Football, or soccer as it is known in some countries, is the most popular sport in the world, with billions of fans and followers across the globe.
The game is played at various levels, from amateur to professional, and there are hundreds of leagues and competitions that showcase the best talent and teams in the sport.
But which are the best football leagues in the world? How do they compare in terms of popularity, quality, revenue, attendance, and TV viewership?
Here we will rank the top 10 best football leagues in the world based on these criteria and provide some insights into their history, highlights, and achievements.
10. Russian Premier League (Russia)
The Russian Premier League (RPL) is the top division of professional football in Russia, and one of the youngest leagues in Europe, having been founded in 1992.
The league consists of 16 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the second-tier Russian Football National League.
The season runs from July to May, with a winter break from December to March.
Due to recent events, Russian clubs have been banned from participating in UEFA competitions.
The RPL is one of the most competitive and unpredictable leagues in the world, with fewer than 10 different champions in its history.
The most successful club is Spartak Moscow, with 10 titles, followed by CSKA Moscow and Zenit Saint Petersburg.
The league has also produced some of the best players in the world, such as Andrey Arshavin, Roman Pavlyuchenko, Aleksandr Golovin, and Artem Dzyuba.
The league is also known for its passionate and loyal fans, who create a vibrant and colorful atmosphere in the stadiums.
The RPL is one of the most popular and watched leagues in the world, with an average attendance of over 16,063 fans per game, and a TV viewership of between 12 to 18 million people per season.
The league generates a revenue of over $869 million per year, mainly from broadcasting rights, sponsorship deals, and ticket sales.
9. Liga MX (Mexico)
Liga MX is the top division of professional football in Mexico, and one of the oldest and most prestigious leagues in the Americas, having been founded in 1943.
The league consists of 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the second-tier Liga de Expansión MX.
The season is divided into two tournaments, the Apertura and the Clausura, each with its own champion. The champions of each tournament face each other in a final series to determine the overall league champion.
The league champion qualifies for the CONCACAF Champions League, along with the runners-up and the winners of the Copa MX.
Liga MX is one of the most competitive and entertaining leagues in the world, with a high level of skill, intensity, and drama.
The league has a rich history and tradition, with 24 different champions in its history.
The most successful club is América, with 14 titles, followed by Guadalajara, with 12. The league has also produced some of the best players in the world, such as Hugo Sánchez, Rafael Márquez, Javier Hernández, and Hirving Lozano.
The league is also known for its passionate and loyal fans, who create a festive and lively atmosphere in the stadiums.
Liga MX is one of the most popular and watched leagues in the world, with an average attendance of over 25,582 fans per game, and a TV viewership of over 1 billion people per season.
The league is also one of the most valuable in the world, with a total market value of €835.20 million, according to Transfermarkt.
8. Primeira Liga (Portugal)
The Primeira Liga is the top division of professional football in Portugal, and one of the most respected and influential leagues in Europe, having been founded in 1934.
The league consists of 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the second-tier Liga Portugal 2. The season runs from August to May, with each team playing 34 games.
The league champion qualifies for the UEFA Champions League group stage, while the runners-up and the third-placed team enter the qualifying rounds. The fourth-placed team qualifies for the UEFA Europa League, along with the winner of the Taça de Portugal.
The Primeira Liga is one of the most competitive and exciting leagues in the world, with a high level of skill, flair, and creativity. The most successful club is Benfica, with 38 titles, followed by Porto, with 29, and Sporting CP, with 19.
The league has also produced some of the best players in the world, such as Eusébio, Luís Figo, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Bruno Fernandes. The league is also known for its passionate and loyal fans, who create a vibrant and colorful atmosphere in the stadiums.
The Primeira Liga is one of the most popular and watched leagues in the world, with an average attendance of over 7,482 fans per game.
The league is also one of the most valuable in the world, with a total market value of €1.39 billion, according to Transfermarkt.
7. Brasileiro Série A (Brazil)
The Brasileiro Série A is the top division of professional football in Brazil, and one of the most diverse and dynamic leagues in the world, having been founded in 1959.
The league consists of 20 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the second-tier Brasileiro Série B.
The season runs from May to December, with each team playing 38 games.
The league champion qualifies for the Copa Libertadores group stage, along with the runners-up, the third-placed team, and the fourth-placed team.
