Over the past couple of decades, soccer has become increasingly popular in the United States. Viewerships for events in the MLS, Copa America, Premier League, the Concacaf Cup, and the World Cup have increased drastically. This rising popularity includes the US Men’s and Women's Soccer Teams, who continue to garner more attention due to their successes. There is one team that is clearly ahead in terms of success, as the women's team is constantly ranked the best team in the world, along with winning many championships. The Men’s Team has struggled to make any traction in international tournaments, in spite of more attention going towards improving our soccer culture. One issue that I think should be improved is the lack of crowds at some of our home games. Most of our home matches are usually not sold out, even in stadiums that have a low capacity. One possible solution to this issue is having a national stadium for U.S. Soccer. This is common in many countries around the world, such as soccer obsessed nations such as Argentina, Belgium, Colombia, France, England, Mexico, and many others. The main pro of having a national stadium where our teams would play is that we could create a strong soccer culture in the city where the stadium is located, which will attract large and possibly sold out crowds. In my opinion, these guidelines set below need to be passed in order to find the right choice

1. Has To Be Played On Grass
2. A Seating Capacity Over 20,000. A larger capacity would be better, but they need to find a stadium where it will be sold out every time they play there.
3. A stadium where there will not be a lot of influence from other teams fans. For example, in games at the Rose Bowl against Mexico, the Mexican fans far outnumber US fans, making it feel like a home game for Mexico instead.
4. Easily accessible. By this I mean the stadium is close to many major cities and hubs.
5. There has to be a strong preexisting soccer tradition and culture that exists in the city.
6. It has to be an intimidating atmosphere. One reason why the United States has struggled against Mexico in the Estadio Azteca(Mexico’s National Stadium) is due to the boisterous fanbase. The twelfth man needs to play a part in order to help the U.S. win their matches, so we need to find them a stadium where they can do just that.

And Now.. Here Are My Ideas For The United States National Stadium

Soldier Field: Chicago, Illinois

Soldier Field is a classic American stadium, and it has hosted many important soccer matches. These matches include the 1994 and 1999 World Cup, numerous CONCACAF tournaments, and four COPA America games this year. With a grass field and a capacity of around 61,000, Soldier Field would be a really good fit for US Soccer. The one concern that I have would have is that most CONCACAF and Copa America matches have been played here to less than sold out crowds, and it is a quieter atmosphere than other stadiums on this list.

CenturyLink Field: Seattle, Washington

In my opinion, CenturyLink Field, home of the Seattle Sounders and Seahawks, is the strongest choice for a potential national stadium. For one, the Seattle Sounders average the highest attendance in the MLS, and they can fill an entire football stadium for some of their bigger matches, which is an impressive feat for an MLS club. Secondly, CenturyLink Field is LOUD. In the NFL, it is known for being home of the twelfth man, where they constantly set records for being the loudest stadium in the world. This is due to the stadium being designed to retain sound, along with the seats facing the field. This makes it very hard to hear on the field, making a very intimidating atmosphere for opposing teams. The one concern that CenturyLink has is that the stadium uses Field Turf, not grass. If the US Soccer Federation could reach a compromise with the Seahawks, the team that uses the Fieldturf, this would be the best choice for the US Soccer Teams.

Lincoln Financial Field: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Lincoln Financial Field has hosted many soccer matches, including a few Copa America games this year. There are many perks to having the National Stadium be in Philadelphia: the accessibility to other major cities on the East Coast, the boisterous fans, and packed crowds for when soccer is played here. The only con would the potential for Philly fans to boo Santa Claus again.

Sports Authority Field At Mile High: Denver, Colorado.

This may seem a bit like an odd option, but hear me out. For one, Colorado is growing fast due to the rise of younger individuals entering the state, and millennials tend to be more passionate about soccer. Secondly, Mile High is loud, as there are many nooks and crannies that make it one of the loudest sports stadiums in America. Thirdly, the elevation is around 5280 feet, which would make a challenging climate adjustment similar to that faced in Mexico City at the Estadio Azteca.

Sporting Park: Kansas City, Missouri

This stadium in Kansas City has been a common stop for US Soccer in their qualifying matches, and it is for good reason. The place is loud, and it is one of the most cutting edge stadiums in Major League Soccer. Matches for Sporting KC games are sold out constantly, as it is one of the hottest tickets in town. With a small capacity of around 21,000 though, there would most likely need to be an expansion to get to around forty thousand or above.

Providence Park: Portland, Oregon

Providence Park in Portland has become of the most feared venues in the MLS. Due to its very cozy atmosphere, it makes it a very intimidating place to play for the away side. Partially due to a large millennial population in the city, it also has some of the best and rowdiest fans in the country, if not North America. Just like Sporting Park though, it has a minimal capacity of 22,000, so an expansion would most likely be necessary. But with a large vocal fan base and the nearby hub of Seattle, this could be a promising choice.

Mapfre Stadium: Columbus, Ohio

It’s small just like Sporting and Providence Park, but it has hosted many US qualifiers over the years. Some of the best ones has been their bouts with Mexico, with the men's teams continuously beating them 2-0(it is commonly referred to by US Soccer fans as “Dos a Cero”). The stadium would most likely need to be updated and expanded, but it serves as a good option, especially with many hub cities such as Cleveland and Cincinnati nearby.