Sports in the United States are an important part of the country's culture. The five major professional sports leagues in the United States are Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Basketball Association (NBA), the National Football League (NFL), the Major League Soccer (MLS), the National Hockey League (NHL); all five enjoy wide-ranging domestic media coverage and are considered the preeminent leagues in their respective sports in the world, although only basketball, baseball, and ice hockey have substantial followings in other nations. Three of those leagues have teams that represent Canadian cities, and all four are among the most financially lucrative sports leagues in the world. The top professional soccer league in the United States, Major League Soccer (MLS), has reach some popularity levels of the top four U.S. sports leagues or of its international counterparts, although professional soccer's popularity and average attendance have been increasing in recent years.