Protect the Fortress: The Advantage at Bank of America Stadium
- Andrew Crowell
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
By Andrew Crowell - @ajc10_11
Few teams in Major League Soccer have built a home-field advantage as quickly—or as intentionally—as Charlotte FC, where record-breaking crowds, tactical confidence, and a fortress-like record have turned Bank of America Stadium into one of the league’s most difficult places to play. From pre-match coronations to the Poznan tradition while horns from Farruko’s Pepas blare around the stadium, Bank of America Stadium sure knows how to back its players.
Charlotte has been an exceptional team at home in their history. Since Charlotte’s inaugural season in 2022, they have had the second-best home record with 139 points behind only LAFC with 158 points. This proves Charlotte doesn’t just have great vibes at home; they have the performances to back it up.
Top 5 MLS Home Records Since 2022
Team | Points | Record |
Los Angeles FC | 158 | 49-11-12 |
Charlotte FC | 139 | 41-16-15 |
New York City FC | 137 | 41-14-17 |
Columbus Crew | 134 | 38-20-12 |
Philadelphia Union | 134 | 38-20-13 |
Taking a closer look by season, Charlotte finished with 31 points, including one loss at home, with a ninth-place finish in 2022. The following year, they finished with only 26 points at home, including a shocking eight draws at home and another ninth-place finish in 2023. In 2024, Charlotte finished with 32 points at home, along with a fifth-place finish. Finally, last season in 2025, The Crown finished with a fantastic 40 points at home and a fourth-place finish to go along with it. The trend doesn’t lie; the more points Dean Smith and crew acquire at home, the better place they will finish in. To begin the 2026 season, they are one of only three teams to play at least four games and be unbeaten at home, winning three out of their four home games to start the season.
How do they do it? The electric atmosphere in the stadium puts endless pressure on the opponent with each pass, adding more nerves, especially in the earlier parts of the game. This pressure on the opposition lets Dean Smith's tactics reflect more pressure and possession and less reliance on pure counterattacks to lead to a chance on goal. This more aggressive playstyle is reflected in their home scoring record, as the Crown has scored multiple goals in five straight home wins. Especially as of late, these are not 1-0 wins for the team; they are multi-goal performances.
Points at home have proved to be crucial to a squad’s success in competing for the Supporters' Shield and MLS Cup. In the last five years, the average home point total in a season for the Supporters' Shield winner has been 39.6, while the average of the MLS Cup winner has been 38.6. These values have made up almost two-thirds of a team's point total when the end of the season rolls around, proving how crucial it is to take as many points as possible at home. Charlotte has shown an ability to get their home points up to this level; what they have been missing is applying that home pressure in the moments that put them on a true trophy hunt.
Continuing this home form will be essential to The Crown’s success this season and requires not only the players to perform but the loyal fans to be there and be loud, making the true difference that makes matchdays at The Bank that much more impactful.