Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber called St. Louis and Sacramento, California, the "front-runners" for the next round of expansion, which could occur as soon as 2020.
He said other candidates, in order of priority, were Detroit; San Diego; San Antonio; Austin, Texas; and Cincinnati.
"What held us back in St. Louis for 20 years is we never had a viable stadium," Garber said. "Now we're talking to a group of investors and we're able to capitalize on the Rams have left. So there is a site where it's ready.”
Garber said he received a call this week from Cincinnati FC owner Carl Lindner, whose team started play in the United Soccer League this season.