12 Biggest MLS Stadiums in the World

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Which are the 12 biggest MLS stadiums in the world? 

Major League Soccer is a widely popular soccer league in the USA and Canada. Overall, the league takes place in 27 stadiums. In the late 1900, football and soccer games were held in the same stadium.

Due to the immense popularity of both, the stadiums now have been made each game-specific. 

Soldier Field
Soldier Field

Some of the stadiums have given their ownership rights to their national corporations. But, on the other hand, some without affiliation to any corporates. 

Moreover, there are 27 teams with over 15000 seating capacity. The largest seating capacity reaches over 70000. Let’s see which stadium is the biggest MLS stadium ever.

12 Best MLS Stadiums in the World

Before we start the article, let’s look at the overview of the biggest MLS stadiums list. The information has been gathered from Wikipedia.

Name of the stadium Capacity
1. Mercedes-Benz Stadium 71000
2. Nissan Stadium 63,143
3. Lumen Field 69,000
4. Gillette Stadium 65,878
5. Soldier Field 61,500
6. BC Place 54,500
7. Yankee Stadium 47,309
8. Nippert Stadium 40,000
9. BMO Field 30,000
10. Dignity Health Sports Park 27,000
11. Exploria Stadium 25,500
12. Providence Park 25,218

12. Providence Park

  • Capacity: 25,218
  • Location: Portland, Oregon
  • Field size: 110×75 yards
  • Opened Date: October 9, 1926

Providence Park is the 12th biggest MLS stadium in the world which is situated in Portland, Oregon. It is the oldest soccer stadium which is also a historical center used by USA’s soccer teams.

It is home to the Portland Timbers and Portland Thorns and has an authentic and historical atmosphere. In addition, the Park has hosted many significant games, such as the 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2015 NWSL Championship Game.

Providence Park
Providence Park

The Providence Park existed in the 1800s and officially was used in 1928. Hence, it has a historical architecture with an old school structure. Currently, with renovations, the stadium has been modernized. 

Before renovations, the stadium was a Chinese vegetable garden that was supplying production to Portland.

11. Exploria Stadium

  • Capacity: 25,500
  • Location: Orlando, Florida
  • Field size: 120×75 yards
  • Opened Date: February 24, 2017

Next is Exploria Stadium, the home to the Orlando City SC of the MLS and National Women’s Soccer League. It was the first stadium ever to hold MLS, NWSL, and USL at the same time. 

The stadium was previously known as Orlando City Stadium. Later, it was renamed Exploria Stadium after Exploria Resorts acquired its naming rights.

It hosts all the Orlando City matches as well as US men and women teams. Also, the opening ceremony of the 2022 Special Olympics USA will be held in the Exploria Stadium.

Its structure incorporates a bowl-like seating which keeps the noises inside and incinerates a loud environment. Moreover, the stadium consists of 49 seats with rainbow colorings to commemorate the shooting in 2016 at an Orlando nightclub.

Furthermore, in 2018 it received the Downtown Orlando Partnership Golden Brick Award of Excellence.

Also, read The 15 Best Soccer Coaches of all time. 

10. Dignity Health Sports Park

  • Capacity: 27,000
  • Location: Carlson, California
  • Field size: 120×75 yards
  • Opened Date: June 1, 2003

Moving forward on no 10th spot is Dignity Health Sports Park. It has a capacity of 27,000 currently and plans to extend to 30,000 in the future. It is situated in Carlson’s California State University. 

The stadium also consists of a track and field space, a tennis stadium with 8000 seats, and a 2,450 seater VELO space center. It is home to the LA Galaxy and Los Angeles Wildcats. Established in 2003, Dignity is one of the largest stadiums specifically for soccer. 

The major renovations in the stadium took place in 2017 when the Chargers were using it. The upgrades included the addition of 1000 seats, bleachers, and revamped VIP luxury suites. 

The stadium has hosted the 2016 International Champions Cup, 2004 NCAA Men’s College Cup, and 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup. 

