MLB Attendance Rises for Fourth Straight Year to 71.75 Million

Major League Baseball saw a 0.4% increase in average attendance this season, reaching its highest total since 2017 with 71.75 million fans.

Major League Baseball attendance reached 71.75 million for the 2026 season, a total that represents the highest mark since 2017. According to the Associated Press, teams averaged 29,589 fans across 2,425 dates, reflecting a 0.4% increase over the previous year's average of 29,471. This marks the first time since the 2004-07 period that league attendance has risen for four consecutive seasons.

The Tampa Bay Rays recorded the largest individual increase, growing by 628,255 to a total of 1,414,975. This surge followed the team's return to Tropicana Field after spending 2025 at the 10,046-capacity Steinbrenner Field due to Hurricane Milton damage. The Rays, who won the AL East for the first time since 2021, drew up to 28,055 fans per game at their home stadium this year.

The Los Angeles Dodgers led all clubs with a team-record 4,034,219 fans, averaging 49,805 per game. Other significant gains were seen by the Chicago White Sox, who rose 540,687 to 1,986,425 following an 84-78 season, and the Toronto Blue Jays, who increased by 488,943 to 3,338,878. Seattle also saw growth of 345,745, reaching a total of 2,883,798.

Conversely, the New York Mets experienced the sharpest decline, dropping 472,450 to a total of 2,712,120. Despite winning the AL West with an 81-81 record, Houston saw a decrease of 255,759. The Athletics, playing at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, recorded a league-low total of 799,240, averaging 9,867 fans per game. Five clubs exceeded the 3 million mark this season, down from six in the previous year.