Columbus Crew SC

The Crew have won eight major trophies, including three MLS Cups and three Supporters' Shields.

The Columbus Crew are an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. The team began play in 1996 as one of the 10 charter clubs of the league. The Crew are currently operated by an ownership group led by the Haslam family (also owners of the Cleveland Browns and Pilot Corporation) and former team physician Pete Edwards. The Haslam/Edwards group is the third ownership group in club history. The franchise was founded in 1994. Its stadium is ScottsMiracle-Gro Field, opened in 2021. From 1999 to 2021, the Crew played home games at Historic Crew Stadium (formerly Mapfre Stadium and Columbus Crew Stadium), the first soccer-specific stadium built for an MLS team, with a seating capacity of 19,968 as of the 2015 season. From 1996 to 1998, the Crew played its home games at Ohio Stadium on the campus of Ohio State University. In 2023, the team set club attendance records for both most cumulative attendance and most sellouts. The Crew have won eight major trophies: the MLS Cup in 2008, 2020 and 2023; the Supporters' Shield in 2004, 2008, and 2009; the 2002 U.S. Open Cup; and the Leagues Cup in 2024. The Crew have qualified for the CONCACAF Champions Cup (or its predecessor, the CONCACAF Champions League) six times, reaching the quarter-finals on five occasions. In 2021, the club won their first continental trophy by winning the Campeones Cup, and in 2024, the Crew advanced to their first Champions' Cup final.

Quick Facts

Home arena: Lower.com Field

Lore & Background

The Crew won the Supporters' Shield in 2004 with 49 points, going 12–5–13, thanks in part to an 18-game unbeaten streak (8–0–10) to end the season. Despite winning the Supporters' Shield for best record in the league, the club would be eliminated from the MLS Cup in the Eastern Conference semi-finals.

Reader's Guide

The Crew's first game was on April 13, 1996, at Ohio Stadium against D.C. United, winning 4–0. The team's first crest featured three shadowed men in hard hats representing construction workers and Midwestern work ethic. The Crew won the U.S. Open Cup in 2002, their first championship. In 2008, the Crew won its first Eastern Conference title and first MLS Cup.

Did You Know?

The team was tentatively named the Columbus Eclipse in its application to the league.
The name 'the Crew' was chosen from 2,500 entrants and 650 nickname suggestions.
The Crew's first players were South African national team veteran Doctor Khumalo and Brian McBride.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the history of the Columbus Crew?

Originally founded in 1994 as an MLS charter member, the club was revived in 2007 following a hiatus. They have maintained a continuous presence in professional soccer since that return.

How does the Crew relate to the Blue Jackets?

Both teams share ownership ties through the city's sports landscape and contribute to Columbus's status as a major metro market. Fans often support both franchises despite them competing in different leagues.