Study reveals best moment to take toilet break during MLS game

MLS fans could miss up to 4.6 goals per season by going to the bathroom at the wrong time, a study by The Grueling Truth finds. With the new season freshly underway, we tried to tackle what might be the biggest annoyance among soccer fans: hearing your friends cheer for that long-awaited goal in the next room while you’re in the middle of a bathroom break.

Key findings:

MLS fans could miss up to 4.6 goals per season because of badly timed bathroom breaks, with Orlando City supporters at the highest risk
52% of U.S. soccer fans have missed their team scoring because they were in the bathroom
On average, MLS fans take one bathroom break per match, lasting about 2 minutes and 23 seconds
9 in 10 MLS supporters hold it in so they don’t miss any of the action

A significant 52% of U.S. soccer fans occasionally miss their team scoring a goal because they were “stuck” on the toilet. It makes sense: on average, MLS fans visit the bathroom once per match, spending 2 minutes and 23 seconds there, as our survey of 3,000 MLS fans across the country reveals. Meanwhile, 95% admit to holding it in so they don’t miss any of the action. When asked when they are most likely to take a bathroom break, only 15% said they do so only at halftime.

But what consequences does that have in terms of potentially missing the action? To find out, we analyzed over a hundred matches per team to identify when the most and fewest goals were scored and, based on that, determine the best times to take a bathroom break with the least chance of missing a goal. Plus, we found out how many goals we miss each season because of poorly timed bathroom breaks.

Safest and riskiest moments to take a bathroom break during MLS games

For most MLS teams, the final 10 minutes of a match are by far the most critical time to avoid taking a bathroom break. The exceptions are FC Cincinnati, Nashville SC, Philadelphia Union, and St. Louis City SC, where most of the action occurs around halftime. Portland Timbers fans are advised not to leave their seats between the 71st and 80th minutes, while Columbus Crew supporters should preferably remain seated between the 51st and 60th minutes. Based on our analysis of over a hundred games per team, the first 20 minutes of a match are statistically the safest time to take a bathroom break.

Orlando City fans at highest risk of missing goals during bathroom breaks

Now that we know when most goals are scored and how often and how long fans take bathroom breaks during matches (not at halftime), we can estimate how many goals fans could statistically miss over the course of an entire MLS season in a worst-case scenario. Orlando City fans risk missing 4.6 goals per season due to poorly timed bathroom breaks. With an average of 1.48 bathroom breaks per game, each lasting 2 minutes and 41 seconds, they spend about 3 minutes and 59 seconds away from their seats per match. Based on the average number of goals scored during peak scoring windows, that translates to potentially missing 4.6 goals over a full season. This is the highest number among all MLS fanbases. Atlanta United and Inter Miami fans rank second-highest, with a potential of 4.2 missed goals per season, while New England Revolution and Red Bull New York supporters risk missing “only” 1.5 goals per season during bathroom breaks.

Methodology

For The Grueling Truth’s Best Bathroom Break study, we analyzed 106 matches per MLS team, covering the full 2023, 2024, and 2025 seasons, plus the opening four matches of 2026. For every match, we tracked scoring frequency within 10-minute intervals. Using this dataset, we identified the statistically optimal moments to step away with the lowest probability of missing a goal by your favorite team.

Additionally, we commissioned a nationwide survey of 3,000 U.S.-based MLS fans in March 2026. The survey sample was 62% male, 36% female, and 2% non-binary, with an average age of 38.1 years. Respondents were asked about their match-day habits, including:

Favorite MLS team
Average number of bathroom breaks per game (excluding halftime)
Typical duration of a bathroom break
When they are most likely to take a bathroom break
Whether they have ever missed a goal while away
Whether they actively delay breaks to avoid missing the action

To calculate the maximum statistical probability of missing a goal during a bathroom break over a full MLS season, we included:

Match analysis: Based on SoccerSTATS.com data, we reviewed 106 matches per team across the full 2023, 2024 and 2025 seasons, plus the first four matches of 2026.
Fan insights: A nationwide survey of 3,000 U.S.-based MLS fans conducted in March 2026 to determine average bathroom break frequency and duration during a match.

To estimate the seasonal impact, we use the peak scoring density identified in the data:

Missed goals (worst-case) = (N × D) × ((Gmax / 106) / 10) × 34

N: Average number of bathroom breaks per fan per game (survey data)
D: Average bathroom break duration in minutes per fan (survey data)
Gmax: Highest number of goals recorded in any 10-minute window across the 106-match dataset
34: Standard MLS regular season match count

Check Out More Useful Gambling Guides

Back

This is the best time to go to the bathroom during an MLS match

Key findings:

Safest and riskiest moments to take a bathroom break during MLS games

Orlando City fans at highest risk of missing goals during bathroom breaks

Methodology

Check Out More Useful Gambling Guides