MLS Records Third Consecutive Season Above 11.2 Million Fans as Inter Miami Drives Historic Crowds

Major League Soccer drew 11,251,962 fans during the 2026 regular season, averaging 22,063 per match — marking the third consecutive year the league has surpassed 11.2 million attendees, according to an official MLS announcement dated November 11, 2026.

The 2024, 2025, and 2026 seasons now stand as the three highest-attended regular seasons in MLS history.

Inter Miami’s Market Impact

Inter Miami CF, captained by Leo Messi, featured in eight of the 10 highest-attended matches of the 2026 regular season. The club’s visits generated historic crowds across markets including Chicago, Toronto, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, and Seattle.

The pattern held across multiple venues: Inter Miami’s presence produced attendance figures that rank among the all-time records for individual MLS matches.

Single-Match Records

The April 18, 2026 match between Inter Miami and the Colorado Rapids at Empower Field at Mile High drew 75,824 fans, placing it second in MLS all-time attendance. Three weeks earlier, on March 7, 2026, Inter Miami’s visit to D.C. United drew 72,026 fans, ranking ninth in league history.

On February 21, 2026, Inter Miami’s match against LAFC at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum attracted 75,673 fans, ranking third all-time in MLS and setting the record for the highest-attended match in MLS opening weekend history.

The outright MLS single-match record remains the July 4, 2023 fixture between LA Galaxy and LAFC at the Rose Bowl, which drew 82,110 fans.

League-Wide Context

MLS’s official announcement attributes sustained attendance growth across the 2024–2026 period to consistent demand rather than isolated spikes, with Inter Miami’s schedule producing measurable effects on opposing markets’ gate figures each season.