Where Does the USMNT Need to Start Playing?

One of the unique challenges a soccer country the geographic size of the United States faces is trying to figure out where to play all the home games.  There are 50 states spread out over thousands of miles and only so many games to go around.  Many other countries around the world, especially within CONCACAF, are small enough in area that they are limited in the number of cities and venues they have available to host games.  This shouldn’t be a problem in a country the size of the United States.  However, US Soccer seems to have forgotten that they have fans throughout the whole of this country and not just in a select few cities or states.  With hosting duties for the 2026 World Cup (as well as the 2028 Summer Olympics) rapidly approaching, the USMNT needs to take a traveling roadshow mentality and start playing in as many different and new places as possible.

But before delving into where the team needs to play, it is first vital to know where they have been playing. Since September of 2014, the US has played 122 home games. 66 of those 122 home games have been played in the same ten metropolitan areas: Los Angeles, Kansas City, Orlando, Dallas, Nashville, Austin, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, St. Louis, and Washington DC. That means that ten cities in the country get to see 54% of all USMNT matches. It’s also worth noting that the next two USMNT friendlies are set for June 7 against Turkey and June 10 against Switzerland in a pair of cities the US regularly visits: Hartford, CT and Nashville, TN.

This list is limited to cities that the USMNT has not visited in any of the last two-plus World Cup cycles. Those World Cup cycles for the USMNT are as follows: September 2014 to October 2017, then November 2017 to December 2022, and now from January 2023 to present. So, essentially this list is made up of cities that the USMNT has either not been to in the last ten years or has never been to at all. And if the goal is to get as many people in the whole country excited for a home World Cup as possible, then these are the places the USMNT needs to be playing.

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Last USMNT appearance: March 19, 2005

New Mexico is frequently overlooked as part of the American sporting landscape and perhaps justifiably so as they have no teams in any of the big four sports leagues. Nor are their two NCAA Division I schools (New Mexico and New Mexico State) much to write home about in either football or men’s basketball.  But in 2019, the soccer scene got a big boost as New Mexico United began play in USL Championship.  They have been a resounding success, as they have averaged over 9,600 fans per game since the start of the 2022 season. In fact, in the last three seasons, 28 of their 57 home games have hit over 10,000 fans. Things have gone so well that in August of 2024 the Albuquerque City Council approved plans to build a new soccer-specific stadium. With the USMNT having been absent for nearly 20 years (since a 1-0 friendly win against Honduras) it’s time to go back. 

Birmingham, Alabama

Last USMNT appearance: March 30, 2005

Soccer has long struggled to make significant inroads in the South.  But in 2019, Birmingham got a USL Championship team which has helped raise the profile of the game in the area. At the start of the 2022 season, the Legion moved into the brand-new Protective Stadium, home of the UAB football team, where they have averaged over 5,100 fans per game (including over 18,000 for a US Open Cup game in 2023 against a pre-Messi Inter Miami team). Birmingham also frequently hosts massive youth tournaments with teams and referees from all over the region.  The most recent USMNT appearance was 20 years ago when they beat Guatemala 2-0 during World Cup Qualifying in front of a robust crowd of 31,624 at the old Legion Field.

Boise, Idaho

Last USMNT appearance: None

While soccer doesn’t typically move the needle here, there have been flashes.  Most recently in August of 2019, the US indoor soccer team made an appearance in Boise with none other than Landon Donovan captaining the squad.  Also worth noting is that in 2015 a club friendly between Athletic Bilbao from Spain and Club Tijuana from Mexico drew close to 22,000 fans at Albertson’s Stadium (home to the famous blue turf of Boise State’s football team).  

Buffalo, New York

Last USMNT appearance: None

While the USMNT has played in the NYC area numerous times over the years, those have all been either at Giants Stadium (and its successor MetLife Stadium) or Sports Illustrated Stadium (formerly known as Red Bull Arena), all of which are across the river in New Jersey.  The last time the US played a game actually in the state of New York was way back in November of 1984 against Ecuador in the town of Hempstead on Long Island.  Buffalo is home to a pair of teams from the big four sports leagues (the Bills in the NFL and the Sabres in the NHL) plus the University of Buffalo in NCAA Division I athletics so hosting an international soccer game would fit right in, especially considering the Bills are in the process of building a new stadium.

