CLEVELAND — The Wolstein Center looks a little bit different this weekend as it hosts the largest indoor soccer event in the city of Cleveland in 20 years. 

What You Need To Know

  • The Major League Indoor Soccer Finals are taking place at the Wolstein Center through Sunday, April 13

  • The Cleveland Crunch will play in the buidling for the first time since the 1990s and early 2000s

  • It's the first of two major professional soccer events in Cleveland the next few weeks
  • The Columbus Crew will host Inter Miami CF at Huntington Bank Field on Saturday, April 19

The Major League Indoor Soccer Finals are being played at the Wolstein Center through Sunday, April 13. It's the first time the Cleveland Crunch will play in the bulding since the original Crunch days back in the early 2000s.

“From the beginning, when we found out it was going to be here, we were pedal to the metal," Cleveland Crunch Midfielder Admir Suljevic said. "We wanted to win every game to experience this. Now that we’ve got the number one seed, I think all the guys are ecstatic.”

Suljevic is in his fifth year with the Cleveland Crunch and played his college soccer at the Wolstein Center for the Cleveland State Vikings. He said competing in the building as a professional is a full circle moment in his career. 

“For me, it’s special because I played at Cleveland State," Suljevic said. "It brings back memories, a lot of them. We used to come watch the basketball players here when it was a basketball court, and now it’s a soccer field. It’s a little bit different, but it’s awesome.”

Suljevic is one of seven former Cleveland State Vikings returning to play at their alma mater for the MLIS Finals. Another is Jannis Schmidt, who is in his first year with the Crunch and said the support from the Cleveland community has been important for the team all season.

“It’s my first year, and I’m positively surprised," Schmidt said. "The support from the community and all the fans that come out is incredible and nothing like I’ve experienced for myself beforehand.” 

The Major League Indoor Soccer Finals are the first of two major professional soccer events in the City of Cleveland over the next few weeks. The Columbus Crew will host Inter Miami CF and Lionel Messi at Huntington Bank Field next Saturday, marking the first MLS game played in northeast Ohio.

"For anyone who lives in this area, it’s probably a little bit more difficult for them to get to our home matches," Columbus Crew Director of Player Engagement Dante Washington said. "For them being able to see us up close maybe they’ll be able to spend a little bit more time and become fans and they’re able to come to some games in the future.”

Much like the Columbus Crew, the Cleveland Crunch are hoping to take advantage of northeast Ohio’s growing appetite for professional soccer. The team views this weekend as a chance not just to win a championship, but also a chance to win over the city. 

“There’s not this one team that kind of brings it all together," Schmidt said. "I think the Crunch are in a position to do that. To bring this soccer community together.”

“Hopefully people come out and enjoy it and we can get a venue like this for all of next season," Suljevic said. "A lot of guys do this because of the fans. We just want to continue that. Hopefully we get more fans out of this and continue into next year.”