Labeled “The Beautiful Game”, football is arguably the world’s most popular sport. It is a sport with the power to unite nations and even created an unofficial cease-fire during the first Christmas of World War One.
Since its conception in England in the mid-19th century, the modern game of football has risen from a simple community game to a multi-billion dollar industry across the globe. There are countless tournaments and competitions, ranging from amateur and professional leagues to the international level. These competitions draw in billions of viewers yearly and generate vast income for clubs and the global economy. This article will rank the 8 most popular football tournaments and competitions (open to debate, of course).
No.1 The Fifa World Cup
The first Fifa World Cup was played in Uruguay in 1930, and just 13 teams took part. Today, the World Cup is played by 48 teams and has a two-year qualifying process. In 2022, Qatar hosted the most successful world cup to date, which was watched by 5 billion people globally, a 1.5 billion increase compared to the World Cup hosted by Russia in 2018. 110 million alone watched as Argentina won the tournament in the final of the World Cup against France. To this date, Brazil is the most successful world cup team, having won the tournament five times.
No.2 The Premier League
The Premier League was formed in 1888 and is the top division of English Football. It is home to some of the world’s biggest clubs, such as Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Tottenham Hotspur. In the 2019/20 season, the Premier League was broadcasted to a total of 3.2 billion viewers worldwide. It also achieved a total live attendance of 15.2 million, with stadiums averaging to fill 97.7% of their seats.
No.3 The UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League was originally founded in 1955 as the Coupe Des Club Champions Européens but was rebranded in 1992. The tournament brings together the top teams from the top European Leagues. The most successful team in European history is Real Madrid, who have won the competition 14 times. In the 21/22 final, over 3.5 million people watched as Chelsea beat Manchester City to European Glory.
No.4 The La Liga
Founded in 1929, La Liga is the top flight of Spanish Football. It is the league that football giants FC Barcelona and Real Madrid play in. The league draws in 900 million viewers and hosts some of the most talented players in the world. It also hosts one of the world’s most heated rivalries, FC Barcelona Vs. Real Madrid, also known as El Classico.
No.5 The Seria A
Also founded in 1929, the Seria A is the top division of Italian football. Even though it has struggled with falling viewership in recent years, the Seria A still draws in hundreds of millions of viewers each season. The Seria A is home to European giants Juventus, who famously acquired Cristiano Ronaldo after his time at Real Madrid.
No.6 The Bundesliga
Younger than many other European leagues, the Bundesliga was formed in 1963 and is the top division of German football. It expanded in the 1990s following the reunification of Germany. The Bundesliga draws in over 250 million viewers per season. It hosts world-renowned clubs like Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. It is also responsible for producing many top German talents, which have helped make Germany the second most successful World Cup team.
No.7 Ligue 1
Drawing in just over 100 million views per season, Ligue 1 is the top division of French football. It was founded in 1930 and hosts one of the world’s biggest clubs Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). PSG is home to some of the greatest players in the world. Most notably, Argentian legend Lionel Messi and French prodigy Kylian Mbappé.
No.8 The FA Cup
The FA cup first kicked off in 1871. It is the domestic cup in England and invites all teams in England, from the Premier League to the National League, to compete for the chance of silverware. It creates fairytales for small clubs looking to put their face on the front of national papers, and last year over 9 million people watched the final of the FA Cup. One such story came about for National League side Wrexham FC. Owned by Hollywood Stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, the small club reached the fourth round of the FA cup but was beaten by Championship side Sheffield United.