Charleston, South Carolina

Last USMNT appearance: None

The very first soccer-specific stadium in the United States was opened in Charleston. Originally known as Blackbaud Stadium, it played hosted to the Charleston Battery until 2019 when they moved into their stadium at Patriots Point (where they have averaged 3,200 fans per game). The United States Women’s National Team played there several times, but the USMNT has never made an appearance. Soccer has grown in popularity in the Palmetto State to such an extent that Manchester United and Liverpool drew more than 77,000 people in Columbia just last year. College soccer, too, is quite popular as both Clemson and South Carolina’s respective college soccer programs are very well supported. Clemson in particular has been successful on the field, winning the College Cup in 2023 and 2021.

Detroit, Michigan

Last USMNT appearance: June 7, 2011

Despite the old Pontiac Silverdome hosting four games at the 1994 World Cup (including the US opener against Switzerland which saw Eric Wynalda score a wonderful free kick), soccer has never really moved the needle in the Motor City until recently. The USMNT hasn’t visited since a 2011 Gold Cup game against Canada drew 28,209 to Ford Field (though the USWNT did draw 34,538 for a Victory Tour game against Haiti in 2015). But since joining the USL Championship in 2022, Detroit City has averaged over 5,900 fans per game at Keyworth Stadium. In that time they have built a solid, if somewhat combative, fan base. There are also plans for Detroit City to have a new stadium in the Corktown neighborhood. With professional soccer in Detroit really booming now, a USMNT appearance in Detroit can be justified.

El Paso, Texas

Last USMNT appearance: None

By area, Texas is the largest state in the contiguous United States. And while US Soccer certainly plays their fair share of games in the Lone Star State, most of these games are in the same three cities: Austin, Houston, and Dallas. Not so coincidentally, those just happen to be the same cities that have MLS teams. But in 2019, the El Paso Locomotive began play in the USL Championship. In their 54 home games since the start of the 2022 season, they have averaged over 6,100 fans per game playing in a 7,500-seat baseball stadium. A USMNT appearance would certainly be a boon to the El Paso soccer scene.

Honolulu, Hawaii

Last USMNT appearance: None

The sheer distance to Hawaii makes this one a little difficult, but not undoable.  US Soccer tried to have the USWNT play a game against Trinidad & Tobago at Aloha Stadium in 2015, though that game was cancelled due to the appalling state of the field.  Opponent selection could also be a problem but teams like Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand or China would make sense. In 2008, Honolulu played host to the Pan-Pacific Championship which had two American clubs, one Australian club and one Japanese club.  The final between Gamba Osaka and the Houston Dynamo drew 23,087.  And should the USMNT play in Hawaii, it’s a good bet that at least some fans from the mainland would travel. Who doesn’t want to take a trip to Hawaii?

Indianapolis, Indiana

Last USMNT appearance: May 25, 1988

Indianapolis is, very quietly, a big-time sports town. They have an NFL team with the Colts and an NBA team with the Pacers. The Big Ten has played its football conference championship game there every year since 2011, as well as it’s basketball conference tournament there in 2025, 2022, 2021, 2016, and 2014. The NCAA Final Four has been held there numerous times, most recently in 2021, 2015, 2010, and 2006. In 2012, they played host to Super Bowl XLVI. Indianapolis even drew 22,000 people to Olympic swimming trials in 2024. On the soccer side of things, Lucas Oil Stadium played host to an International Champions Cup game between Chelsea and Inter Milan in 2013 that drew over 41,000 fans. And since the 2022 season, after moving back into Michael Carroll Stadium, USL Championship side Indy Eleven has averaged over 9,000 people per game. Like New Mexico United, they can hit the 10,000 mark fairly often: 22 times in 55 home games. It’s been a staggering 37 years since the USMNT played an Olympic Qualifier against El Salvador (back before the Olympics was a U-23 tournament) in front of 9,500 people at Kuntz Stadium. It’s high time for US Soccer to give Indy a big-time soccer game.

