Top 10 Most Famous Soccer Teams in the U.S: Without Inter Miami of Lionel Messi
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| Top 10 Most Popular Soccer Teams in the US |
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Soccer has overtaken ice hockey to become the fourth most popular sport in the US - and the 2026 World Cup in America is going to give the beautiful game another huge boost as it chases down baseball in third place.
Football is climbing the league table of popular US sports and has now overtaken ice hockey in fourth place and is homing in on baseball in third.
The bumper £2billion deal the Premier League struck with NBC after a battle among American broadcasters this month reflects the growing popularity of the sport.
The English top-flight doubled its money when the channel renewed its contract and committed to showing 380 games for six seasons on its cable and digital channels.
The most-watched Premier League match stateside was Manchester United's 2-0 win over Manchester City in March 2020, when 1.76million saw the game live on American television
The most-watched Premier League match stateside was Manchester United's 2-0 win over Manchester City in March 2020, when 1.76million saw the game live on American television
And an analysis by Sportsmail shows that Association Football - known as soccer in the US - has now overhauled ice hockey and sits behind baseball, basketball, and American football in the top five US sports.
In surveys of US sports fans, soccer is now more popular than ice hockey in the US. A study conducted by the research firm, Ampere Analysis, last month, reveals 49% of US Sports fans claim to like watching soccer on TV, ahead of ice hockey on 37%.
In addition, the proportion of US fans who say they enjoy watching the English Premier League, in particular, has grown from 12% to 15% between 2019 and 2021. At the same time, the percentage of fans that say they would be willing to pay to watch the Premier League has grown from 6% to 9%.
Messi's Inter Miami is not the most popular soccer club in America (2024 Updated )
Lionel Messi's club Inter Miami is ranked 39th on the list of the most popular clubs in the United States.
Because of Lionel Messi's presence, Inter Miami finished 39th on the list of America's most followed clubs. Notably, Inter Miami is the only Major League Soccer (MLS) team to rank in the top 40 of 100 most popular teams in both traditional broadcasting and modern streaming services. Streams like Hulu TV and YouTube are also included.
Soccer in America is expanding at a rapid pace, and while the MLS is still in its early stages, some clubs are gaining popularity among fans who watch games on television. However, teams in leagues such as Mexico's Liga MX and England's Premier League continue to be the most watched clubs in the United States.
Larry Johnson, a sports media analyst, published the rankings in collaboration with World Soccer Talk (via AS).
As a result, the most popular club is Club America, the Apertura 2023 champion. Manchester City, the Premier League champion and reigning UEFA Champions League champion, is currently in second place.
Chivas and Tigres, both from Mexico, are in the top five, as is Liverpool from the Premier League. Real Madrid and Arsenal placed sixth and seventh, respectively, with Chelsea, Newcastle United, and Cruz Azul rounding out the top ten.
The biggest surprise is that Lionel Messi's former team, Barcelona, is ranked 25th on the list. They finished behind Premier League clubs Bournemouth, West Ham United, Nottingham Forest, and Aston Villa.
MLS clubs are also struggling to break into the top 50, with only Inter Miami, Los Angeles FC, Portland Timbers, and Nashville SC in the top half.
And below, we list here the top 10 most popular soccer teams of the US right now!
What Are the Most Popular Soccer Teams in the US
#1. United States Women's National Soccer Team
Nickname: The Stars and Stripes
Founded: 1985
League: CONCACAF
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| United States Women's National Soccer Team. Photo: Sporting News |
The U.S. Women's national team is without a doubt the most successful soccer organization in American history, having been established following the passage of Title IX. The USWNT has participated in all eight of the official FIFA Women's World Cup competitions, winning the trophy in four of them and making it to the semifinals in all of them. This includes winning the 2019 tournament's most recent edition.
From 2008 to 2014, the team had the longest run of any team in FIFA history as the number one team in the world, lasting six and a half years. Since the middle of 2017, they have maintained their position as the top team in the world and have never been ranked lower than second.
In seven contests, the USWNT has also taken home four gold medals from the Olympics, including three in a row from 2004 to 2012. Since then, though, they have not succeeded in taking home the gold. In their nine CONCACAF Gold Cup appearances, they have also won eight of them.
The USWNT, led by athletes like Carli Lloyd, Mia Hamm, and Abby Wambach, has attracted admirers from all over the world, both male and female. Everywhere they go, their tours frequently sell out because of their star power and open playing style.
