Key Takeaways
- Atlanta ranks 10th in WalletHub’s 2025 Best Cities for Soccer Fans, highlighting its status as a top soccer destination.
- Los Angeles, Orlando, and Seattle lead in creating a great environment for soccer fans across the U.S.
- Significant affordability differences exist in season ticket prices between cities, with Houston being the most affordable for MLS.
- Soccer team performance varies widely, with FC Cincinnati performing significantly better than San Jose Earthquakes.
- Experts highlight challenges like accessibility but predict a bright future for soccer in America with upcoming international tournaments.
As the U.S. Open Cup final approaches and soccer enthusiasm continues to grow nationwide, Atlanta has secured its position as one of America’s premier soccer destinations, ranking 10th in WalletHub’s 2025 Best Cities for Soccer Fans report.
The personal-finance company compared over 300 U.S. cities with at least one college or professional soccer team across 52 key metrics, including ticket prices, stadium accessibility, and championship history.
Soccer’s Rising Stars: The Top Cities
Los Angeles claimed the top spot, followed by Orlando and Seattle. Atlanta’s top-10 ranking places it among elite soccer cities nationwide, reflecting the city’s passionate fanbase and soccer infrastructure.
“America has a late-blooming but clear passion for soccer, and cities such as Los Angeles and Orlando are leading the way in creating a great environment for soccer fans,” notes WalletHub. “Not only do these cities provide plenty of opportunities to enjoy high-level soccer at the professional and college level, but they also have cultivated highly engaged fanbases who support those teams passionately everywhere from the stands to social media.”
Value for Fans Varies Widely
The report revealed significant differences in affordability across leagues:
- Houston offers the lowest minimum season-ticket price for MLS games — 4.7 times less expensive than Miami’s highest rates
- Orlando features the most affordable NWSL season tickets, costing 2.2 times less than Los Angeles
- Birmingham, Alabama provides the best USL ticket value, with prices 2.5 times lower than Charleston, South Carolina
Performance Disparities
Team performance varies dramatically across leagues:
- In MLS, FC Cincinnati performs 2.1 times better than San Jose Earthquakes
- For NWSL, Kansas City Current outperforms Racing Louisville FC by 1.9 times
- In USL, Louisville City FC’s performance level is 2.3 times better than both Loudoun United FC and Hartford Athletic
Challenges Facing U.S. Soccer
Experts identified several obstacles to soccer’s continued growth in America. Dr. Katie Flanagan of Florida State University points to accessibility issues: “The pay-to-play model. In most countries around the world, soccer is played by children from all social classes. In the US, soccer is played by children who have the means to be transported to a large green space in the suburbs multiple times per week, pay club fees, and travel to out-of-town weekend-long tournaments.”
Bright Future Ahead
With major international tournaments coming to the United States — including the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics — soccer’s popularity seems poised for continued growth across the country, with cities like Atlanta at the forefront of this sporting revolution.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
