Since the Columbus Crew opened the first soccer-specific stadium in the U.S. in 1999, Major League Soccer teams have waged an arms race for the best soccer stadium in the country. The new Nashville soccer stadium debuting on Sunday, May 1, 2022 — named GEODIS Park — will become the largest soccer stadium in the U.S.
Geodis Park has a seating capacity of 30,109, making it the biggest soccer-specific stadium in the U.S. or Canada. Previously, BMO Field in Toronto held that distinction with 28,351 seats, with the LA Galaxy’s Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, the next largest soccer stadium in the U.S. with a capacity of 27,000.
No soccer-specific MLS home stadium is larger than Geodis Park, though a few multi-use stadiums hold more fans.
Designed by the Pelé of sports architectural firms, Populous, Geodis Park features a 360-degree roof, a 65-foot-wide concourse and safe standing supporters’ section. Most intimidatingly for opposing teams: Just 150 feet separate the last row of seats and the touchline, putting the fans right on top of the action. Populous also designed soccer-specific stadiums for the Rapids, Sporting KC, Dynamo, Orlando City, D.C. United, Minnesota United and FC Cincinnati plus 14 NFL stadiums and many more sports venues around the world.
Nashville SC had been playing at Nissan Stadium, the home of the Tennessee Titans since the Oilers were ripped out of Houston. Built in 1999, Nissan Stadium is in the running to host World Cup matches in 2026 but isn’t quite what MLS fans expect in the 2020s. The only MLS clubs still using NFL stadiums as of 2022 are Atlanta United, Charlotte FC, Seattle Sounders, Chicago Fire and the New England Revolution. (NYCFC uses an MLB venue, Yankee Stadium.)
Here’s a list of the largest soccer stadiums in the U.S. and Canada, including only soccer-specific venues.
Largest Soccer Stadium In USA List
(As Of 2022. Only professional stadiums listed.)
1. Geodis Park
- Capacity: 30,109
- Club: Nashville SC
- Location: Nashville, Tennessee
- Opened: 2022
2. Dignity Health Sports Park
- Capacity: 27,000
- Club: LA Galaxy
- Location: Carson, California
- Opened: 2003
3. TQL Stadium
- Capacity: 26,000
- Club: FC Cincinnati
- Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
- Opened: 2021
4. Exploria Stadium
- Capacity: 25,500
- Clubs: Orlando City SC, Orlando Pride
- Location: Orlando, Florida
- Opened: 2017
5. Providence Park
- Capacity: 25,218
- Clubs: Portland Timbers, Portland Thorns
- Location: Portland, Oregon
- Opened: 1926
6. Red Bull Arena
- Capacity: 25,000
- Clubs: New York Red Bulls, NJ/NY Gotham FC
- Location: Harrison, New Jersey
- Opened: 2010
7. PNC Stadium
- Capacity: 22,039
- Clubs: Houston Dynamo, Houston Dash
- Location: Houston, Texas
- Opened: 2012
8. Banc of California Stadium
- Capacity: 22,000
- Clubs: LAFC, Angel City FC
- Location: Los Angeles, California
- Opened: 2018
9. Q2 Stadium
- Capacity: 20,738
- Club: Austin FC
- Location: Austin, Texas
- Opened: 2021
10. Toyota Stadium
- Capacity: 20,500
- Club: FC Dallas
- Location: Frisco, Texas
- Opened: 2005
11. Lower.com Field
- Capacity: 20,371
- Club: Columbus Crew
- Location: Columbus, Ohio
- Opened: 2021
12. Rio Tinto Stadium
- Capacity: 20,213
- Club: Real Salt Lake
- Location: Sandy, Utah
- Opened: 2008
13. Audi Field
- Capacity: 20,000
- Clubs: D.C. United, Washington Spirit
- Location: Washington, D.C.
