For two years, Orlando City has ‘filled the Bowl’ with over 60,000 screaming fans packed into Camping World Stadium for the team’s first home match of the season. In 2016, Orlando City’s home opener against Real Salt Lake ranked amongst the Top 40 most-attended soccer matches in the United States.
In 2016, 43 soccer matches in the United States reached over 40,000 people in attendance. The highest attended match was an International Champions Cup game between Real Madrid and Chelsea in Ann Arbor, Michigan that attracted 105,826 fans. The Seattle Sounders had the most matches that went over the 40,000 attendance mark, but Orlando City had the highest attendance of any MLS team this season.
Orlando City’s 60,147 people in attendance at the home opener ranked 15th in the top attended matches this year. Most of the matches ahead of Orlando City were from Copa America and the International Champions Cup, with two Mexican friendlies also coming in with high attendance. Here is the complete list of the Top 40 attended matches in the United States in 2016:
1. Real Madrid vs. Chelsea, International Champions Cup, July 30, Michigan Stadium: 105,826
2. Real Madrid vs. PSG, International Champions Cup, July 27, Ohio Stadium: 86,641
3. Mexico vs. Jamaica, Copa America, June 9, Rose Bowl: 83,263
4. Argentina vs. Chile, Copa America, June 26, MetLife Stadium: 82,026
5. Bayern Munich vs. Real Madrid, International Champions Cup, August 3, MetLife Stadium: 82,012
6. Colombia vs. Peru, Copa America, June 17, MetLife Stadium: 79,194
7. USA vs. Argentina, Copa America, June 21, NRG Stadium: 70,858
8. Mexico vs. Chile, Copa America, June 18, Levi’s Stadium: 70,547
9. Argentina vs. Chile, Copa America, June 6, Levi’s Stadium: 69,451
10. Mexico vs. Chile, Friendly, June 1, Qualcomm Stadium: 68,254
11. USA vs. Colombia, Copa America, June 3, Levi’s Stadium: 67,439
12. Mexico vs. Venezuela, Copa America, June 13, NRG Stadium: 67,319
13. Chelsea vs. AC Milan, International Champions Cup, August 3, US Bank Stadium: 64,101
14. Mexico vs. Paraguay, Friendly, May 28, Georgia Dome: 63,049
15. Orlando City vs. Real Salt Lake, MLS, March 6, Camping World Stadium: 60,147
16. Mexico vs. Uruguay, Copa America, June 5, University of Phoenix Stadium: 60,025
17. Argentina vs. Venezuela, Copa America, June 18, Gillette Stadium: 59,183
18. Colombia vs. Chile, Copa America, June 22, Soldier Field: 55,423
19. Argentina vs. Panama, Copa America, June 10, Soldier Field: 53,885
20. Bayern Munich vs. Inter Milan, International Champions Cup, July 30, Bank of America Stadium: 53,629
21. Seattle Sounders vs. Portland Timbers, MLS, August 21, CenturyLink Field: 53,302
22. Brazil vs. Ecuador, Copa America, June 4, Rose Bowl: 53,158
23. Chelsea vs. Liverpool, International Champions Cup, July 27, Rose Bowl: 53,117
24. USA vs. Paraguay, Copa America, June 11, Lincoln Financial Field: 51,041
25. Ecuador vs. Haiti, Copa America, June 12, MetLife Stadium: 50,976
26. San Jose Earthquakes vs. LA Galaxy, MLS, June 25, Stanford Stadium: 50,816
27. Seattle Sounders vs. Real Salt Lake, MLS, October 23, CenturyLink Field: 50,022
28. Seattle Sounders vs. LA Galaxy, MLS,, July 31, CenturyLink Field: 48,458
29. Seattle Sounders vs. NYCFC, MLS, June 25, CenturyLink Field: 47,537
30. USA vs. Ecuador, Copa America, June 16, CenturyLink Field: 47,322
31. Seattle Sounders vs. Vancouver Whitecaps, MLS, September 17, CenturyLink Field: 47,111
32. Colombia vs. Costa Rica, Copa America, June 11, NRG Stadium: 45,808
33. Argentina vs. Bolivia, Copa America, June 14, CenturyLink Field: 45,753
34. Bayern Munich vs. AC Milan, International Champions Cup, July 27, Soldier Field: 44,826
35. Seattle Sounders vs. Club America, CONCACAF Champions League, February 23, CenturyLink Field: 42,836
36. Seattle Sounders vs. Colorado Rapids, MLS, November 22, CenturyLink Field: 42,774
37. Colombia vs. Paraguay, Copa America, June 7, Rose Bowl: 42,766
38. Seattle Sounders vs. Colorado Rapids, MLS, May 21, CenturyLink Field: 41,028
39. Seattle Sounders vs. LA Galaxy, MLS, July 9, CenturyLink Field: 40,813
40. Mexico vs. New Zealand, Friendly, October 8, Nissan Stadium: 40,287
41. Uruguay vs. Jamaica, Copa America, June 13, Levi’s Stadium: 40,166
42. Seattle Sounders vs. FC Dallas, MLS, July 13, CenturyLink Field: 40,101
43. Seattle Sounders vs. Vancouver Whitecaps, MLS, March 19, CenturyLink Field: 40,012
You can read the full story from World Soccer Talk here.
