There are 29 professional soccer teams in the United States in 2023. This includes the 26 teams in Major League Soccer (MLS) and the 3 teams in Canada (MLS has expanded into Canada in recent years). The number of professional soccer teams in the United States has grown steadily in recent years, reflecting the growing popularity of the sport in the country.
Major League Soccer (MLS)
In MLS, there are about 26 registered clubs. By 2020, the league increased the number of its teams to about 24 teams. In 2019, a team called FC Cincinnati joined the leagues as the 24th team. However, Inter Miami CF and Nashville SC started participating in the league’s soccer in the 2020 season, as the 25th and 26th teams. In 2021, Austin FC has been scheduled to play in the league, Charlotte FC in 2022, and Sacramento Republic FC and St. Louis City SC in 2023.
The table below contains the teams in the Easter Conference in the MLS, their cities, stadiums, and stadium capacities.
Eastern Conference
Team | City | Stadium | Capacity |
Atlanta United FC | Atlanta, Georgia | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | 71,000 |
Chicago Fire | Chicago, Illinois | Soldier field | 61500 |
Columbus Crew SC | Columbus, Ohio | MAPFRE Stadium | 19968 |
Dc United | Washington, D.C. | Audi Field | 20000 |
Fc Cincinnati | Cincinnati,Ohio | West End Stadium (2021) | 33250 |
Inter Miami CF | Miami, Inter Miami | CF Stadium(Fort Lauderdale) | 25000 |
Montreal Impact | Montreal, Quebec | Saputo Stadium | 20801 |
New England Revolution | Foxborough,Massachusetts | Gillette Stadium | 20000 |
New York City Fc | New York City, New York | Yankee Stadium | 30321 |
New York Red Bulls | Harrison, New Jersey | Red Bull Arena | 25000 |
Orlando City SC | Orlando, Florida | Exploria Stadium | 25500 |
Philadelphia Union | Chester, Pennsylvania | Subaru Park | 18500 |
Toronto Fc | Toronto, Ontario | BMO Field | 30000 |
The table below contain the teams in the Western Conference in the MLS, their cities, stadiums, and stadium capacities.
Western Conference
Team | City | Stadium | Capacity |
Colorado Rapids | Commerce City, Colorado | Dick’s Sporting Goods Park | 18,061 |
FC Dallas | Frisco, Texas | Toyota Stadium | 20500 |
Houston Dynamo | Houston,Texas | BBVA Stadium | 22039 |
LA Galaxy | Carson, California | Dignity Health Sports Park | 27000 |
Los Angeles FC | Los Angeles, California | Banc of California Stadium | 22000 |
Minnesota United FC | Saint Paul,Minnesota | Allianz Field | 19400 |
Nashville SC | Nashville,Tennessee | Initial :Nissan Stadium Permanent:Nashville Fairgrounds Stadium(2022) | 68143 27500 |
Portland Timbers | Portland, Oregon | Providence Park | 25218 |
Real Salt Lake | Sandy, Utah | Rio Tinto Stadium | 20213 |
San Jose Earthquakes | San Jose, California | Avaya Stadium | 18000 |
Seattle Sounders FC | Seattle, Washington | CenturyLink Field | 39419 |
Sporting Kansas City | Kansas City, Kansas | Children’s Mercy Park | 18467 |
Vancouver Whitecaps FC | Vancouver, British Columbia | BC place | 22120 |
USL Championship
The parent organization for the USL Championship (USSD Division II), USL League Two, USL League One, and the youth Super Y-League is the United Soccer League
The table below contains the teams in the Eastern Conference of the USL Championship, their cities, stadiums, and stadium capacities.