- Opened: 2018
13. SeatGeek Stadium
- Capacity: 20,000
- Club: Chicago Red Stars
- Location: Bridgeview, Illinois
- Opened: 2006
15. Allianz Field
- Capacity: 19,400
- Club: Minnesota United
- Location: Saint Paul, Minnesota
- Opened: 2019
16. Subaru Park
- Capacity: 18,500
- Club: Philadelphia Union
- Location: Chester, Pennsylvania
- Opened: 2010
17. Children’s Mercy Park
- Capacity: 18,467
- Clubs: Sporting KC, KC Current
- Location: Kansas City, Kansas
- Opened: 2011
18. Dick’s Sporting Goods Park
- Capacity: 18,061
- Club: Colorado Rapids
- Location: Commerce City, Colorado
- Opened: 2007
19. DRV PNK Stadium
- Capacity: 18,000
- Clubs: Inter Miami, Fort Lauderdale CF
- Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Opened: 2019
19. PayPal Park
- Capacity: 18,000
- Club: San Jose Earthquakes
- Location: San Jose, California
- Opened: 2015
21. Lynn Family Stadium
- Capacity: 11,700
- Clubs: Racing Louisville FC, Louisville City FC
- Location: Louisville, Kentucky
- Opened: 2021
22. Heart Health Park
- Capacity: 11,242
- Club: Sacramento Republic FC
- Location: Sacramento, California
- Opened: 2014
23. American Legion Memorial Stadium
- Capacity: 10,500
- Club: Charlotte Independence
- Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
- Opened: 1934
23. Virginia Beach Sportsplex
- Capacity: 10,500
- Club: Virginia Beach United FC
- Location: Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Opened: 1999
25. WakeMed Soccer Park
- Capacity: 10,000
- Clubs: North Carolina Courage, North Carolina FC
- Location: Cary, North Carolina
- Opened: 2002
25. Wild Horse Pass
- Capacity: 10,000
- Club: Phoenix Rising
- Location: Chandler, Arizona
- Opened: 2021
Notes: BMO Field in Toronto (28,351) would be ranked No. 2 on this list if we included Canada. Similarly, Montreal’s Saputo Stadium (19,619) would be ranked 16th. St. Louis City SC, which will enter MLS in 2023, is building Centene Stadium, which will have a capacity of 22,500, good for seventh on this list. The Chicago Red Stars’ SeatGeek Stadium is the largest soccer-specific venue for an NWSL club that doesn’t also house an MLS team after the Chicago Fire abandoned it to return to Soldier Field. This is not an exhaustive list of every soccer-specific stadum in the U.S., just the largest.
Most of these venues are blown out of the water by the biggest soccer stadiums in countries where the beautiful game is the most popular sport. Biggest soccer stadiums in countries around the globe include:
- Spain: Camp Nou — 99,354 (Barcelona)
- England: Wembley Stadium — 90,000 (England national team)
- Germany: Westfalenstadion — 81,365 (Borussia Dortmund)
- France: Stade de France ‚ 81,338 (France national team)
- Mexico: Estadio Azteca — 81,070 (Club América, Mexico national team)
- Italy: San Siro — 80,018 (AC Milan, Inter Milan)
- Brazil: Maracanã — 78,838 (Flamengo, Fluminense)
- Argentina: Estadio Monumental — 76,000 (River Plate)
The following is a list of non-soccer-specific stadiums in MLS. Most of these venues are not opened to full capacity for MLS matches except on rare occasions.
Largest Non-Soccer-Specific MLS Stadiums In U.S.
(As of 2022. Reduced capacities listed first, full capacity second.)
1. Mercedes-Benz Stadium
- Capacity: 42,500 (71,000 full capacity)
- Club: Atlanta United
- Location: Atlanta, Georgia
- Opened: 2017
- Other Tenant: Atlanta Falcons (NFL)
2. Bank of America Stadium
- Capacity: 38,000 (74,000)
- Club: Charlotte FC
- Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
- Opened: 1996
- Other Tenant: Carolina Panthers (NFL)
3. Lumen Field
- Capacity: 37,772 (68,740)
- Club: Seattle Sounders
- Location: Seattle, Washington
- Opened: 2002
- Other Tenant: Seattle Seahawks (NFL)
4. Yankee Stadium
- Capacity: 30,321 (47,309)
- Club: New York City FC
- Location: Bronx, New York
- Opened: 2009
- Other Tenant: New York Yankees (MLB)
5. Soldier Field
- Capacity: 24,955 (61,500)
- Club: Chicago Fire
- Location: Chicago, Illinois
- Opened: 1924
- Other Tenant: Chicago Bears (NFL)
6. Gillette Stadium
- Capacity: 20,000 (65,878)
- Club: New England Revolution
- Location: Foxborough, Massachusetts
- Opened: 2002
- Other Tenant: New England Patriots (NFL)
