Columbus Crew Marks 32nd Anniversary as First Major League Soccer Franchise

Charter member celebrates three decades in Columbus.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Jun 151 min read

The bomb DOT com 😉🎂 It’s our birthday today so we had to celebrate with Black & Gold dot cakes from Love Riley ✨ ht Via @ColumbusCrew on X

What happened: The Columbus Crew celebrated the 32nd anniversary of being awarded the first Major League Soccer franchise on Monday. The club marked the milestone with custom cakes from local bakery Love Riley while honoring their legacy as the league's first-ever club.

Why it matters: Founded on June 15, 1994, Columbus became the blueprint for the league after securing a record 12,000 season ticket deposits. The three-time MLS Cup champions (2008, 2020, 2023) have since evolved into a league cornerstone and pioneered the soccer-specific stadium movement in the U.S.

By the numbers: 2026 Record: 4-4-7 (16 pts) | Conference: 10th Eastern | Founded: June 15, 1994 | MLS Cup Titles: 3

What to watch: The Crew look to improve their 10th-place standing following the recent multi-year signing of defender Brooks Lennon.

Sources

@ColumbusCrew 2026-06-15T21:00:35.958602+00:00

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