Cincinnati Ranked No. 12 Overall For U.S. Soccer Fans

Cincinnati is one of the best cities for soccer fans, according to a recent WalletHub study. Among the 280 U.S. cities compared, Cincinnati ranked No. 12 overall, 3 ahead of Columbus. Some factors that contributed to this include being ranked 1st for highest MLS stadium capacity and 3rd for lowest season ticket pricing.

2 much-needed goals and a HOME WIN for #FCCincy! ??? #IgniteUnite pic.twitter.com/UBdCdPjlbL

— Cincinnati ? (@CincyProblems) May 11, 2019

Americans finally have found their own soft spot for the world’s most beloved professional sport. After what seemed an eternity of low popularity among U.S. fans, soccer — better known as “football” to the international community — has gained admiration and respect here at home.

Much of the credit for the sport’s growing domestic acceptance goes to the U.S. Women’s National Team, who made us proud with its record-breaking victory in the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Part of the glory is also owed to COPA América Centenario, the world’s oldest soccer competition, held the following year on U.S. turf for the first time in its 100-year history.

In 2019, the U.S. National team won the FIFA Women’s World Cup once more. This victory has contributed to higher attendance at soccer events throughout the U.S. For example, the Chicago Red Stars saw around 13,000 fans more than average attend a game shortly after the win. In addition, the average MLS team was worth $240 million in 2018, up 7.6% from 2017.

If those attendance figures and franchise values are any indication, it’s an exciting time to be a soccer fan in America. But not every soccer city in the U.S. is a good place to love on the sport. To determine the top spots for soccer fandom, WalletHub compared more than 280 U.S. cities with at least one college or professional soccer team across five divisions and examined each based on 52 key metrics. Our data set ranges from minimum season-ticket price for a game to stadium accessibility to number of championship wins. Read on for the winners, expert insight on the future of soccer and a full description of our methodology.