With the latest edition of the MLS league season now in full swing, there is a rather pleasing sight and that is stadiums up and down the country once again being open. Whereas before, COVID-19 meant that the doors were locked to supporters, that is thankfully no longer the case.
Which means, the roar of the crowd is back in full swing (or thereabouts) and with fans lending their voice across the United States and Canada, it gives us the perfect reason to see just which are the best MLS stadiums of 2021.
Therefore, in no particular order here are the best stateside soccer constructions at this present moment in time. The question is, will your beloved team make the cut or not?
There may be some recency bias here, but even without such a stance it is hard to argue against the West End Stadium in Cincinnati being the current league leader and when you look at what has been constructed, you can begin to understand why it has received such high praise.
With Cincinnati being one of the newer franchises in the MLS - as 2021 will be the third year of competitive existence, it is fair to say that was little expense spared when it comes to the build of the West End Stadium.
This shrine to FC Cincinnati is one that can welcome a rather impressive 26,000 supporters on matchday and at $250m in terms of the cost, it will need each and every last one of those to start paying such a fee back. Then again, if it leads to success on the field, it will be worth every cent.
This soccer-specific stadium is based in Saint Paul of Minnesota and with it being opened in 2019 – that being the third season of United's MLS existence, it is perhaps fair to say that efforts on the field have not matched the majesty of their home.
Although the Minnesota based franchise had to wait longer than they wanted to move into their new home, the wait was worth it in the end and why was that? Because eventually the Wonderwall would be unveiled to the world.
What is the Wonderwall? It is a safe-standing area which plays host to just under 3,000 supporters on any given matchday and with it being angled at a rather steep 34.8 degrees, it means those in that section of the ground have a far more immersive experience than elsewhere at Allianz Field.
For those who are looking to bet on the MLS action, it would make sense to use the best sports betting app on the market today and for those who are looking for one of the most beautiful stadiums in the competition, it would make sense to go to Providence Park in Portland.
Home of the Timbers, Providence Park is steeped in history and after first opening in 1926, there is no doubt it is one of more authentic stadiums within America's ever-burgeoning soccer environment.
Not only that, but Providence Park is perhaps known for one superfan in particular, that of course being "Timber Joey". While there may be some great sights throughout the MLS, there is none better than when Joey unleashes his chainsaw during another Timbers league contest.
Admittedly this stadium does not have the most amount of "wow-factor" on our list, but there is no doubting the importance of the Red Bull Arena and that importance is perhaps more on a national team level.
That's because, this is often the home of the United States Men's National Team and with a capacity of 25,000 you can understand why the New York location is trusted with being the temporary home for the likes of Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie.
Of course, it is not just the capacity which lends itself as one of the better-known homes of the USMNT, there is also the small matter of it being such an eye-catching construction and for that reason alone, it is the fourth and final introduction to our list of top contenders.
My daughter's first ever football match - Orlando City v Atlanta United, August 2019. Written for Izzy to read when she gets old enough. Vamos Orlando
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