNFC.com
Bundesliga (GER) |
41,968 |
Premier League (ENG) |
35,516 |
La Liga (ESP) |
38,076 |
Liga MX (MEX) |
26,794 |
Chinese Super League (CHN) |
24,255 |
<strong>MLS (USA)</strong> |
<strong>21,692</strong> |
Serie A (ITA) |
21,069 |
Ligue 1 (FRA) |
20,898 |
Championship (ENG) |
19,553 |
2.Bundesliga (GER) |
19,176 |
