NWSL fans have been showing up and showing out to watch the best soccer players in the world since the league’s inception in 2016. The 2023 season boasted over 1.2 million tickets sold and a 26% increase in average attendance. Home opener attendance was up 18% for the 2024 season, and the momentum isn’t stopping now. 

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We’ve rounded up the most-attended games in NWSL history, but at the rate this league is growing, these records are just waiting to be broken.

Crowd: 35,038

Date: June 8, 2024

Location: Wrigley Field (Chicago, IL)

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The Chicago Red Stars hosted Bay FC at Wrigley Field in the first NWSL game to take place at a Major League Baseball venue. 35,038 fans filled the historic ballpark as Bay FC went on to win the match, 2-1.

Crowd: 34,130

Date: October 6, 2023

Location: Lumen Field (Seattle, WA)

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The largest crowd for an NWSL game belongs to the OL Reign (now Seattle Reign FC) when fans packed the stands for the iconic Megan Rapinoe’s final NWSL match.

Crowd: 32,066

Date: March 23, 2024

Location: Snapdragon Stadium (San Diego, CA)

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Fans had Snapdragon Stadium rocking for the San Diego Wave’s 2024 home opener, despite KC Current outscoring them 2-1.

Crowd: 32,000

Date: September 17, 2022

Location: Snapdragon Stadium (San Diego, CA)

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The Angel City FC vs. San Diego Wave rivalry always brings out the Southern California crowds, and this match was no different. The Wave won 1-0, thanks to a Jaedyn Shaw goal.

Crowd: 30,854

Date: March 25, 2023

Location: Snapdragon Stadium (San Diego, CA)

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Fans piled into Snapdragon Stadium for the Wave’s exciting 2023 home opener match, which they won 3-2.

Crowd: 25,218

Date: August 11, 2019

Location: Providence Park (Portland, OR)

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Portland continued their solid 2019 season with a 2-1 win over the North Carolina Courage, thanks to goals from Stephanie Labbé and Abby Erceg.

Crowd: 25,218

Date: September 16, 2023

Location: Providence Park (Portland, OR)

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This Pacific Northwest rivalry game is always a match to remember. Hina Sugita and Morgan Weaver scored, putting the Thorns over the top for the 2-0 win.

Crowd: 24,521

Date: October 12, 2019

Location: Providence Park (Portland, OR)

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The Portland Thorns’ final home game of the 2019 season ended in a 0-0 draw, but the Thorns still advanced to the playoffs.

Crowd: 23,403

Date: April 23, 2016 

Location: Camping World Stadium (Orlando, FL)

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The Orlando Pride got their first-ever home win in the franchise’s inaugural season, thanks to goals from Andressa, Lianne Sanderson, and Alex Morgan.

Crowd: 22,329

Date: July 24, 2019

Location: Providence Park (Portland, OR)

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Thorns fans got quite the show as Portland scored five goals against the Houston Dash in this late-July clash.