A pair of embarrassing losses... thankfully in front of no one.
The U.S. men's national team faced an off-the-pitch challenge during their Concacaf Nations League Final Four matches held at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California. Despite being one of the premier events on the region’s soccer calendar, the USMNT’s matches (and losses) against Panama and Canada were played in front of sparse crowds, with only a few thousand in attendance for both games.
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The matches, which took place on Thursday, March 20, and Sunday, March 23, were part of Concacaf's typical double header format. The USMNT played in the early slot on both days, followed by Mexico and Canada in the semi-finals.
However, the crowd for the USMNT’s games was notably underwhelming, especially considering the venue’s capacity and the national team's recent good form in the tournament.
Please get through the first minute without conceding #CanMNT #USMNT @CANSoccerDaily pic.twitter.com/dnS9Xf1vCV
— Brendan Dunlop (@Brendan_Dunlop) March 23, 2025
It’s clear that a significant portion of the lackluster turnout was driven by the limited availability of tickets between USMNT and Mexico fans. The Mexican national team is known for filling stadiums in the U.S., with passionate support that’s hard to match around the world.
Many tickets that would have otherwise gone to USMNT fans were instead grabbed up by those hoping to see Mexico's matches, leading to a skewed distribution of attendance.
However, isn’t the first time the USMNT has seen less-than-ideal fan engagement in recent months. Despite being the host nation for the 2024 Copa América, the USMNT’s debut at this prestigious tournament also saw low attendance figures, even though it was a standalone event without the double header structure.
As the USMNT continues to evolve under the management of new manager Maurcicio Pochettino and look ahead to future international competitions, including the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, it’s clear that efforts must be made to re-engage the American soccer fan base and cultivate stronger, more consistent support for the national team on home soil.
