The MLS is by far the fastest-growing league in North America. Unlike more mature leagues like MLB, NBA, NHL, and NFL, MLS expansion offers an opportunity for cities to land professional franchises in at least one major sports league.
With the league sitting at 30 franchises, the move towards 32 teams seems inevitable at this point. The inclusion of San Diego FC in 2025 was the latest addition, following St. Louis City SC in 2023, and Charlotte FC in 2022.
So, the big question is: Which cities could be in line for the next round of MLS expansion?
The folks at Casino.org have tackled that question by revealing the US cities most likely to land an MLS franchise.
The rankings revealed the 25 cities with the best chances of landing a club. However, it’s the top five that pretty much figure to have a good chance of landing one of the two coveted spots.
- Sacramento 78.7
- Louisville 65.0
- Providence 62.8
- Raleigh 56.9
- Jacksonville 56.0
Sacramento, California looks like the overwhelming favorite to land a team in the next round of MLS expansion. The 78.7 score is based on a number of elements including readiness, demand, market, headroom, and the MLS pathway.
The valuation of these metrics allows the city of Sacramento to top the list. Meanwhile, Louisville, Kentucky ranks second, with Providence, Rhode Island rounding out the top three.
Of course, this ranking does not guarantee that these cities will get a team. But they seem poised to be the best ones to make it happen.
Sin City Could Be Part of MLS Expansion Despite Low Score
One of the most-talked-about cities is Las Vegas. The success of the Vegas Golden Knights and Vegas Raiders put the city in the spotlight. Despite ranking 12th in the list with 39.6, the next round of MLS expansion could focus on Vegas despite chatter about the Vancouver Whitecaps relocating to the desert.
Still, it seems that the strong push to bring football to Vegas will dominate much of the chatter until the next two teams are announced.
What to read next:
Top 10 Led by Cities Without Representation
The top 10 cities vying for an MLS expansion franchise are located in states that currently have no representation. For instance, Kentucky, Rhode Island, Indiana, Arizona, New Mexico, and Michigan all lack a pro team at the MLS level.
That makes this next round of MLS expansion interesting. The league will be looking to find opportunities to grow into markets currently lacking a team. Most importantly, a couple of these markets lack any sort of pro team in any of the major North American leagues.
For instance, Louisville and Providence lack a team in any of the top leagues. Meanwhile, Raleigh, Jacksonville, and Indianapolis have NFL and NHL teams, other cities like Albuquerque do not have any major sports teams.
So, the following wave of MLS expansion could attempt to hit budding markets looking for a major club to support. That’s why it wouldn’t be surprising to see a city like Louisville get the nod for one of the two new clubs.
MLS Expansion Rankings Reveal Cities with Best Chances