By Aaior K. Comfort

Major League Soccer (MLS) has set a new attendance record, drawing more than 11 million fans to its games this season, surpassing the previous record of 10.9 million set in 2022. The league announced on Monday that it has averaged 23,240 fans per game, breaking the 11-million mark for the first time in its history.

The surge in attendance has been attributed to the arrival of international superstars like Lionel Messi, who joined Inter Miami in mid-2023. Messi’s presence in the league has often led to fixtures being moved to larger stadiums to accommodate more fans, significantly boosting attendance numbers.

“The arrival of international stars and the work from clubs to create more unique fan-friendly ticket packages and game day experiences are among the key drivers of the continued surge of record-breaking attendance across MLS,” the league said in a statement.

With the regular season still ongoing, 16 more matches are set to take place before the season concludes on October 19, 2024. This marks the third consecutive year that MLS has drawn more than 10 million fans to its games, further solidifying the league’s growth and popularity.

Lionel Messi’s move to the U.S. has been one of the most significant factors in this surge, drawing worldwide attention and boosting the overall interest in MLS games.