Sixteen cities with independent USL clubs have been ranked in the top 40 nationally as one of the best for soccer fans in the United States, according to a new ranking by WalletHub.com released on Wednesday.

Cincinnati is the highest-ranked market in the USL overall at No. 18 in the list, with not only the success on and off the field of FC Cincinnati making a mark in the evaluation but also the strong NCAA Men’s and Women’s soccer programs that can be found at the University of Cincinnati and Xavier University in the city.

Sacramento ranks 21st overall, but it sits as the list’s top-ranked USL market as Republic FC’s 2014 championship and perennial playoff status give it the edge over Cincinnati in the league-specific ranking. With sellout crowds at Papa Murphy’s Park having propelled California’s capital into the national spotlight, Republic FC has become one of the best-known clubs outside Major League Soccer in the United States and Canada.

READ MORE: USL Reaches 1.5 Million Attendance for 2017

Other cities to earn a place in the Top 30 include both Charleston, South Carolina (No. 22), and Richmond, Virginia (No. 24), with the historic presence of the Charleston Battery and Richmond Kickers in both markets making a major impression. Both clubs are celebrating their 25th seasons this season and hold the longest-standing continuous rivalry in the United States.

Two cities that have struck up a more recent major rivalry also made the Top 30, with St. Louis, Missouri (No. 24), and Louisville, Kentucky (No. 27) – which have seen Saint Louis FC and Louisville City FC compete for the Kings’ Cup over the past three seasons – both named to the list.

Also included is Edinburg, Texas (No. 30), where the establishment of H-E-B Park as the home of Rio Grande Valley FC has quickly put the South Texas region on the map. Rounding out the group is Tulsa, Oklahoma (No. 29), where Tulsa Roughnecks FC sit alongside the excellent University of Tulsa Men’s Soccer program in providing quality to the city’s fans.

WalletHub.com’s 40 Best Cities for Soccer Fans in 2017

1. Kansas City, Mo.
2. Orlando, Fla.
3. Los Angeles, Calif.
4. New York, N.Y.
5. Portland, Ore.
6. Seattle, Wash.
7. Washington, D.C.
8. Boston, Mass.
9. Houston, Texas
10. Salt Lake City, Utah
11. Denver, Colo.
12. Chicago, Ill.
13. Columbus, Ohio
14. Dallas, Texas
15. Philadelphia, Pa.
16. Cary, N.C.
17. Piscataway, N.J.
18. Cincinnati, Ohio
19. San Jose, Calif.
20. Atlanta, Ga.
21. Sacramento, Calif.
22. Charleston, S.C.
23. St. Louis, Mo.
24. Richmond, Va.
25. Minneapolis, Minn.
26. Miami, Fla.
27. Louisville, Ky.
28. Raleigh, N.C.
29. Tulsa, Okla.
30. Edinburg, Texas
31. Charlotte, N.C.
32. Pittsburgh, Pa.
33. Bethlehem, Pa.
34. San Antonio, Texas
35. Irvine, Calif.
36. Colorado Springs, Colo.
37. Indianapolis, Ind.
38. Phoenix, Ariz.
39. Rochester, N.Y.
40. San Francisco, Calif.