# National Women's Soccer League attendance

The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is the top-tier professional women's soccer league in the United States. It has the highest average attendance of any professional women's sports league in the United States, surpassing the Women's National Basketball Association and Professional Women's Hockey League. During the 2024 season, the NWSL reached a total attendance of over 2 million spectators for the first time in the league's history. The single-match attendance record of 35,038 spectators was set by the Chicago Red Stars and Bay FC on June 8, 2024, at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

## Total regular season attendance

| Season | Total gate | Games | Average | Change | High avg. | Team | Low avg. | Team |
| 2013 | 375,763 | 88 | 4,270 | — | 13,320 | Portland Thorns FC | 1,664 | Sky Blue FC |
| 2014 | 446,820 | 108 | 4,137 | −3.1% | 13,362 | Portland Thorns FC | 1,640 | Sky Blue FC |
| 2015 | 454,100 | 90 | 5,046 | 21.9% | 15,639 | Portland Thorns FC | 2,189 | Sky Blue FC |
| 2016 | 555,775 | 100 | 5,558 | 10.1% | 16,945 | Portland Thorns FC | 2,162 | Sky Blue FC |
| 2017 | 609,960 | 120 | 5,083 | −8.5% | 17,653 | Portland Thorns FC | 1,788 | FC Kansas City |
| 2018 | 650,564 | 108 | 6,024 | 18.5% | 16,959 | Portland Thorns FC | 2,531 | Sky Blue FC |
| 2019 | 792,409 | 108 | 7,337 | 21.8% | 20,098 | Portland Thorns FC | 3,338 | Sky Blue FC |
| 2021 | 592,074 | 116 | 5,528 | −30.5% | 12,555 | Portland Thorns FC | 3,143 | Chicago Red Stars |
| 2022 | 1,042,063 | 132 | 7,894 | 42.8% | 19,105 | Angel City FC | 4,385 | Orlando Pride |
| 2023 | 1,366,581 | 131 | 10,432 | 32.2% | 20,718 | San Diego Wave FC | 4,848 | Chicago Red Stars |
| 2024 | 2,044,848 | 182 | 11,235 | 14.1% | 19,575 | San Diego Wave FC | 6,194 | Houston Dash |
* ↑ Green shading indicates record highs; red shading indicates record lows.
* ↑ Portland Thorns FC did not report two matches during a period of capacity restrictions related to COVID-19 pandemic safety policies: versus Louisville on June 5, and Kansas City on June 20. Two further matches (Washington at Portland on September 4, and OL Reign at Washington on September 12) were declared by the league to be forfeits against Washington due to violations of the league's COVID safety protocols and were not played.
* ↑ The April 28, 2023, match between HOU and NC was abandoned at the 52nd minute before attendance could be reported.

### Attendance by team

| Season | BAY | BOS | CHI | FCKC | HOU | KCC | LA | LOU | NC | NJY | ORL | POR | RGN | SD | UTA | WAS | WNY |
| 2013 | — | 2,427 | 1,711 | 4,626 | — | — | — | — | — | 1,666 | — | 13,320 | 2,306 | — | — | 3,625 | 4,485 |
| 2014 | — | 2,437 | 2,949 | 2,018 | 4,650 | -- | — | — | -- | 1,656 | -- | 13,362 | 3,666 | — | — | 3,335 | 3,177 |
| 2015 | — | 2,863 | 4,210 | 3,091 | 6,413 | -- | — | — | -- | 2,189 | -- | 15,639 | 4,060 | — | — | 4,087 | 2,860 |
| 2016 | — | 3,570 | 3,005 | 3,162 | 5,696 | -- | — | — | -- | 2,162 | 8,785 | 16,945 | 4,602 | — | -- | 3,782 | 3,868 |
| 2017 | — | 2,896 | 3,196 | 1,788 | 4,578 | -- | — | — | 4,389 | 2,613 | 6,186 | 17,653 | 4,037 | — | -- | 3,491 | -- |
| 2018 | — | — | 4,368 | — | 3,896 | -- | — | — | 5,129 | 2,531 | 4,837 | 16,959 | 3,824 | — | 9,466 | 3,892 | — |
| 2019 | — | — | 5,451 | — | 3,615 | -- | — | — | 5,875 | 3,338 | 5,565 | 20,098 | 5,213 | — | 10,774 | 6,105 | — |
| 2021 | — | — | 3,143 | — | 3,386 | 4,837 | — | 6,610 | 4,986 | 3,793 | 4,227 | 12,555 | 5,240 | — | — | 4,130 | — |
| 2022 | — | — | 5,863 | — | 5,644 | 7,657 | 19,105 | 6,048 | 4,545 | 4,415 | 4,385 | 15,543 | 6,844 | 8,729 | — | 5,955 | — |
| 2023 | — | — | 4,848 | — | 5,857 | 11,353 | 19,756 | 5,999 | 5,384 | 6,293 | 6,005 | 18,918 | 13,610 | 20,718 | — | 10,876 | — |
| 2024 | 13,617 | — | 7,156 | — | 6,194 | 11,500 | 19,313 | 6,208 | 6,362 | 8,589 | 8,340 | 18,725 | 8,503 | 19,575 | 10,304 | 13,937 | — |