#2. United States Men's National Soccer Team
Nickname: The Yanks
Founded: 1885
League: CONCACAF
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| United States Men's National Soccer Team. Photo: FOX News |
In men's international soccer competitions, the United States is represented by the US Men's National Soccer Team (USMNT). The team is a member of CONCACAF and FIFA and is managed by the United States Soccer Federation. Ten FIFA World Cups have been held by the team; the first was in 1930, and they made it to the semi-finals. The United States competed in the 1934 and 1950 World Cups, defeating England 1-0 in the latter event.
The United States did not qualify for the World Cup after 1950 until 1990.The United States lost to Brazil in the round of sixteen of the 1994 World Cup, despite having qualified as hosts. After 1994, they advanced to the knockout stage frequently and qualified for five more World Cups in a row (for a total of seven consecutive appearances, a feat shared with only seven other nations). They established themselves as one of the tournament's regular competitors. In the 2002 World Cup, the United States advanced to the quarterfinals before being controversially defeated by Germany.
Their lone trip to the championship game of a significant intercontinental competition occurred in the 2009 Confederations Cup, where they defeated top-seeded Spain in the semifinals before falling to Brazil in the championship match. The United States also participates in continental competitions, such as Copa América and the CONCACAF Gold Cup. The United States finished fourth in two Copa Américas, the 1995 and 2016 editions, and won seven Gold Cups in addition to winning the inaugural CONCACAF Nations League. Since November 29, 2018, Gregg Berhalter has served as the team's head coach. Since August 1, 2018, Earnie Stewart has served as the team's general manager.
#3. LA Galaxy
Nickname: The Galaxy
Founded: 1994
League: MLS
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| LA Galaxy |
The LA Galaxy, led by Golden Boot contender Javier Hernandez, were among the top three teams in the Western Conference at one point in the 2021 Major League Soccer season. It appeared that Greg Vanney was making all the right moves in his first season as manager.
When the season came to an end, the Galaxy only won one of their final 17 games and finished the year in eighth place in the Western Conference, missing out on a playoff berth on the last day of the regular season.
Despite the Galaxy's explosive start, their season-ending collapse was somewhat expected. When Vanney was hired, the team had one of the worst rosters in the league. He changed every positional group, adding ten new players, but it was difficult to assemble a cohesive team because he mainly relied on players from outside Major League Soccer.
#4. DC United
Nickname: Black and Red
Founded: 1994
League: MLS
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| DC United |
As the first team to win the MLS Cup, DC United created history. This was accomplished in spectacular fashion, and the Washington, DC-based team went on to successfully defend the MLS Cup the next year. With eight titles in three years, from 1996 to 1998, the team established an amazing record as one of the inaugural winners of the Major League Soccer. In addition, DC United is the first team in history to win both the MLS Cup and the MLS Supporters' Shield in back-to-back years.
The club was established in 1994, and its home stadium is the capital city of Washington, DC's Audi Field. In 1998, DC United became the first team from the United States to win the CONCACAF Champions League in the era of Mexican dominance. Due to its achievements, DC United reached a new height and earned itself a reputation as one of the most prestigious teams in MLS history.
In 1996, DC United became the first team in the MLS to win the MLS Cup Trophy, which they then triumphantly defended in 1997. Two years later, in 1999, a third championship was won when Chicago Fire outperformed the team to win the inaugural Trophy in the championship game.
The Washington-based team advanced to another MLS Cup playoff final in 1999 despite the setback. The team needed over five years to add a fourth MLS Cup Trophy, which they did in 2004. DC United made history by winning both the US Open Cup and the MLS Cup in the same year. In 1997 and 1999, the team also took home the MLS Cup and Supporters Shield. DC United won one Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, two Supporters Shields, and four MLS Cups in a ten-year span.
#5. Columbus Crew
Nickname: The Crew
Founded: 1994
League: MLS
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| Columbus Crew. Photo: MLS |
The Crew, who have one of the most ardent fan bases in all of American sports, has won the MLS Cup twice, most recently in the 2020 season. In 2021, they won the Campeones Cup after defeating the Liga MX champions from Mexico. They have also won the U.S. Open Cup.
The franchise's owner made plans to relocate it to Austin, Texas, public in 2017. As a result, the supporters launched a successful campaign to "Save the Crew," and Jimmy Haslam, the owner of the Cleveland Browns, led the group that eventually bought the team.