Little Rock, Arkansas

Last USMNT appearance: None

Little Rock is in the same boat as Albuquerque.  They don’t have any teams in any of the big four sports leagues, nor does either of the two NCAA Division I football schools in the state reside in Little Rock (Arkansas is in Fayetteville and Arkansas State is in Jonesboro).  They also don’t have too much in the way of a big time soccer scene, though the Little Rock Rangers have been plugging along since 2016, first in the NPSL and now in USL League Two and just drew over 1,300 people to their recent US Open Cup upset win against the Birmingham Legion.  The reason to play a game here is that not only is there a stadium big enough to have an international soccer game (War Memorial Stadium with a capacity of 54,000) but Little Rock is very easy to get to from a number of cities: Memphis, Nashville, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Oklahoma City, etc.  If the goal is to take the game and national team to more people, this would certainly fit the bill.

Louisville, Kentucky

Last USMNT appearance: None

Louisville City has been one of the most dominant teams in lower league American soccer history. They joined the USL Championship in 2015 and made the Eastern Conference Final every year from 2015 to 2023. Just as impressive is their USL Final appearances in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2022 (winning the title in 2017 and 2018). The University of Louisville also has a history of winning, and opened a new, on-campus, soccer-specific stadium in 2014 that is among the best in college soccer.  But the key piece to getting the USMNT to Louisville is the new home of Louisville City, Lynn Family Stadium. Over the course of 97 home games since the stadium opened in 2020, Louisville City has averaged 9,061 fans per game and hit over 10,000 fans an impressive 42 times. The stadium is also home to Racing Louisville of the NWSL, which opened the door for the USWNT to play a game there this past October, and draw a crowd of 13,543 (the second largest crowd in the history of the stadium). On top of hosting the USWNT, Louisville was also the site of the 2023 College Cup Semi-Finals and National Championship game. Because of all of this soccer success, Louisville has been named as a possible base camp city for the 2026 World Cup. At this point, putting a USMNT game in The Ville is a must.

Memphis, Tennessee

Last USMNT appearance: None

It’s been a tough couple of years for soccer fans in Memphis. In early 2023, they lost their indoor team, the Memphis Americans. Then, shortly after the end of the 2024 USL season, they lost Memphis 901 FC to Santa Barbara. At least part of the reason for losing 901 FC, was attendance falling to 2,800 people per game, the worst in team history. All that’s left for the soccer fans in Memphis to hold on to is the women’s and men’s teams at the University of Memphis, neither of whom made the NCAA Tournament this past season. However, there is still a reliable base of soccer fans in the Bluff City. Memphis periodically cracks the list of top 10 soccer viewing markets and some of the largest youth tournaments in the region are held at Mike Rose Soccer Complex, sometimes with an excess of 200 teams and 100 referees. It’s also worth noting that the President of US Soccer, Cindy Parlow Cone, is from Memphis. And if questions regarding a possible stadium for the USMNT play in abound, it bears mentioning that the renovations to Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium figure to be done some time in 2026 and may allow for a soccer game to be played. There is no doubt that a USMNT appearance would be a huge deal in Memphis.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Last USMNT appearance: July 28, 1990

It’s been so long since the USMNT played a game in Milwaukee that the man who was President at the time (George HW Bush) has been dead for six years, the USMNT’s opponent that day (East Germany) hasn’t been a country for 34 years, and the stadium that saw just over 12,000 people attend the game (Milwaukee County Stadium), has been demolished for 24 years. But that’s not to say that soccer hasn’t been played there.  A number of club exhibitions have happened and the crowds have always been promising.  In 2018, a pair of Liga MX clubs (Pachuca and Leon) drew 18,321.  In 2015, Atlas and Newcastle United battled in front of 21,256 people. And while it’s not exactly in Milwaukee, it is still noteworthy that Lambeau Field in Green Bay hosted a friendly between Manchester City and Bayern Munich in 2022 that drew over 78,000 people. With their last appearance coming over 30 years ago, it’s beyond time for the USMNT to return to Milwaukee.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Last USMNT appearance: None