## Attendance records
### Regular season

    As of November 3, 2024
| Rank | Home team | Score | Away team | Attendance | Venue | Location | Date |
| — | OL Reign | 0–2 | Portland Thorns FC | 42,054* | Lumen Field | Seattle, Washington | June 3, 2023 |
| 1 | Chicago Red Stars | 1–2 | Bay FC | 35,038 | Wrigley Field | Chicago, Illinois | June 8, 2024 |
| 2 | OL Reign | 0–0 | Washington Spirit | 34,130 | Lumen Field | Seattle, Washington | October 6, 2023 |
| 3 | San Diego Wave FC | 1–2 | Kansas City Current | 32,066 | Snapdragon Stadium | San Diego, California | March 23, 2024 |
| 4 | San Diego Wave FC | 1–0 | Angel City FC | 32,000† | Snapdragon Stadium | San Diego, California | September 17, 2022 |
| 5 | San Diego Wave FC | 3–2 | Chicago Red Stars | 30,854 | Snapdragon Stadium | San Diego, California | March 25, 2023 |
| 6 | San Diego Wave FC | 2–0 | Racing Louisville FC | 30,312 | Snapdragon Stadium | San Diego, California | October 15, 2023 |
| — | OL Reign | 2–1 | Portland Thorns FC | 27,248* | Lumen Field | Seattle, Washington | August 29, 2021 |
| 7 | San Diego Wave FC | 1–4 | North Carolina Courage | 26,516 | Snapdragon Stadium | San Diego, California | September 8, 2024 |
| 8 | San Diego Wave FC | 1–2 | Angel City FC | 25,515 | Snapdragon Stadium | San Diego, California | June 17, 2023 |
| 9 | Portland Thorns FC | 2–1 | North Carolina Courage | 25,218† | Providence Park | Portland, Oregon | August 11, 2019 |
| 9 | Portland Thorns FC | 2–0 | OL Reign | 25,218† | Providence Park | Portland, Oregon | September 16, 2023 |
* indicates part of a doubleheader with other teams; not included in rank † indicates sellout

### Playoffs

    As of November 17, 2024
| Rank | Home team | Score | Away team | Attendance | Venue | Date | Stage |
| 1 | San Diego Wave FC | 0–1 | OL Reign | 32,262 | Snapdragon Stadium | November 5, 2023 | Semifinal |
| 2 | San Diego Wave FC | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | Chicago Red Stars | 26,215 | Snapdragon Stadium | October 16, 2022 | Quarterfinal |
| 3 | Portland Thorns FC | 0–1 (a.e.t.) | NJ/NY Gotham FC | 25,218† | Providence Park | November 5, 2023 | Semifinal |
| 4 | OL Reign | 1–2 | NJ/NY Gotham FC | 25,011 | Snapdragon Stadium | November 11, 2023 | Final |
| 5 | Portland Thorns FC | 2–1 | San Diego Wave FC | 22,035 | Providence Park | October 23, 2022 | Semifinal |
| 6 | OL Reign | 0–2 | Kansas City Current | 21,491 | Lumen Field | October 23, 2022 | Semifinal |
| 7 | Houston Dash | 1–2 | Kansas City Current | 21,284† | PNC Stadium | October 16, 2022 | Quarterfinal |
| 8 | Portland Thorns FC* | 0–3 | North Carolina Courage | 21,144† | Providence Park | September 22, 2018 | Final |
| 9 | Portland Thorns FC | 3–4 | Western New York Flash | 20,086 | Providence Park | October 2, 2016 | Semifinal |
| 10 | Washington Spirit | 3–2 | NJ/NY Gotham FC | 19,365† | Audi Field | November 16, 2024 | Semifinal |
* indicates "home" team in predetermined venue for championship final † indicates the match was a sellout