The fifth-placed and the sixth-placed teams qualify for the Copa Libertadores qualifying rounds, while the seventh-placed to the twelfth-placed teams qualify for the Copa Sudamericana.
The Brasileiro Série A is one of the most competitive and thrilling leagues in the world, with a high level of skill, speed, and talent. The most successful club is Palmeiras, with 10 titles, followed by Santos, with 8, and Corinthians, with 7.
The league has also produced some of the best players in the world, such as Pelé, Zico, Romário, Ronaldo, and Neymar.
The league is also known for its passionate and loyal fans, who create a festive and lively atmosphere in the stadiums.
The Brasileiro Série A is one of the most popular and watched leagues in the world, with an average attendance of over 18,817 fans per game, and a TV viewership that is not publicly available.
The annual revenue of Brasileiro Série A is not publicly available. The league is also one of the most valuable in the world, with a total market value of €1.03 billion, according to Transfermarkt.
6. Eredivisie (Netherlands)
The Eredivisie is the top division of professional football in the Netherlands, and one of the most innovative and influential leagues in Europe, having been founded in 1956.
The league consists of 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the second-tier Eerste Divisie. The season runs from August to May, with each team playing 34 games.
The league champion qualifies for the UEFA Champions League group stage, while the runners-up enter the qualifying rounds. The third-placed team qualifies for the UEFA Europa League, along with the winner of the KNVB Cup.
The Eredivisie is one of the most competitive and entertaining leagues in the world, with a high level of skill, flair, and youth.
The most successful club is Ajax, with 36 titles, followed by PSV Eindhoven, with 24, and Feyenoord, with 15. The league has also produced some of the best players in the world, such as Johan Cruyff, Marco van Basten, Dennis Bergkamp, and Arjen Robben.
The league is also known for its passionate and loyal fans, who create a vibrant and colorful atmosphere in the stadiums.
The Eredivisie is one of the most popular and watched leagues in the world, with an average attendance of over 11,867 fans per game for the 2023/24 season.
The annual revenue of Eredivisie is not publicly available. The league is also one of the most valuable in the world, with a total market value that is not publicly available, but the average market value per player is about €2.56m, according to Transfermarkt.
5. Ligue 1 (France)
Ligue 1 is the top division of professional football in France, and one of the most prestigious and influential leagues in Europe, having been founded in 1932.
It comprises 20 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the second-tier Ligue 2.
The season runs from August to May, with each team playing 38 games.
The league champion qualifies for the UEFA Champions League group stage, while the runners-up and the third-placed team enter the qualifying rounds.
The fourth-placed team qualifies for the UEFA Europa League, along with the winner of the Coupe de France.
Ligue 1 is known for its high level of skill, and flair and has a rich history and tradition, with 19 different champions in its 89-year history.
The most successful club is Saint-Étienne, with 10 titles, followed by Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain, with 9 each.
The league has also produced some of the best players in the world, such as Michel Platini, Zinedine Zidane, Thierry Henry, and Kylian Mbappé.
Ligue 1 is one of the most popular and watched leagues in the world, with an average attendance of over 21,000 fans per game and a TV viewership of over 500 million people per season.
The league generates a revenue of over $1 billion per year, mainly from broadcasting rights, sponsorship deals, and ticket sales.
The overall market value of all players in Ligue 1 is over $2.5 billion, according to Transfermarkt.
Despite its strengths, Ligue 1 has faced challenges in maintaining its competitive standing compared to other top European leagues and has been referred to as a “farmers league” due to a perceived lack of competitiveness in European competitions and intraleague performance.
Efforts to address these challenges include improving the quality of its clubs and investing in developing its talent pool.
4. Serie A (Italy)
Serie A is the top division of professional football in Italy, and one of the most respected and influential leagues, having been founded in 1929.
It comprises 20 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the second-tier Serie B.
The season runs from August to May, with each team playing 38 games.
The league champion qualifies for the UEFA Champions League group stage, while the runners-up, the third-placed team, and the fourth-placed team enter the UEFA Champions League at different stages.
The fifth-placed and the sixth-placed teams qualify for the UEFA Europa League, along with the winner of the Coppa Italia.
Serie A is known for its high level of skill, tactics, and defense, and has a rich history and tradition, with 16 different champions in its 92-year history.
The most successful club is Juventus, with 36 titles, followed by Milan and Internazionale, with 18 each.
