Places

Yesterday, I was one of the fortunate 19,796 to witness Minnesota United open Allianz Field in Saint Paul. Ultimately I was very blessed because I got to take part in a spectacular atmosphere, but more so because I got to watch NYCFC goalkeeper Sean Johnson finesse one into his own net.

The match took place at 4:00 p.m. with the temperature hovering around 40 degrees and the sun appearing about as frequently as a Minnesota clean sheet.

As of March 3, it’s now only 96 days until the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup kicks off on June 7 with hosts France taking on South Korea at the Parc des Princes in Paris. With the date fast approaching, we can now feast our eyes on the official FIFA tournament posters for each of the nine host cities.

The Australian A-League is in the midst of its 14th season, and although there are plans to expand the league by two teams by the start of the 2019-20 campaign (Macarthur South West United and Western United FC), attendance numbers remain a concern. 

The 2019 MLS season is right around the corner, and the buildup to it has been filled with news of growth: new MLS teams, new exciting young players and the new kits they’ll be wearing.

Mixed with the old and the new of MLS is the stadia. In MLS, a good portion of the league's teams now have their own soccer-specific stadiums. Some clubs are currently going through the process of building a stadium, some are renovating and others are still waiting to leave their baseball fields behind.

Here’s a roundup of new stadiums coming to MLS this year and a few years down the road.

Stadiums are part of a club's identity. They are the embodiment of the history, past and present of any club, contribute to the atmosphere of a match and add an aesthetic value to to the game. 

The stadiums of top level teams are usually the most developed and have the highest capacity. They also get the most love. Stadiums like Old Trafford, the Santiago Bernabeu and the San Siro are world renowned, because some of the best teams play there.