Their fans are ecstatic about the brand-new stadium they opened in 2021.
#6. Seattle Sounders
Nickname: The Sounders
Founded: 2007
League: MLS
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| Seattle Sounders. Photo: Variety |
Another team that many people have a personal fondness for is the Seattle Sounders, who are based in Washington and compete in the MLS's Western Conference. The team was founded in November 2007 and became an expansion team in the Major League Soccer (MLS) in 2009. The team's principal owner is Andrain Hanauer, and Brian Schmetzer, who succeeded Sigi Schmid as head coach in 2016, is the head coach.
Star players like Osvaldo Alonso, Fredy Montero, and Clint Dempsey are products of the Sounders. Better yet, the team runs a players' academy in Seattle where it develops soccer talent and has produced a number of stars.
#7. San Jose Earthquakes
Nickname: The Goonies
Founded: 1996
League: MLS
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| San Jose Earthquakes |
The San Jose Earthquakes were one of the original teams in Major League Soccer when they were established in 1994. Prior to the 2000 season, the team was renamed the Earthquakes from their original name, the San Jose Clash, when they were founded. John Doyle and Michael Emenalo were the first players to join the team, and Laurie Calloway served as the team's first coach.
Over the course of their tenure in the MLS, the Quakes have had multiple coaches. Laurie Calloway, Brian Quinn, Frank Yallop, Lothar Osiander, Dominic Kinnear, Mark Watson, Chris Leitch, Mikael Stahre, and Matias Almeyda are some of these coaches.
The MLS Cup was won by the Quakes twice, in 2001 and 2003. The San Jose Quakes relocated to Houston, Texas, in 2005, where they now play as the Houston Dynamo. In 2007, the Quakes were replicated in San Jose. The Quakes were the first team in Major League Soccer to travel abroad for a postseason tour.
The MLS record for goals scored by a player is shared by two members of the Quakes. Landon Donovan held the record with 145 goals, while Chris Wondolowski broke it in the 2019 season and had 165 goals as of November 2020. Because of the young players that new coach Matias Almeyda brought on board, the Quakes have gained notoriety in recent years. They have thirteen players under 25 as of the 2020 campaign.
#8. New York Cosmos
Nickname: The Cosmos
Founded: Originally in 1970; re-established in 2010
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| New York Cosmos |
Many people belonging to a certain generation will tell you that the Cosmos were the first American soccer team that truly got them to pay attention. The club's fables and tragic demise have served as inspiration for documentaries and will always have a unique place in American soccer history.
The Cosmos was established in 1970 as a business endeavor rather than as a club. They brought in some of the most well-known names in the world following corporate investment in 1972. Pele, one of the all-time greats, joined the group in 1975.
#9. Chicago Fire
Nickname: Chicago Blues/Chicago Wind
Founded: 1997
League: MLS
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| Chicago Fire |
Based in Chicago, the Chicago Fire is a professional soccer team that plays for the Eastern Conference in Major League Soccer. With a double, comprising the MLS Cup and the US Open Cup, the team made a spectacular debut as an MLS franchise.
In 1998, the Fire won its first trophy—the MLS Cup—and completed a double after winning the US Open Cup championship. Sporting Kansas City and Chicago Fire Soccer Club are the only two MLS teams with four MLS Cup victories between them. The first Trophy was won in 1998, and the second one in 2000, two years later. Chicago Fire emerged victorious in both the third and fourth titles, respectively, in 2003 and 2006. Since then, the Fire has experienced upheaval and qualified for the Championship Playoffs.
#10. New York Red Bulls
Nickname: The Red Bulls Metro
Founded: 1994
League: MLS
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| New York Red Bulls. Photo: Goal |
The New York Red Bulls are a New Jersey-based team that has participated in the Eastern Conference since 1996. The team was founded in 1994 under the name New York/New Jersey MetroStars, and it changed its name to the new one in 2006 upon being acquired by Red Bull GmbH. The team's home games are held at the Red Bull Arena, which can accommodate up to 25,000 spectators.
Currently, one of the top two teams in the New York metropolitan area is the New York Red Bulls. Chris Armas, a former U.S. midfield player, is the team's head coach and they play against New York City F.C. in the Hudson River Derby. Better yet, the Red Bulls defeated the Columbus Crew in the championship game to win the MLS Cup in 2008.
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