Eastern Conference
Club | Stadium | City | Capacity |
Atlanta United | Fifth Third Bank Stadium | Kennesaw, Georgia | 8,318 |
Birmingham Legion FC | BBVA Field | Birmingham, Alabam | 5,000 |
Charleston Battery Charleston | Patriots Point Soccer Complex | South Carolina | TBA |
Charlotte Independence Matthew | Sportsplex at Matthew | North Carolina | 5,000 |
Hartford Athletic Hartford | Dillon Stadium | Connecticut | 5,500 |
Indy Eleven Indianapolis | Lucas Oil Stadium | Indian | 62,421 |
Loudoun United FC | Virginia Segra Field | Leesburg, Virginia | 5,000 |
Louisville City F | Lynn Family Stadium | Louisville, Kentucky | 11,700 |
Memphis 901 FC | AutoZone Park | Memphis, Tennesse | 10,000 |
Miami FC | Riccardo Silva Stadium | Miami, Florida | 20,000 |
New York Red Bulls II | MSU Soccer Park at Pittser Field | Montclair, New Jerse | 5,000 |
North Carolina FC | WakeMed Soccer Park | North Carolina | 10,000 |
Philadelphia Union II | Subaru Park | Chester, Pennsylvania | 18,500 |
Pittsburgh River hounds | Highmark Stadium | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | 5,000 |
Saint Louis FC | Toyota Stadium | Fenton, Missouri | 5,500 |
Sporting Kansas City I | Kansas Children’s Mercy Park | Kansas City | 18,467 |
Tampa Bay Rowdier | Al Lang Stadium | St. Petersburg, Florida | 7,227 |
Western Conference
Teams | City | Stadium | Capacity |
Austin Bold FC | Elroy,Texas | Bold Stadium | 5000 |
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC | Colorado Springs,Colorado | Weiner Field,[i] | 5000 |
El Paso Locomotive FC | El Paso, Texas | Southwest University Park [iv] | 9500 |
La Galaxy ll | Carson, California | Dignity Health Track Stadium [ii] | 5000 |
Las Vegas Light FC | Las Vegas, Nevada | Cashman Field [iv] | 9334 |
New Mexico | United Albuquerque, New Mexico | Rio Grande Credit Union at Isotopes Park[iv] | 13500 |
OKC Energy FC | Oklahoma City,Oklahoma | Taft Stadium[i] | 7500 |
Orange County FC | Irvine,California | Champion Stadium[i] | 5000 |
Phoenix Rising FC | Tempe,Arizona | Casino Arizona Field[i] | 6200 |
Portland Timbers 2 | Portland, Oregon | Providence park[i] | 25218 |
Real Monarchs | Herriman, Utah | Zion’s Bank Stadium[i] | 5000 |
Reno 1868 FC | Reno, Nevada | Greater Nevada Field[iv] | 9013 |
Rio Grande Valley FC | Toros Edinburg, Texas | H-E-B Park[i] | 9400 |
Sacramento Republic FC | Sacramento, California | Papa Murphy’s Park[i] | 11569 |
San Antonio FC | San Antonio, Texas | Toyota Field | 8296 |
San Diego Loyal SC | San Diego, California | Torero Stadium | 8000 |
Tacoma Deviance | Tacoma, Washington | Cheney Stadium | 6500 |
FC Tulsa | Tulsa, Oklahoma | ONEOK Field | 7833 |
How Many Soccer Country Teams Are There In The World?
Federation Internationale de Football Association(FIFA), which is the world’s football governing body, recognizes 211 soccer teams. However, some have membership in a FIFA-affiliated continental Confederation without being full members of FIFA and there are about (12 soccer teams).
How Many Soccer Teams Are There In England?
There are about 92 professional soccer teams and countless amateur and semi-pro teams. The Premier League has 20 teams, League One, Championship, and League Two have 24 teams each.
Final Thoughts
The bottom line is that the Professional Division of the United States Soccer Federation organizes and immediately 3 pro leagues of soccer teams. The Major League Soccer (USL and MLS) Championship will be the second and top-level amount respectively. The USL League One and also the National Independent Soccer Association may be the third level. We’ve come to the final chapter of this informative article. We hope you were able to find resources in your quest to know the number of soccer team’s out there. Please do not hesitate to contact us for questions or comments. Thanks!
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_League_Soccer
https://www.quora.com/How-many-professional-soccer-teams-does-the-USA-have-in-FIFA