As far as attendance goes, this year was not a record-breaking year for the Seattle Sounders, but the fans are still the best in the league.
World Soccer Talk just released a list of the top 43 most-attended soccer games in the United States in 2016, and 13 of those games were right here at CenturyLink Field, and 11 of them were Seattle Sounders games. The only other MLS games to make the list were the home opener for the Orlando City Lions vs Real Salt Lake at Camping World Stadium and the San Jose Earthquakes vs. LA Galaxy game at Stanford Field.
In 2016, there were 43 games in the United States that had attendance of over 40,000 people, which is actually a decrease from the 45 games in 2015, but much higher than previous years numbers.
The Copa America Centenario made up 20 of the games on this list. Others high on the list were International Champions Cup and two Mexican friendlies. The largest game was when Real Madrid took on Chelsea at the Big House in Ann Arbor, Michigan (the second time in the last three years that a soccer game in the US was attended by over 100,000 people). Before Real Madrid took on Manchester United in 2014, the last 100,00 plus game in the US was the 1984 Olympic Gold Medal game between Brazil and Italy.
But, Seattle made us proud, with 13 games on the list. Those two non-Sounders games were the United States vs. Ecuador and Argentina vs. Bolivia Copa America games.
That this came in a year when the Sounders had their lowest average attendance since 2011 shows just how great the attendance is here.
Here is the complete list of the Top 43 attended matches in the United States in 2016:
1. Real Madrid vs. Chelsea, International Champions Cup, July 30, Michigan Stadium: 105,826
2. Real Madrid vs. PSG, International Champions Cup, July 27, Ohio Stadium: 86,641
3. Mexico vs. Jamaica, Copa America, June 9, Rose Bowl: 83,263
4. Argentina vs. Chile, Copa America, June 26, MetLife Stadium: 82,026
5. Bayern Munich vs. Real Madrid, International Champions Cup, August 3, MetLife Stadium: 82,012
6. Colombia vs. Peru, Copa America, June 17, MetLife Stadium: 79,194
7. USA vs. Argentina, Copa America, June 21, NRG Stadium: 70,858
8. Mexico vs. Chile, Copa America, June 18, Levi’s Stadium: 70,547
9. Argentina vs. Chile, Copa America, June 6, Levi’s Stadium: 69,451
10. Mexico vs. Chile, Friendly, June 1, Qualcomm Stadium: 68,254
11. USA vs. Colombia, Copa America, June 3, Levi’s Stadium: 67,439
12. Mexico vs. Venezuela, Copa America, June 13, NRG Stadium: 67,319
13. Chelsea vs. AC Milan, International Champions Cup, August 3, US Bank Stadium: 64,101
14. Mexico vs. Paraguay, Friendly, May 28, Georgia Dome: 63,049
15. Orlando City vs. Real Salt Lake, MLS, March 6, Camping World Stadium: 60,147
16. Mexico vs. Uruguay, Copa America, June 5, University of Phoenix Stadium: 60,025
17. Argentina vs. Venezuela, Copa America, June 18, Gillette Stadium: 59,183
18. Colombia vs. Chile, Copa America, June 22, Soldier Field: 55,423
19. Argentina vs. Panama, Copa America, June 10, Soldier Field: 53,885
20. Bayern Munich vs. Inter Milan, International Champions Cup, July 30, Bank of America Stadium: 53,629
21. Seattle Sounders vs. Portland Timbers, MLS, August 21, CenturyLink Field: 53,302
22. Brazil vs. Ecuador, Copa America, June 4, Rose Bowl: 53,158
23. Chelsea vs. Liverpool, International Champions Cup, July 27, Rose Bowl: 53,117
24. USA vs. Paraguay, Copa America, June 11, Lincoln Financial Field: 51,041
25. Ecuador vs. Haiti, Copa America, June 12, MetLife Stadium: 50,976
26. San Jose Earthquakes vs. LA Galaxy, MLS, June 25, Stanford Stadium: 50,816
27. Seattle Sounders vs. Real Salt Lake, MLS, October 23, CenturyLink Field: 50,022
28. Seattle Sounders vs. LA Galaxy, MLS,, July 31, CenturyLink Field: 48,458
29. Seattle Sounders vs. NYCFC, MLS, June 25, CenturyLink Field: 47,537
30. USA vs. Ecuador, Copa America, June 16, CenturyLink Field: 47,322
31. Seattle Sounders vs. Vancouver Whitecaps, MLS, September 17, CenturyLink Field: 47,111
32. Colombia vs. Costa Rica, Copa America, June 11, NRG Stadium: 45,808
33. Argentina vs. Bolivia, Copa America, June 14, CenturyLink Field: 45,753
34. Bayern Munich vs. AC Milan, International Champions Cup, July 27, Soldier Field: 44,826
35. Seattle Sounders vs. Club America, CONCACAF Champions League, February 23, CenturyLink Field: 42,836
36. Seattle Sounders vs. Colorado Rapids, MLS, November 22, CenturyLink Field: 42,774
37. Colombia vs. Paraguay, Copa America, June 7, Rose Bowl: 42,766
38. Seattle Sounders vs. Colorado Rapids, MLS, May 21, CenturyLink Field: 41,028
39. Seattle Sounders vs. LA Galaxy, MLS, July 9, CenturyLink Field: 40,813
40. Mexico vs. New Zealand, Friendly, October 8, Nissan Stadium: 40,287
41. Uruguay vs. Jamaica, Copa America, June 13, Levi’s Stadium: 40,166
42. Seattle Sounders vs. FC Dallas, MLS, July 13, CenturyLink Field: 40,101
43. Seattle Sounders vs. Vancouver Whitecaps, MLS, March 19, CenturyLink Field: 40,012