Phoenix-Glendale, AZ

• Soccer in Phoenix-Glendale
• About University of Phoenix Stadium
• About Phoenix-Glendale, AZ

Phoenix is one the fastest growing areas in the country - and has a growing appetite for soccer as well.

Home to numerous adult and children's leagues, soccer is one of the most popular sports you'll see played in the Phoenix area.  The Arizona Youth Soccer Association is one of the largest of its type in the country - annually registering approximately 25,000 youth soccer players, plus over 10,000 administrators, coaches and volunteers.

A local nonprofit - MLS Phoenix Rising -  has been loudly advocating for the MLS to bring a team to the Phoenix area. With successful professional teams in every other major sport, and a media market that soon expects to be one the US's top ten - one would think that its only a matter of time until a pro soccer team comes to Phoenix.

Phoenix is also home to the Arizona Sahuaros who play in the NPSL.

Completed in 2006, the University of Phoenix Stadium is located in Glendale, 10 miles from Phoenix.

With a seating capacity of 71,000, the stadium has played host to the Arizona Cardinals (NFL) since 2006 and the Fiesta Bowl (BCS) since 2007.

In addition, the stadium was the site of Super Bowl XLII in 2008 and the 2007 BCS National Championship Game.

During the summer of 2009, University of Phoenix Stadium hosted a CONCACAF Gold Cup doubleheader featuring Panama vs. Nicaragua and Mexico vs. Guadeloupe that attracted 23,876 spectators.

The stadium is served by Valley Metro's Bus Route 70.

America's fifth-largest city still has real cowboys and rugged mountains and the kind of cactus most people see only in cartoons.

Phoenix is the gateway to the Grand Canyon, and its history is a testament to the spirit of puebloans, ranchers, miners and visionaries.

Projected against this rich backdrop is a panorama of urban sophistication: Resorts and spas that drop jaws and soothe souls; stadiums and arenas worthy of the world's biggest sports spectacles; restaurants with inspired cuisine and inspiring patio views; golf courses that beckon players the year round; and shopping centers as stylish and eclectic as the fashions they house.

This timeless Southwestern backdrop is the perfect setting for family vacations, weekend adventures or romantic getaways. Each year, 13 to 15 million leisure visitors travel to Greater Phoenix.