The league has also produced some of the best players in the world, such as Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Del Piero, Francesco Totti, and Gianluigi Buffon.
The league is also known for its passionate and loyal fans, who create a vibrant and colorful atmosphere in the stadiums.
During the 2022-2023 season, Serie A recorded an average attendance of 29,495 fans per game, a significant increase compared to the previous season.
The overall market value of all players in Serie A is approximately €4.66 billion, with an average market value of €8.19 million per player, according to Transfermarkt.
3. La Liga (Spain)
La Liga is the top division of professional football in Spain, and one of the most prestigious and influential leagues in the world, having been founded in 1929.
The league consists of 20 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the second-tier Segunda División.
The season runs from August to May, with each team playing 38 games.
The league champion qualifies for the UEFA Champions League group stage, while the runners-up, the third-placed team, and the fourth-placed team enter the qualifying rounds.
The fifth-placed and the sixth-placed teams qualify for the UEFA Europa League, along with the winner of the Copa del Rey.
La Liga is one of the most competitive and entertaining leagues in the world, with a high level of skill, flair, and creativity.
The league has a rich history and tradition, with 9 different champions in its 92-year history.
The most successful club is Real Madrid, with 34 titles, followed by Barcelona, with 26, and Atlético Madrid, with 11.
The league has also produced some of the best players in the world, such as Alfredo Di Stéfano, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Sergio Ramos.
The league is also known for its passionate and loyal fans, who create a vibrant and colorful atmosphere in the stadiums.
La Liga is one of the most popular and watched leagues in the world, with an average attendance of over 31,000 fans per game, and a TV viewership of over 1 billion people per season.
The league generates a revenue of over $2 billion per year, mainly from broadcasting rights, sponsorship deals, and ticket sales.
The league is also one of the most valuable in the world, with a total market value of over $4.5 billion, according to Transfermarkt.
2. Bundesliga (Germany)
The Bundesliga is the top division of professional football in Germany, and one of the most innovative and influential leagues in Europe, having been founded in 1963.
It comprises 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the second-tier 2.
Bundesliga. The season runs from August to May, with each team playing 34 games.
The league champion qualifies for the UEFA Champions League group stage, while the runners-up, the third-placed team, and the fourth-placed team enter the UEFA Champions League at different stages.
The fifth-placed and the sixth-placed teams qualify for the UEFA Europa League, along with the winner of the DFB-Pokal.
The Bundesliga has a rich history and tradition, with 12 different champions in its 58-year history.
The most successful club is Bayern Munich, with 31 titles, followed by Borussia Dortmund, with 5, and Borussia Mönchengladbach, with 5.
The league has also produced some of the best players in the world, such as Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Müller, Lothar Matthäus, and Robert Lewandowski.
The Bundesliga is known for its passionate and loyal fans, creating a vibrant atmosphere in the stadiums.
It is one of the most popular and watched leagues in the world, with an average attendance of over 40,000 fans per game and a TV viewership of over 1 billion people per season.
The annual revenue of the Bundesliga is over €3.6 billion, mainly from broadcasting rights, sponsorship deals, and ticket sales.
It is also one of the most valuable leagues in the world, with a total market value of over €4.36 billion, according to Transfermarkt.
1. Premier League (England)
The Premier League is the top professional football league in England and one of the most prestigious in the world.
It was founded in 1992 and consists of 20 teams that play each other twice, for a total of 38 games per season.
The league operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the second-tier EFL Championship.
The league champion qualifies for the UEFA Champions League group stage, while the runners-up, third-placed team, and fourth-placed team enter the qualifying rounds.
The fifth-placed team qualifies for the UEFA Europa League, along with the winner of the FA Cup.
The Premier League is known for its high level of skill, diversity, and drama, and has a rich history and tradition, with 6 different champions in its 29-year history.
Manchester United is the most successful club with 20 titles, followed by Chelsea with 5 and Manchester City with 4.
The league has produced some of the best players in the world, such as Alan Shearer, David Beckham, Wayne Rooney, and Harry Kane.
The Premier League is one of the most popular and watched leagues in the world, with an average attendance of over 40,000 fans per game and a TV viewership of over 4.7 billion people per season.
The league generates a revenue of over £5.5 billion per year, mainly from broadcasting rights and sponsorship deals.
