Updated April 13, 2022
KC Current of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) is planning to build an 11,000-seat capacity stadium. See how that matches up with the continued growth of NWSL attendance and popularity of women’s soccer.
Table of Contents
- KC Current announces new NWSL stadium
- Need for professional women’s soccer stadium
- Map of NWSL and MLS stadiums
KC NWSL Gets a New Name and a New Women’s Soccer Stadium
The Kansas City team (KC NWSL) in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) just dropped two major announcements right before Halloween 2021:
- A new women’s soccer stadium will be built in downtown Kansas City for KC NWSL in time for the start of the 2024 season. KC NWSL played their inaugural 2021 season at Legend’s Field, a baseball park that is home to the Kansas City Monarchs of the American Association of Professional Baseball. The 2022 and 2023 seasons will be played at Children’s Mercy Park, which is the home stadium for Sporting KC of Major League Soccer (MLS).
- The team’s new name, Kansas City Current, and new branding was revealed at a home game on October 30, 2021 against OL Reign (a game that I attended!!!). KC NWSL was founded in 2020 and had little time to prepare before their first games in April 2021. So, for the entire 2021 season they simply went by KC NWSL. The reveal of their new name goes perfectly with the announcement from days earlier that they will be playing in a new stadium on the riverfront.
Both announcements were huge in their own right. And I was relieved that my local team didn’t pick a dopey name, like the KC Banana Slugs.
Importance of a New Women’s Soccer Stadium
After the rush and energy surrounding that last week in October, I finally had a chance to grasp the importance of the new KC Current stadium.
To recap, KC Current announced that they were building a women’s soccer stadium just for their team. They were not going to use a stadium that already existed, not sharing a stadium that the men’s MLS team already uses, and not building a stadium that the men’s team will eventually play in too. This was a stadium just for women! It is a $70 million, 11,000-seat soccer stadium that is fully financed (no tax dollars) and will be built just for the women’s professional team.
One reason this is such an important announcement is because of the current NWSL vibes. The league has been upended by recent scandals and missteps. Coaches being released, commissioners stepping down, and players planning protests are just a some of things that the league is grappling with. It has led to some wondering if the league would be able to bounce back. This is confirmation that the NWSL is worthy of investment in both time and money.
The second reason that this was so important is because it is the first stadium built for the sole purpose of a women’s professional sports team in the world. This, again, reaffirms that women’s sports is worthy of investment. We can only hope that this trend continues and other teams will soon follow.
But, is it really true that no other women’s professional team has a stadium of their own? And, does an 11,000-seat capacity sound a bit small?
1. Are there other women’s professional teams that have a stadium of their own?
Women’s Sports Leagues in the United States and Where They Play
The United States has five professional team sports leagues in which the players get paid. As of this time, no team has a dedicated home arena/field/court/stadium built just for them:
- Women’s Football Alliance (WFA) – Professional women’s 11-v-11 tackle football league. The league has 63 teams for the 2021 season. Most games are played at local high schools.
- Women’s Professional Fastpitch (formerly National Pro Fastpitch) (WPF) – Professional women’s softball league. Unfortunately, the 2020 and 2021 National Pro Fastpitch seasons were cancelled due to the pandemic, which caused the league to fold. However, they will launch the Women’s Professional Fastpitch league for the 2022 season. Most games were played at baseball parks that are used for both fastpitch softball and baseball.
- Premier Hockey Federation (formerly the National Women’s Hockey League) (PHF) – Professional women’s ice hockey league. The league has 6 teams for the 2021 season. Most games are played at ice hockey or multipurpose arenas. The arenas are also often used as practice facilities for men’s professional hockey teams.
- Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) – Professional women’s basketball league. The league has 12 teams for the 2021 season. Most teams play at multipurpose arenas that are often also used the men’s professional basketball teams.
- National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) – Professional women’s soccer league. The league has 10 teams for the 2021 season. Many teams play at soccer-specific venues that, much like the WNBA, are used by their professional men’s affiliate teams.
This list does not include individual sports for women such as the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) and the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA).
Answer: No, at least not in the United States.
2. Is an 11,000-seat women’s soccer stadium too small based on NWSL attendance and the growth of soccer?
I am a firm believer that it is only a matter of time before women’s soccer fans are filling just as many seats as the men’s clubs. Soccer enthusiasm in the United States is continuing to grow, youth participation and development is increasing, and more investments are being made on the girl’s/women’s side. So, while only 6% of people surveyed in 2021 were die-hard fans of NWSL according to statista.com, the trend is that the sport is continuing to grow. Therefore, arguing that seats won’t be filled now is just short-sighted.
Average NWSL Attendance from 2013 – 2021
Regardless on whether you believe the seats can be filled, the average NWSL attendance in 2019 was 7,337 for a regular season game. To see more on NWSL attendance, see NWSL Attendance on the Rise.
Projected NWSL Attendance in 2024
The KC Current stadium is projected to be ready for the 2024 season.
Based on the trajectory of women’s soccer and NWSL attendance, an 11,000-seat capacity stadium may be too small.