## NWSL attendance vs. other leagues
### Vs. other North American women's professional leagues

The following table compares the NWSL regular season average attendance against that of other professional women's sports leagues in North America.
| League | Year started | Sport | Teams | Games played | Season | Attendance | Attendance | Attendance | Ref. |
| League | Year started | Sport | Teams | Games played | Season | Average | Average vs. prior season | Total | Ref. |
| National Women's Soccer League | 2013 | Soccer | 14 | 182 | 2024 | 11,235 | +14.1% | 2,044,848 | |
| Women's National Basketball Association | 1996 | Basketball | 12 | 240 | 2024 | 9,807 | +48% | 2,353,735 | |
| Professional Women's Hockey League | 2024 | Ice hockey | 6 | 72 | 2023–24 | 5,448 | — | 392,259 | |
| Liga MX Femenil | 2016 | Soccer | 18 | 306 | 2023 Clausura | 2,483 | +23.8% | 367,442 | |
| National Pro Fastpitch | 2004 | Fastpitch | 5 | 72 | 2015 | 1,128 | +26% | ~135,360 | |
* ↑ The first PWHL season was billed as the 2023–24 season, but took place entirely within calendar 2024.
* ↑ Inaugural season.
* ↑ As the consequence of a riot, Querétaro played its first four home matches of the Clausura behind closed doors.
* ↑ NPF had 6 teams for its 2016 & 2017 seasons, though attendance numbers for those are not available. Defunct in 2022.

### Vs. other professional soccer leagues in North America

The following table compares the NWSL regular season average attendance against the average regular season attendance for other professional soccer leagues in North America.
| League | Year started | Division | Teams | Matches played | Season | Attendance | Attendance | Attendance | Ref. |
| League | Year started | Division | Teams | Matches played | Season | Average | Average vs. prior season | Total | Ref. |
| Liga MX | 1943 | Men's DI | 18 | 153 | 2023 Clausura | 23,160 | +12.8% | 3,450,854 | |
| Major League Soccer | 1996 | Men's DI | 28 | 476 | 2022 | 21,033 | -1.4% | 10,011,578 | |
| National Women's Soccer League | 2013 | Women's DI | 14 | 182 | 2024 | 11,235 | +14.1% | 2,044,848 | |
| USL Championship | 2011 | Men's DII | 27 | 472 | 2022 | 7,622 | +44.5% | 1,983,922 | |
| Canadian Premier League | 2019 | Men's DI | 8 | 112 | 2022 | 3,176 | -34.7% | 355,696 | |
| Liga MX Femenil | 2016 | Women's DI | 18 | 306 | 2023 Clausura | 2,483 | +23.8% | 367,442 | |
| USL League One | 2019 | Men's DIII | 11 | 170 | 2022 | 2,203 | +13.3% | 359,107 | |
* 1 2 As the consequence of a riot, Querétaro played its first four home matches of the Clausura behind closed doors.
* 1 2 3 4 Compared to 2019, the last previous season unaffected by COVID-19 pandemic-related restrictions.
* ↑ Known as the United Soccer League before the 2019 season.

### Vs. other worldwide women's top-division soccer leagues

The following table compares the NWSL regular season average attendance against the regular season average attendance for a selection other top-flight soccer leagues from around the world; this list is not exhaustive.
| League | Year Started | Nation | # Teams | Season | Average attendance | Average vs. prior season | Total Attendance |
| National Women's Soccer League | 2013 | United States | 14 | 2024 | 11,235 | +14.1% | 2,044,848 |
| Women's Super League | 2011 | England | 12 | 2023–24 | 7,363 | +41% | 971,977 |
| Frauen-Bundesliga | 1990 | Germany | 12 | 2022-23 | 2,718 | +221% | 359,428 |
| Liga MX Femenil | 2016 | Mexico | 18 | 2022-23 | 2,072 | -16% | 311,081 |
| WE League | 2021 | Japan | 12 | 2022-23 | 1,401 | | 154,141 |
| Liga F | 1988 | Spain | 16 | 2022-23 | 1,393 | +124% | 334,320 |
| A-League Women | 2008 | Australia | 12 | 2022-23 | 1,249 | +8% | 126,194 |
| Division 1 Féminine | 1974 | France | 12 | 2022-23 | 954 | +42% | 126,292 |