Football, stadium, history, and especially social media: What components lead football clubs to become a viral phenomenon and global language? Which clubs have managed to make an impact better than others? Let’s find out together, with the Premier League leading the way.
For many people, it is love at first sight when it comes to football, and this game gets played internationally, all over the place, at every level – we just can’t get enough of it, and the fan numbers rank into the billions. That’s impressive for any sport, and some would go as far as to say football is the ultimate sport out there. But on a more granular level, what does that mean? Which are the most supported teams in the world?
Each country has different teams, leagues, and competitions at different levels. Nowadays – thanks to TV, the Internet, and streaming services – supporters can follow the top clubs and bet on sports in Canada, the US, Europe, or wherever they are.
Ranking the most supportive teams in the world is not easy, but by gathering plenty of data from an abundance of sources, it is possible to know how many fans follow different teams. Without offering too many spoilers, a good number of the teams with the most followers and fans are in the English Premier League, a competition that represents the most followed sports league in the world among all sports played. Teams such as Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Arsenal are among the teams with the most fans worldwide. Let’s take a look together at the list of the 7 most followed teams.
Liverpool: One of the most important Premier League teams
Here begins the roundup of great Premier League teams, starting with Liverpool, which has done so well both in the League and especially in Europe – first reaching the Champions League final and then finally managing to win a competition with which the Reds have always been familiar.
Manchester City: Champions League 2023 winners
The most spectacular team in the world, with a coach unlike any other. This club seems small compared to some of the giants we are talking about in this ranking, and yet, Manchester City has arrived after years of dominance in the Premier League to the final consecration in the Champions League. They took a 2023 victory, and it didn’t end there: the number of fans and the intensity of their passion continues unabated.
Arsenal: One of the most supported English teams
Having been the most spectacular team in English football at the peak of a league that has opened its doors abroad, the result is that Arsenal – which has not won for some time, despite having remained at the top for years thanks to Wenger’s work – is still one of the most supported and recognized teams in the world. A global brand, the Gunners’ cannon is emblazoned on fans’ chests in every corner of the planet.
Chelsea – The most important London team
Winning the “battle of London” is Chelsea, which has benefited from vast injections of capital over the past 20 years and has managed to establish itself at the European level – something that Arsenal and Tottenham have failed to do. Above all, with its unmistakable blue, it has set a style benchmark that remains one of the most defining in the Premier League.
Leo Messi’s Barcelona
Over the past decade, the Blaugrana have become the symbol of a certain way of understanding football, talent, one would almost say even life: a style unlike any other, a unique ability to focus on youth, and the talent of Leo Messi to light up the group. That’s a powerful mix that has created quite a buzz both nationally and internationally for this team.
Real Madrid with 500 million fans around the world
Real Madrid has a phenomenal social media following, even though the number of Champions Leagues won is low compared to some of the others on this list. Despite this, few teams could aspire to such popularity as the Madridians enjoy. No matter what, Real Madrid remains one of the most recognizable global brands, with a penetration that goes far beyond mere cheering.
Manchester United: The most cheered team in the world
One of the most followed and supported teams in the world is the Red Devils, thanks to Sir Alex Ferguson, who managed to create a mystique at the turn of the 1990s and 2000s (with David Beckham and others dictating the game), and then saw his fans double between 2007 and 2012: Manchester United – with Cristiano Ronaldo – was a spectacular, strong and entertaining team at the crucial moment for the development of English football. It is an achievement whose benefits are still being reaped today, despite the results not being what they used to be.