It is worth noting that attendance increased roughly 20% from 2013 to 2021. This growth, greatly accelerated by the success of the USWNT, was also stymied by the pandemic. Either way, it is logical to assume that this growth will continue.
With that being said, below are the current NWSL and MLS teams and the stadiums they call home. Many of the women’s teams play at a stadium that was built for a men’s club.
NWSL Teams and Their Home Stadiums
There are currently 10 teams in the National Women’s Soccer League, with two more joining in 2022 for a total of 12 teams. Seven of the NWSL teams play on fields that were built for their male counterparts.
| Team Name | Stadium | Stadium City Population | Stadium Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Angel City FC (joining in 2022) | Banc of California Stadium Grass surface Soccer-specific stadium MLS and NWSL teams both play in the stadium Los Angeles, CA | 3,898,747 | 22,000 |
| Chicago Red Stars | SeatGeek Stadium Grass surface Soccer-specific stadium Bridgeview, IL | 17,027 | 20,000 |
| Houston Dash | PNC Stadium Grass surface Soccer-specific stadium MLS and NWSL teams both play in the stadium Houston, TX | 2,304,580 | 22,039 |
| Kansas City Current | Children’s Mercy Park Grass surface Soccer-specific stadium Future soccer stadium either planned or under construction MLS and NWSL teams both play in the stadium Kansas City, KS | 156,607 | 18,467 |
| NJ/NY Gotham FC | Red Bull Arena Grass surface Soccer-specific stadium MLS and NWSL teams both play in the stadium Harrison, NJ | 19,450 | 25,000 |
| North Carolina Courage | Sahlen’s Stadium Grass surface Soccer-specific stadium Cary, NC | 174,721 | 10,000 |
| OL Reign | Cheney Stadium Grass surface Tacoma, WA | 219,346 | 6,500 |
| Orlando Pride | Exploria Stadium Grass surface Soccer-specific stadium MLS and NWSL teams both play in the stadium Orlando, FL | 307,573 | 25,500 |
| Portland Thorns FC | Providence Park Soccer-specific stadium MLS and NWSL teams both play in the stadium Portland, OR | 652,503 | 25,218 |
| Racing Louisville FC | Lynn Family Stadium Grass surface Soccer-specific stadium Louisville, KY | 246,161 | 15,304 |
| San Diego Wave FC (joining in 2022) | Torero Stadium Grass surface San Diego, CA | 1,386,932 | 6,000 |
| Washington Spirit | Audi Field Grass surface Soccer-specific stadium MLS and NWSL teams both play in the stadium Washington, D.C. | 689,545 | 20,000 |
| Avg. | 839,433 | 18,002 |
MLS Clubs and Their Home Stadiums
There are currently 27 clubs in Major League Soccer, with one joining in 2022 and another joining in 2023 for a total of 29 clubs. Many of these teams have stadiums in highly populated stadiums that are built just for them.
| Club Name | Stadium | Stadium City Population | Stadium Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta United | Mercedes-Benz Stadium Atlanta, GA | 498,715 | 42,500 |
| Austin FC | Q2 Stadium Grass surface Soccer-specific stadium Austin, TX | 961,855 | 20,738 |
| Charlotte FC (joining 2022) | Bank of America Stadium Charlotte, NC | 874,579 | 75,523 |
| Chicago Fire FC | Soldier Field Grass surface Chicago, IL | 2,746,388 | 24,995 |
| FC Cincinnati | TQL Stadium Grass surface Soccer-specific stadium Cincinnati, OH | 309,317 | 26,000 |
| Colorado Rapids | Dick’s Sporting Goods Park Grass surface Soccer-specific stadium Commerce City, CO | 62,418 | 18,061 |
| Columbus Crew | Lower.com Field Grass surface Soccer-specific stadium Columbus, OH | 905,748 | 20,371 |
| D.C. United | Audi Field Grass surface Soccer-specific stadium MLS and NWSL teams both play in the stadium Washington, D.C. | 689,545 | 20,000 |
| FC Dallas | Toyota Stadium Grass surface Soccer-specific stadium Frisco, TX | 200,509 | 20,500 |
| Houston Dynamo FC | PNC Stadium Grass surface Soccer-specific stadium MLS and NWSL teams both play in the stadium Houston, TX | 2,304,580 | 22,039 |
| Sporting Kansas City | Children’s Mercy Park Grass surface Soccer-specific stadium MLS and NWSL teams both play in the stadium Kansas City, KS | 156,607 | 18,467 |
| LA Galaxy | Dignity Health Sports Park Grass surface Soccer-specific stadium Carson, CA | 95,558 | 27,000 |
| Los Angeles Football Club | Banc of California Stadium Grass surface Soccer-specific stadium MLS and NWSL teams both play in the stadium Los Angeles, CA | 3,898,747 | 22,000 |
| Inter Miami CF | DRV PNK Stadium Grass surface Soccer-specific stadium Fort Lauderdale, FL | 182,760 | 18,000 |
| Minnesota United | Allianz Field Grass surface Soccer-specific stadium Saint Paul, MN | 311,527 | 19,400 |
| CF Montréal | Saputo Stadium Grass surface Soccer-specific stadium Montreal, Quebec, Canada | 1,704,694 | 19,619 |
| Nashville SC | Nissan Stadium Grass surface Future soccer stadium either planned or under construction Nashville, TN | 689,447 | 69,143 |
| New England Revolution | Gillette Stadium Grass surface Foxborough, MA | 18,618 | 20,000 |