9. BMO Field

  • Capacity: 30,000 
  • Location: Toronto, Ontario
  • Field size: 115×74 yards
  • Opened Date: April 28, 2007

BMO Field is an exterior stadium which is situated in Toronto, Ontario. It is home to Toronto FC and Toronto Argonauts of the CFL. The stadium was established in 2007 and is owned by the Corporation of the City of Toronto.

The stadium was built as a soccer-only stadium, but it has also held rugby matches. Moreover, other matches include the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup and Women’s Cup, MLS Cup, 2016 CFL season, and 104th Grey Cup.

Similarly, it also conducted NHL games which attracted an audience of over 40,000

8. Nippert Stadium 

  • Capacity: 37,978
  • Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
  • Field size: 115×74 yards
  • Opened Date: 1915

Nippert Stadium is located at the University of Cincinnati, Ohio, and is home to the Cincinnati Bearcats. It is explicitly used as a soccer stadium and has been home to the FC Cincinnati as well. 

The first game which took place in the stadium after its establishment was the Varsity Field. Since its commencement in 1915, it has seen thousands of football attendance and 40,124 being the largest. The highest attendance was seen in the match of Cincinnati VS Connecticut in 2015.

Nipper Stadium hosts several matches from American Football League to MLS. Moreover, it also serves as a concert venue like The Ohio River Rock Festival in 1975.

Also, read The 13 Popular Soccer Player of All Time.

7. Yankee Stadium

  • Capacity: 47,309
  • Location: Bronx, New York City 
  • Field size: 110×70 yards
  • Opened Date: April 2, 2009

Yankee Stadium is a large baseball park located in the Concourse, New York City, established in 2009. It serves as a home for the New York Yankees of the MLB and New York FC (MLS). Also, it hosts the Pinstripe Bowl, international matches, college football, and ice hockey games. 

The Yankee Stadium is an advanced version of the original Yankee Stadium, costing $2.3 billion for renovations. It’s one of the most pricy stadiums in the world. 

Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium

Yankee Stadium is an architectural work of a famous firm, Populous. The stadium’s upgrades include 4300 seats for the clubs, 68 VIP suites, a food and sushi court. Moreover, it also consists of a Monument Park.

Previously, the stadium accepted only the old-school hard-stock tickets. However, in 2016 they signed a deal with StubHub as their official ticket partner. 

6. BC Place

  • Capacity: 54,500
  • Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
  • Field size: 115×74 yards
  • Opened Date: June 19, 1983

Next on our list is BC Place, a multi-purpose stadium in Vancouver, Canada. The stadium is the property of the BC Pavilion Corporation, a Canadian government organization.

The stadium is home to the BC Lions, Vancouver Whitecaps FC, and Canada Sevens. They hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics, 2010 Paralympics, 2012 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying, and 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. 

Since its commencement in 1983, the stadium has gone through several renovations and upgrades. One of the upgrades included the retractable roofing system, which makes the stadium ajar to the outdoors. 

Further, BC Place is easy to reach as it is accessible via Skytrain stations and bus services like Aquabus. 

5. Soldier Field

  • Capacity: 61,500
  • Location: Chicago, Illinois
  • Opened: October 9, 1924

Soldier Field is a football and soccer-specific stadium established in 1924. This stadium is home to the Chicago Bears, Chicago Fire FC, and is one of the oldest and biggest stadiums in the world. 

Also, the stadium has a meaningful name that pays tribute to the US soldiers who lost their lives in combat. Since its inauguration as Soldier Field, it has hosted the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup, CONCACAF Gold Cup, Special Olympics, and 1994 FIFA World Cup.

In 1994, during renovations, the stadium’s seating capacity oversaw a reduction from 66,944 to 55,701. The decline of the seats opened up the U shape of the stadium and moved the fans closer to the stadium. 

Also, read The Famous Soccer Goals of all time.

4. Gillette Stadium

  • Capacity: 65,878
  • Location: Foxborough, Massachusetts
  • Field size: 120×53 yards
  • Opened: May 11, 2002

The home to the New England Revolution and New England Patriots of the NFL, Gillette Stadium holds fourth place on our list. The stadium also hosts college matches for the University of Massachusetts.

