Columbus Crew

The Columbus Crew are a founding member of Major League Soccer, launching in 1996 as one of the league's ten original clubs. Based in Ohio's capital, the team has evolved from a scrappy expansion side into a modern powerhouse, winning three MLS Cups (2008, 2020, 2023) and a Leagues Cup in 2024. The Crew play at Lower.com Field, a 20,000-seat stadium that opened in 2021, replacing the historic Columbus Crew Stadium (the first soccer-specific venue built for an MLS team). Before that, they played at Ohio Stadium.

Owned by the Haslam family (who also own the Cleveland Browns) and former team physician Pete Edwards, the Crew have a passionate fanbase known as the Nordecke. The club's style under head coach Wilfried Nancy emphasizes possession-based, attacking soccer. In 2023, they set attendance records with multiple sellouts. The Crew have also won the Supporters' Shield three times (2004, 2008, 2009) and the U.S. Open Cup in 2002, making them one of the most decorated American clubs. [edit]

Lamar Hunt, the legendary sports pioneer, secured Columbus as an MLS charter franchise in 1994. The team was briefly called the Columbus Eclipse before settling on Crew. Their first match at Ohio Stadium on April 13, 1996, drew 25,266 fans, though they lost 4-1 to D.C. United. Early stars like Brian McBride and Dante Washington gave the expansion side credibility, and the Crew made the playoffs in each of their first three seasons.

The defining moment for the franchise came in 1999 when they opened Columbus Crew Stadium, the first soccer-specific stadium in MLS history. That venue, later renamed Mapfre Stadium and now Historic Crew Stadium, hosted the 2000 All-Star Game and the 2001 MLS Cup. Under Sigi Schmid, the Crew won their first MLS Cup in 2008, beating the New York Red Bulls 3-1. The 2007 arrival of Guillermo Barros Schelotto transformed the attack, and he won league MVP in 2008.

A dark period arrived in 2013 when owner Anthony Precourt attempted to relocate the team to Austin, Texas. Fans organized the #SaveTheCrew movement, which drew national attention and eventually led to the sale of the club to the Haslam and Edwards families in 2019. The new ownership immediately invested in the roster and built a downtown stadium, Lower.com Field, which opened in 2021. That same year, the Crew won the Campeones Cup, beating Cruz Azul 2-0.

Under French coach Wilfried Nancy, hired in 2023, the Crew adopted an expansive, possession-based style. They won the 2023 MLS Cup, defeating LAFC 2-1, and followed it up with the 2024 Leagues Cup title, beating LAFC again. The club's academy has also produced talent like Aidan Morris, now at Middlesbrough. [edit]