| New York Red Bulls | Red Bull Arena Grass surface Soccer-specific stadium MLS and NWSL teams both play in the stadium Harrison, NJ | 19,450 | 25,000 |
| New York City FC | Yankee Stadium Grass surface Bronx, NY | 1,472,654 | 30,321 |
| Orlando City | Exploria Stadium Grass surface Soccer-specific stadium MLS and NWSL teams both play in the stadium Orlando, FL | 307,573 | 25,500 |
| Philadelphia Union | Subaru Park Grass surface Soccer-specific stadium Chester, PA | 32,605 | 18,500 |
| Portland Timbers | Providence Park Soccer-specific stadium MLS and NWSL teams both play in the stadium Portland, OR | 652,503 | 25,218 |
| Real Salt Lake | Rio Tinto Stadium Grass surface Soccer-specific stadium Sandy, UT | 96,904 | 20,213 |
| San Jose Earthquakes | PayPal Park Grass surface Soccer-specific stadium San Jose, CA | 1,386,932 | 18,000 |
| Seattle Sounders FC | Lumen Field Seattle, WA | 737,015 | 37,722 |
| St. Louis City SC (joining 2023) | St. Louis City Stadium Grass surface Soccer-specific stadium Future soccer stadium either planned or under construction St. Louis MO | 301,578 | 22,500 |
| Toronto FC | BMO Field Grass surface Toronto, Ontario, Canada | 2,731,571 | 28,351 |
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC | BC Place Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada | 631,486 | 22,120 |
| Avg. | 861,444 | 26,821 |
Grass surface = Grass surface. Stadiums without the grass icon have artificial turf.
Soccer-specific stadium = Soccer-specific stadium. Stadiums without the soccer icon are a shared facility.
Future soccer stadium either planned or under construction = Future soccer stadium either planned or under construction.
Soccer-specific Stadiums Change Everything
On the surface, 11,000 seats looks too small and the gap between the average seating capacity (NWSL average is 18,002 and MLS average is 26,821) looks large. However, many of the men’s stadiums are multipurpose stadiums that are generally built for much larger audiences to accommodate for concerts, football games, and other public events. Conversely, the women’s teams play at much smaller multipurpose stadiums. Thus, when these non-specific soccer stadiums are removed from the totals, the numbers look a bit more balanced:
This means that the 11,000-seat stadium is nearly half the size of the average professional women’s soccer stadium. Not only does this women’s soccer stadium appear small but it also doesn’t take into account that it will be built in downtown Kansas City – a city that is notorious for loving soccer! – and that the sport is still growing.
Answer: Yes, 11,000-seat capacity appears small for an NWSL stadium in the United States.
Honestly speaking this feels like a vanity/pride project. There is zero reason to waste money when they have a perfectly good soccer-specific stadium to play in, for no other reason than to say they don’t share it with men. Well, what’s wrong with sharing with men? It saves them money, and thereby increases their profits. Id rather see them invest that money in investing in female youth training and advertising to gain fans. As you said, that 11k stadium very soon wont be enough with the steep climb in popularity the league is seeing. This is isolationist feminism is hurting the team and league and all the woman it supports, rather than helping it. Woman can prove themselves great athletes without resorting to segregation just to prove a point.
To clarify, im not against a NWSL team building their own soccer specific stadium if one isn’t available. My home city of San Diego doesn’t have a soccer-specific stadium at the major or even minor level. And my NWSL team the San Diego Wave FC will soon be sharing the multipurpose Snapdragon Stadium with SDSU Aztecs. Meanwhile our men’s USL Championship team, San Diego Loyal, is struggling to build their own stadium(which is completely contingent on a redevelopment competition, and as such might not happen). If the Wave built a stadium first, and the Loyal moved in as their tenants, id be super proud of my ladies for leading the way. That’s the kind of woman power I can completely get behind. Not this wasteful being the first for the sake of being the first BS KC Current is obsessing over.
Ah man, just imagine how glorious it would be. All the other female teams sharing mens stadium, but they would have men sharing theirs instead! Now that is an accomplishment to be proud of! Not that they don’t already have much to be proud of, we just played our first game without Alex Morgan, and STILL won! Our ladies are BEAST!
That said, if after the SD Wave built their own stadium, SD Loyal still insisted on building their own, id be ashamed of them.
Conversely, if SD Wave FC and SD Loyal FC worked together to build a stadium to share, I would be even prouder still. Unity Equality and Cooperation is far more valuable to me squabbling over who built what first.