CityPark in St. Louis makes its debut in 2023 as the home of St. Louis City, the newest team in Major League Soccer. The 22,500-seat venue is the latest in a long line of stadiums that have been the sites of all manner of soccer games at all levels of the sport in the 150 years of soccer in St. Louis. Here are some facts and firsts about sites for soccer matches in St. Louis.
Site of largest crowd
Edward Jones Dome (now the Dome at America’s Center), 54,184, largest for a soccer game in Missouri, Real Madrid 3. Inter Milan 0. Aug. 10, 2013
Site of first known soccer-like game
Grand Avenue Baseball Park (later renamed Sportsman’s Park), Blondes vs. Brunettes (game ends in a tie), May 28, 1875
Site of first international game
Union Park (Jefferson and Cass avenues), Western Football Association (from Toronto area) 9, St. Louis Thistles 0, Dec. 25, 1884
Site of first international women’s game
Soccer Park, USA 4, France 1, April 26, 1996
Site of first known indoor game
St. Louis Arena, St. Louis All-Stars 1, Southern Illinois All-Stars 0, Dec. 17, 1929
Site of first international indoor game
St. Louis Arena, Moscow Red Army 11, St. Louis Stars 4, Feb. 13, 1974
Site of first women’s professional league game
Korte Stadium at SIU-Edwardsville, Chicago 1, St. Louis Athletica 0, April 4, 2009
Site of largest crowd for a college game
Busch Stadium II, 22,512 (still-standing national record), St. Louis U. 5, SIU-Edwardsville 1, Oct. 30, 1980
Site of first Olympic game
Francis Field, Gault (Canada) 7, Christian Brothers College 0, Nov. 16, 1904. (Soccer was ademonstration sport at the 1904 Olympics.)
Site of first World Cup qualifier
Public Schools Stadium, Canada 3, USA 2, July 6, 1957
Site of first Olympic qualifier
Busch Stadium II, USA 2, Jamaica 1, May 14, 1972
Sites of first league
Sportsman’s Park and Union Park, for Western Association formed Oct. 28, 1884
Sites of first women’s league
Fairground Park and St. Teresa’s, 1951
Site of first NCAA championship game
Public Schools Stadium, West Chester 2, St. Louis U. 0, Nov. 25, 1961
Site of first U.S. Open Cup final
High School Field, Ben Miller of St. Louis 2, Fore River (Mass.) 1, May 9, 1920
Site of first U.S. Amateur Cup final
Oakland Stadium (previously known as Walsh Stadium), Simpkins of St. Louis 5, Pittsburgh Beading 2, April 25, 1954, first game. (Pittsburgh won
second game 5-1 in Pittsburgh on May 2 to win Amateur Cup on total goals.)
Site of first U.S. Junior Cup final
Public Schools Stadium, Philadelphia Lighthouse Boys 2, Windsor AC of St. Louis 1, May 21, 1949