The stadium was known as the CMGI Field before it was renamed. However, later Gillette received its naming rights and changed the name to Gillette Stadium.

The first official game hosted by Gillette Stadium was a New England Revolution game in 2000

The Rolling Stones also used the stadium as their concert venue in 2002. The stadium has also held programs like the Super Bowl, Monday Night Football. NFL, international soccer matches, Lacrosse, and Ice hockey.

3. Lumen Field 

  • Capacity: 69,000
  • Location: Seattle, Washington
  • Field size: 120×54 yards
  • Opened Date: July 28, 2002

Lumen Field is a multi-use stadium in Washington. It is home to the Seattle Sounders FC of the MLS. Also, it is home to the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL. It is the third-largest in our list of the biggest MLS stadiums. 

Lumen Field was known as CenturyLink Field until 2020 when it went through a name change. The stadium underwent a modern change with Lumen Technologies. A beautiful skyline view of Downtown Seattle is present from the stadium. 

The first event held in the Lumen Field was a United Soccer Leagues Seattle Sounders. Furthermore, CONCACAF Gold Cup and Copa America Centenario took place in this stadium. Similarly, Lumen Field is all set to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Moreover, the stadium also has a Washington Music Theatre and a plaza. Lumen Field is easily approachable through several freeways. 

2. Nissan Stadium 

  • Capacity: 69,143
  • Location: Nashville, Tennesse
  • Acres: 105
  • Opened Date: August 27, 1999

The second spot on our list of the biggest MLS stadiums is the Nissan Stadium. It is a multi-use stadium of the Metropolitan Government, Nashville. The stadium hosts events from football to soccer. Currently, it is home to the Tennesse Titans and Tennesse State Tigers. 

The first game ever held in Nissan was the regular season with Cincinnati Bengals in 1999. The stadium also hosts concerts associated with CMA Music

Moreover, with three levels of seats, the stadium also consists of luxury suites in the towers. The surface of this stadium is made of a natural grass called Bermuda Sod. However, due to Nashville’s climate, the area requires resodding every weekend. 

Finally, bands like The Rolling Stones and Gun’s N Roses have held concerts in this stadium. 

1. Mercedes-Benz Stadium

  • Capacity: 71,000
  • Location: Atlanta, Georgia
  • Field size: 120×54 yards
  • Opened Date: August 26, 2017

The first spot holder in the list of biggest MLS stadiums is the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. It is also known as The Benz and is home to the Atlanta Falcons of NFL and Atlanta United FC of the MLS.

The Benz is the biggest MLS stadium in the world and is owned by Georgia’s state government. 

The first game played in The Benz was Falcons VS Arizona Cardinals in 2017. Moreover, the stadium has been a host to the SEC football, Peach Bowl, College Football Playoffs, MLS Cup, etc. 

Biggest MLS Stadiums Mercedez-Benz Stadium
Biggest MLS Stadiums Mercedez Benz Stadium.

Moreover, The Benz also holds concerts for celebrities like Beyonce, Jay Z, Ed Sheeran, and more. The distinctive feature of The Benz is its retractable roof with eight panels. The panels make a wings-like structure when fully unfolded. The design was an inspiration from Pantheon, a Roman temple. 

The Benz cost over $1.2 billion for its construction. 

Summary

Now we have arrived at the end of our list of the biggest MLS stadiums in the world. With each stadium having modern technologies and some with historical representation, each stadium is worth mentioning. 

Sanjib Sah
Sanjib Sah
Sanjib Sah is an engineer and content writer passionate about sports and athletics. With a background in engineering and a love for all things active, Sanjib brings a unique perspective to the world of sports writing. Whether he is covering the latest trends in sports technology or sharing tips on improving your game, Sanjib's words are always rooted in a deep appreciation for players' hard work and dedication everywhere. In his free time, you can find him hitting the courts or hitting the trails, always looking for new ways to challenge himself and improve his skills.

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