New study reveals the most likely city for MLS Expansion and it's not Las Vegas | OneFootball

MLS already has 30 teams in total across both Eastern and Western conferences. However, there has been talk that the division could grow to 32 franchises.

There should, hopefully, be a soccer surge in the United States after co-hosting the World Cup. Therefore, the time is soon to announce a new expansion club to the MLS.

A recent study commissioned by Casino.org revealed that Sacramento is currently the leading U.S. city expected to secure an MLS expansion team.

They were followed by Louisville, Providence, Raleigh, and Jacksonville. Las Vegas, which has been widely speculated to have an MLS team in the future, was ranked as low as 12th.

The research assessed 25 non-MLS markets and was based on attendance figures of USL and NWSL teams, facilities, potential owners, and population.

There have been controversial rumors that the Vancouver Whitecaps could relocate to Vegas. Whilst franchise movement is prominent in U.S. Sports, it is frowned upon in Europe, where soccer, or football as they call it, is a very traditional game.

There was a huge uproar in England when Wimbledon FC became Milton Keynes Dons. This led to the formation of AFC Wimbledon.

The new Wimbledon often now meets MK Dons in the lower divisions of English soccer, which are always fiery affairs.

MLS expansions is a controversial issue

MLS has learnt from European soccer. In 2017/18, there was a real possibility that the Columbus Crew could relocate to Austin.

This led to the #SaveTheCrew campaign. Vancouver is now performing a similar protest with #SaveTheCaps. The Crew eventually remained, and Austin still got their own MLS team in 2018.

Sacramento already has a USL Championship team. The Sacramento Republic are currently fifth in Group B of the division.

The USL is even soon adopting a more European method of promotion and relegation, which will come into practice in 2028.

If Sacramento were to be given an MLS team, it would likely put an end to the Republic. It happened with San Diego Loyal in 2023, when San Diego FC became an MLS club.

MLS has a problem that other soccer divisions throughout the world do not have.

In other leagues, getting into a top division is based on merit; any club can one day play top-flight soccer through promotions.

However, in MLS, as it is a franchise division, any city can come out of nowhere with a top-flight club. This causes problems for the lower ecosystem of the sport.