If you follow English football, you know that rivalries exist between clubs. The Premier League’s biggest club rivalries are more than just football matches; they are cultural phenomena that have shaped the league’s history and enriched the sport.
One thing that has created the rivalries is the size and intensity of each club. For example, Manchester United and Liverpool are two of the biggest and most successful clubs in English football, which adds to the intensity of their rivalry.
But have you ever tried to identify the football clubs with the most fans in England? Here are the top ten, with data sourced from Statista.
1. Manchester United
Manchester United is the football club with the biggest fan base in England. It began as Newton Heath L&YR Football Club in 1878 and changed its name to Manchester United Football Club in 1902.
The club has enjoyed consistent success and growth with popular players such as Gorge Best, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Wayne Rooney.
The popularity of these players, their distinguished tradition and history, and the club’s success have contributed to Manchester United being the most supported football club in England.
Manchester United plays at Old Trafford, with a stadium capacity of 74,031. The club’s worldwide social media fan base is estimated to be over 209 million.
2. Liverpool
Liverpool was founded in 1892 in Anfield, Liverpool. Since then, it has become one of the most successful football clubs globally.
The English team enjoys a huge fan base because it is the most successful English team in European football tournament history, having won six Champions League trophies. Also, players like Kenny Dalglish, Steven Gerard, Ian Rush, and Jamie Carragher are considered club legends.
Liverpool is one of the clubs with the highest attendance in England. The team plays at Anfield Stadium, which has a capacity of 51,000. Liverpool enjoys a worldwide social media following of over 134 million.
3. Arsenal
Arsenal is one of the most supported football clubs in England. It was founded in 1885 as a munition workers’ team from Woolwich and turned professional in 1891.
The club enjoys a huge following in the UK because of its long history, success on the pitch, and style of play. Also, players like Thiery Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Tony Adams, and Ian Wright have only contributed towards the team’s popularity.
Arsenal plays at the Emirates Stadium, which has a capacity of 60,704. Worldwide, the English team enjoys a following of over 97.8 million people on social media.
4. Manchester City
Established in 1880 as St. Mark’s, Manchester City is one of the football clubs with most fans in England. The club was then renamed Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 before renaming to Manchester City in 1894.
The club’s first significant success spell was in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It is from this period that the club derived its popularity.
Although Manchester City is not the Premier League team with the most fans in England, it has a social media following of over 132 million people worldwide.
The team plays at the Etihad Stadium with a capacity of 53,400, where great players like Sergio Aguero, Colin Bell, and Francis Lee once played football.
5. Chelsea
Chelsea was founded in 1905 and became known for signing big-name players but never consistently experienced big-time success until after 2005 when club ownership changed.
Nevertheless, the English club has won six league titles, eight FA Cups, five League Cups, and four FA Community Shields. Their success in recent years has made them an attractive club in England and globally.
Chelsea is one of the most followed clubs in England, with a global social media fan base of over 137 million.
The club plays at Stamford Bridge with a capacity of 40,173, where players like Frank Lampard, Gianfranco Zola, Didier Drogba, and John Terry have played their football.
6. Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur was founded in 1882 as Hotspur Football Club and renamed in 1884. The club plays at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with a capacity of 62,850 spectators.
The club has had top managers and players like Teddy Sheringham, Jurgen Klinsmann, and David Ginola. Unfortunately, Spurs finished mid-table most seasons with few trophies won until things changed in the 2000s.
Tottenham Hotspur’s recent success has made them one of the most followed football clubs in England. The club enjoys a worldwide social media following of over 89 million people.
7. Newcastle United
Newcastle United was founded 1881 as Stanley FC and changed its name to Newcastle East End shortly afterwards. The club has had its ups and downs recently, battling relegation and winning promotion back to the top flight.
Newcastle United plays at St James’ Park with a capacity of 52,257. Its iconic footballers include Alan Shearer, Jackie Milburn, Kevin Keegan, and Shay Given.
It is one of the most followed football clubs in England, with a global social media following of over 11 million people.
8. Aston Villa
Aston Villa was founded in 1874 by Villa Cross Wesleyan Chapel members in Handsworth. It has been a leading English club since the 1880s, known for its short and quick combination passing.
Aston Villa is one of the football clubs with most fans in England. Its stadium, Villa Park, has a capacity of 42,520 spectators and has been home to players like Paul McGrath, Peter Withe, and Ian Taylor.
The club played a significant role in developing professional football in England. Aston Villa has a social media following of 14 million people worldwide.
9. West Ham United
Founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC, West Ham United has never fallen below the second tier of English football.
The club’s consistency in top-flight football is why the team enjoys a huge following in England. Globally, West Ham United has over 14 million followers on social media.
West Ham United plays at the London Stadium with a capacity of 62,500. Its iconic historical players include Trevor Brooking, Bobby Moore, Paolo Di Canio, and Mark Noble.
10. Everton
The football club was founded in Liverpool in 1878 as St. Domingo FC and later renamed Everton in 1879. Since then, Everton has had a successful history, winning the Cup Winners’ Cup, the league title nine times, and the FA Cup five times.
Everton was a founder member of the Football League in 1888. As a result, the club has spent more seasons in the top division of English football than any other club, hence its huge support base.
Everton plays at the Goodison Park, which has a capacity of 39,414. The club enjoys a global social media following of over 13 million people.
Have your say!
Which English Premier League club do you support, and why?
Leeds Utd has a bigger fan base than Villa, West Ham, and Everton. Definitely