When thinking of New Orleans, soccer is not the first thing that comes to mind. But New Orleans is a party town, and if one of the goals is to have as many people in as many different places as possible excited about hosting the 2026 World Cup, then a New Orleans party atmosphere is just what US Soccer needs.  Plenty of big events are staged in New Orleans on a routine basis.  The Super Bowl has been held there a number of times: 2025, 2013, and 2001.  The Sugar Bowl is an annual tradition.  The Final Four often frequents the town: 2022, 2012, and 2003.  The USWNT played there back in 2017 (drawing 9,371) and back in 2015 (where they drew 32,590).  And because there is a desperate need for a party atmosphere around the team following their disastrous showing at the most recent Nations League, US Soccer would be wise to put a USMNT game there too.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Last USMNT appearance: None

The USMNT has made a bunch of appearances in the Keystone State over the years. In fact, since 2009, they’ve played in Pennsylvania a total of nine times. However, all nine of those games have been in the Philadelphia area: six games at Lincoln Financial Field and three games at Subaru Park. Unfortunately, Western Pennsylvania has been largely neglected, despite the Pittsburgh Riverhounds being a mainstay of lower division American soccer. They also play in a stadium with perhaps the most scenic view in all American soccer as Highmark Stadium sits just under Mount Washington within sight of the iconic yellow I-376 bridge at the confluence of the Ohio and Monogahela Rivers. It is in this stadium that they have averaged nearly 5,000 fans per game since the start of the 2022 season, including a US Open Cup game against the Columbus Crew that drew an over-capacity crowd of 6,107. The much larger Acrisure Stadium (home of the Steelers) has also hosted the beautiful game. The USWNT drew 44,028 for a Victory Tour game against Costa Rica in 2015 and just this past summer, Liverpool battled Real Betis in front of 42,679 people. The USMNT making an appearance in the Steel City would certainly help get folks in the western part of the state excited about the US and excited about the 2026 World Cup. 

Portland, Oregon

Last USMNT appearance: July 9, 2013

This one is what many people like to call a “no-brainer.”  Portland is one of the best soccer towns in the country.  US Soccer not putting a single game in the Rose City in the last twelve years is completely asinine.  They sell out nearly every single Timbers game in MLS.  They sell out nearly every single Thorns game in the NWSL, which makes US Soccer’s decision to also not play any USWNT games here since 2012 equally asinine.  The last USMNT appearance in Portland was the Gold Cup opener in July of 2013 which the US won 6-1 against Belize (Chris Wondolowski scored a hat trick with an extra W sewn onto the back of his jersey) and since then Providence Park has become a bigger venue as the capacity now sits at 25,218 compared to just 20,000 during the last visit.  The USMNT making a return to Portland needs to happen ASAP. 

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US Soccer CEO JT Batson has recently said that he wants USMNT games to be huge events. Yet, US Soccer has continued to schedule USMNT games in the same half dozen cities. Taking the national team to places they’ve never been before would certainly go a long way towards making the games big events. For example, if US Soccer were to put a USMNT game in Memphis, it would be the talk of the town for some time as it would be in Birmingham or Little Rock or Louisville. And with the USMNT so far out of the public consciousness, despite a home World Cup next year, being the talk of the town is something they desperately need.

Are some of these stadiums small? They sure are. Do several of them have turf fields? Yep. Do all of these cities have 5 million people living in them? Nope. These are all things that US Soccer likes to say when telling the people that they just cannot play anywhere other than Orlando, Austin, and Cincinnati. But it would greatly benefit US Soccer and the USMNT in the long run if they were able to temporarily put some of these concerns aside in the name of growing the game.

With so much high-level soccer being played in the United States, now is the best (and perhaps last) chance for soccer to truly explode in this country. The US national team playing somewhere they haven’t been before would, without a doubt, create new fans in those cities and thus grow the popularity of the team and the sport as a whole. But if US Soccer is content to keep playing national team games in Cincinnati, Austin, Orlando, and St. Louis then they are signaling that they are content with with the current size of the fan base. What incentive does a fringe soccer fan in Boise have to care about the USMNT if they never go to that neck of the woods?

US Soccer President Cindy Parlow-Cone said at the recent US Soccer AGM that one of their goals is to make soccer more accessible to more people. Now is the time for them to actually prove their commitment to that goal by allowing more people in this country to see the national team.

Photo Credit: Louisville Tourism