The ranking weighs factors including demand, market potential and the practicalities of joining the league. Sacramento’s position is bolstered by its established soccer ambitions: Sacramento Republic FC has long pursued a place in MLS, giving the city a foundation that a new bid would need to build on.
Still, expansion decisions involve more than fan interest. Ownership, stadium plans and the ability to sustain a top-flight club will all matter. Those tests can turn a promising market into a difficult proposition.
Providence ranks third with 62.8, followed by Raleigh on 56.9 and Jacksonville on 56.0. Las Vegas, despite its profile as a major sports market, sits 12th with 39.6. That contrast captures the uncertainty: a ranking can reward readiness, while commercial appeal and political momentum may pull the conversation elsewhere.
The report says MLS has reached 30 clubs and that expansion to 32 is increasingly discussed. If two places are available, the league will have to balance new territory against the strength of bids and the demands of a larger competition. Louisville, Providence and other contenders offer different cases; none should be treated as a confirmed choice.
For Sacramento, the challenge is to convert a first-place ranking into a compelling, workable proposal. For MLS, the next expansion decision will reveal whether it prioritises markets with existing soccer foundations or reaches for broader commercial opportunity. Until the league names its preferred candidates, Sacramento leads the conversation-but the race remains open.