Charlotte FC breaks record in MLS home opener
The new Major League Soccer franchise broke the attendance record set by Atlanta United in 2018 when they hosted the MLS Cup at Mercedes-Benz stadium.
Charlotte FC hosted the Los Angeles Galaxy in their first home game in franchise history with a record breaking crowd of 74,479 at the Bank of America stadium on Saturday night. The new 28th expansion team broke the record established by Atlanta United when they hosted 73,019 fans in the 2018 MLS Cup final at the Mercedes-Benz stadium.
Unfortunately, the Galaxy ruined the celebration for the home side because Efraín Álvarez scored a stunner late in the game to give the visiting side the 1-0 win and the three points. Regardless of the result, Charlotte has set the bar high and at this rate they can also break Atlanta’s regular season attendance record of 72,548 after 34 regular season games in 2019.
What is next for Charlotte?
The new franchise in Major League Soccer made their debut last week with a 3-0 defeat against DC United and they are still in search of their first win. They have now lost back-to-back games and they will have the opportunity to obtain the three points on 13 March when they play against Atlanta United at the Mercedes-Benz stadium.
Like some teams in Major League Soccer, Charlotte shares the Bank of America stadium with the National Football League franchise the Carolina Panthers. Also, the owner of the MLS side, David Tepper, owns the NFL team.