Top 10 Football Leagues in the world 2024

Football is arguably the most popular sport in the world, and over the last few decades, Europe has become the global centre of world football. According to the International Governing Body for Association Football (FIFA), there are 210 professional men’s football leagues in the world. Countries that are widely considered to have the best domestic leagues are England, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico.

We have ranked the top football leagues around the world based on their quality, popularity, financial prowess and more. Let’s take a look at the eminent list of the top 10 football leagues in the world in 2024.

List of Top 10 Top Football Leagues

1. Premier League – England

Undoubtedly the most-watched football league in the world is the English Premier League and it comes as no surprise that some of the most valued clubs in the world as well as players are part of this division. The likes of Erling Haaland, Mohamed Salah, and Kevin De Bruyne all ply their trade in England. The English top flight is regarded as one of the most difficult leagues in the world due to the top-quality teams such as Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, and Tottenham Hotspurs, world-class players like Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, Mohamed Salah and elite managers namely Pep Guardiola, Mikel Arteta, Arne Slot and Ange Postecoglou all compete in this league.

As per breaking the line, the league boasts 643 million viewers and 38,181 people average stadium attendance per game, with over 3.2 billion TV audiences across 212 overseas territories- astronomically high compared to any other leagues in this list.

Also Read: Top 5 Most Watched Football Leagues in the World

2. La Liga – Spain

Ranking second, securing the Silver medal is La Liga whose clubs prominently Atletico Madrid, FC Barcelona, and Real Madrid CF have continued to be threatening on the European and world stage over the last few decades. It’s currently home to some of the best players and managers in the world such as Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr, Jude Bellingham, Luka Modric, Lamine Yamal, and coaches like Carlo Ancelloti and Hansi Flick. Many expect La Liga to be the natural runner-up to the Premier League, but the Spanish first-tier league has seen a significant decline in its viewership and popularity since the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

In South Asia – they have failed to attract any major Television broadcast deal According to the stats, around 76 million viewers from across the world watch the league on average.

3. Bundesliga – Germany

Unsurprisingly, the Bundesliga is the third most popular football league in the world with Bayern Munich being the most successful club in the German top-flight and they have enjoyed some serious success in Europe as well. It attracts one of the highest numbers of attendees in world football and the league is watched by 361,000 people on average. Some of the top football clubs such as Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen, RB Leipzig, and flaunting the most passionate fanbase play in the German top division.

Players like Jamal Musiala, Joshua Kimmich, Thomas Muller, Harry Kane, and Florian Wrtiz are the prominent names playing in the Bundesliga.

4. Seria A – Italy

Founded in 1898, the Serie A is one of the oldest football leagues in the world and was once regarded as the undisputed superior league. The Italian first division brags some heavy European giants such as AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus, and Napoli. It is one of the most competitive and defensive leagues in the world, as Serie A has had four different winners in the last four years: Napoli, AC Milan, Inter Milan, and Juventus. The average stadium attendance is 24.7 thousand per game and 2 million worldwide viewers ship through various means of broadcasting.

5. Ligue 1 – France

The league was founded in 1932 and is operated by the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP). There’s a vast difference between PSG, the league’s most dominant force in recent years, and the rest of the clubs in the league. This league is known to produce world-class players the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Karim Benzema, Kylian Mbappe, and Raphael Varane only a few names. The viewership of Ligue 1 has spiked in recent years with the arrivals of Lionel Messi, Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, and Sergio Ramos.

However, since the departure of these superstar players, the French league has struggled to attract major sponsors and sell its broadcasting rights worldwide, regardless, it still maintains its place in the top-five league.

6. Eredivisie – Netherlands

Dutch football is known for producing remarkable young players who go on to make a major impact in some of the elite clubs and leagues in the world. Some incredible young talents are currently plying their trade in Eredivisie and are ready to become future stars. Iconic clubs like Ajax Amsterdam, PSV Eindhoven, and Feyenoord these teams have been involved in European competitions regularly and have won trophies as well. This league has produced the likes of Johan Cryuff, Rudd Gullit, Van Basten, Luis Suarez, Frenkie De Jong, Arjen Robben, and many others.

7. Süper Lig – Turkey

In the seventh position, is the Turkish Professional Football League also known as The Super Lig, although this league is acclaimed for its loud and passionate fanbase that sets a hostile stadium environment during European football nights which makes it quite difficult for clubs to play against Turkish clubs in Turkey. Major clubs like Galatasaray, Fenerbahce, and Besiktas compete in this competition. The winners of the Super Lig get the qualification round slot of the UEFA Champions League, while Turkish outfits are also involved in the competition like Europa and Conference League.

Recently, Victor Osimhein joined Galatasaray while other star players like Edin Dzeko, Hakim Ziyech, and Dusan Tadic are among the players in the league. Currently, making waves in Europe, Arda Guler the Real Madrid sensation was also from Super Lig.

8. Major League Soccer (USA)

Since the arrival of Lionel Messi in the summer of 2023 to play for Inter Miami and soon after many other star players like Luis Suarez, Emil Forsberg, and Jordi Alba have moved to the United States to play in the Major Soccer League. Subsequently, the MLS has garnered an immense amount of viewership and ratings this season. The American league ranks higher than Eredivisie and Primera Liga in terms of viewership.

The league is divided into the Eastern and Western conferences due to the size of the country. It has been watched by an average of 2 million fans per match and the marketing of MLS is astonishing, luring global brands and media rights to increase their reach around the world.

9. Primeira Liga (Portugal)

The Primeira Liga, also known as Liga Portugal is considered one of the best leagues in Europe. The most successful clubs in Portugal historically are Benfica (37 titles) followed by Porto (29 titles) and Sporting CP (18 titles). Over the years, the league has seamlessly developed an endless cycle of talented young players who have made it to some of the biggest European clubs in the world.

Over the years, the Portuguese top-flight league has produced legendary and current elite players such as Pepe, Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias, and Joao Felix. Its standards, huge fanbase, historic clubs, rich legacy, top-class professional players, and global following make it one of the top football leagues in the world by all means.

10. Serie A (Brazil)

The Brazilian Serie A is run by the Brazilian Football Federation (CBF) and consists of 20 clubs playing against each other twice (home and away) during the season. It has been the home of remarkable modern Brazilian footballers like Neymar and Vinicius Junior. Palmeiras and Santos are the most successful teams in this league. It’s the top football league in the world. Some of the most iconic clubs in South America and the world like Flamengo, Palmeiras, Corinthians, and São Paulo play in this league and act as the supply chain for producing talents for European league and clubs.

This league has a rich history, dedicated fans, tradition, and a high level of competition in the league. Brazilian clubs from Serie A mostly dominate the continental competitions like Copa Libertadores (equivalent to UEFA Champions League) and qualify for the FIFA Club World.

Also Read: Ranking the 10 Most Expensive Fantasy Premier League Players Ahead of the 2024/25 season

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