What are the Most Popular Soccer Clubs in the World?

Posted on April 28, 2023 by SoccerPunter

After the 2022 World Cup, soccer has had a significant boost in popularity. The already incredibly popular sport now has over 3 billion fans, and is continuing to grow. In fact, just recently, soccer overtook hockey as America’s third most popular sport. In the rest of the world, the game is the uncontested king of the sports world, with football league bringing in massive revenue.

Bayern Munich

Hailing from Munich, Germany, Bayern Munich was founded in 1900. With over 120 years of history, it shouldn’t be much of a surprise that Germany’s top club has accumulated such a huge following. By far Germany’s top club, Bayern Munich have won a record 32 national titles and 20 national cups. In the past 10 years, they’ve won a title each year, making them the only German club to win 10 consecutive titles.

Known for their incredibly aggressive, offense-based play style, The Bavarians aren’t limited to just national success. They have also won a total of 12 European titles, including six UEFA Champions League competitions. One of their most notable achievements came in 2020, when they won the FIFA Club World Cup for the second time. These achievements, and more, have all contributed to Bayern Munich becoming one of the most popular clubs in the world, with a following of 150 million fans.

Manchester United

The name Manchester United is pretty much synonymous with English football. The Red Devils have dominated the England’s soccer world for most of the 20^th century. They’ve won a record of 20 League titles, 12 Football Association Cups, and another record of 21 Football Association Community Shields. And though the club has been struggling for the past couple of years, when looking at the English Premier League, you will be hard-pressed to find a club that is more successful than United.

The Red Devils have formed several rivalries with fellow English clubs. Their most notable, of course, is the local rivalry against fellow Manchester club, Manchester City. Games between the two are often called “the Manchester Derby” and attract a huge crowd of fans, punters, and casual observers. Apart from the Citizens, the Red Devils have nurtured friendly (and not-so-friendly) rivalries with Leeds United, Liverpool, and Arsenal.

Today, they are one of the highest-earning football clubs in the world, and certainly one of the most widely-supported. And with 330 million fans, many consider them to be the most popular. The club has also produced some of the greatest players in football history, most notably Cristiano Ronaldo, who many consider to be the best player of all time.

Paris Saint-Germain

While not nearly as big as Bayern Munich or Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain’s global fan base exceeding 100 million is nothing to sneeze at. Especially considering they are much younger than any club on this list.

Formed in 1970, Paris Saint-Germain clearly became one of France’s most notable, popular, and accomplished clubs. Thus far, they’ve won 40 official honors, ten of which were Ligue 1 titles. The club has also won a UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup trophy in 1996, and the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 2001.

Unlike Manchester United, the Parisians have not had much time to cultivate many rivalries. However, they have managed to pick a fight with Olympique de Marseille (OM). French fans of football refer to this rivalry as “Le Classique,” and like the Manchester Derby, it is a huge draw for fans and bettors alike.

Today, Paris Saint-Germain is most notable as the home of two of the greatest players in world, Lionel Messi, who recently won the World Cup, and Kylian Mbappe, who many view as one of the best, up-and-coming players in the world.

Real Madrid

Finally, we reach the Spanish club Real Madrid. With over 450 million fans around the globe, Real Madrid is, by far, the most popular soccer club in the world. Founded in 1902, they are among the oldest and most accomplished Spanish clubs today.

One of the most successful Spanish clubs, Real Madrid plays in the top tier of Spanish football league, widely known as La Liga. They are currently ranked 2^nd, falling behind their long-time rivals, Barcelona, who also deserve a mention on this list.

Domestically, Real Madrid are one of the most successful clubs, having won 35 La Liga titles, most recently in 2022. They have also won several continental trophies, including 14 European Cup/UEFA Champions League titles, two UEFA Cups, and five UEFA Super Cups. In 2022 they won the FIFA Club World Cup for the fifth time, cementing their status as one of the best clubs in the soccer world.

Soccer Betting

The popularity of soccer, naturally, makes it a lucrative option at many sportsbooks. And of course, in 2023, most bettors go the online route. For those who don’t know, iGaming first became popular in the 1990s. The term refers to all forms of online gambling and online sports betting. So, whether you want to try out online pokies or place a bet on a soccer game, iGaming has you covered. With excellent bonuses, a ton of diverse options, and thorough coverage of the sports, online gambling and betting is taking the world by storm.

And, of course, soccer is the most popular sport in the betting world. With over 3 billion fans, how can it not be? The game dominates the sports scenes in Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America. Some of the biggest athletes in the world are soccer players. And of course, the world’s biggest and most notable sport tournament is the FIFA World Cup.

Of course, soccer leagues are also quite popular. The European leagues are, by far, the most popular. The English Premier League, the French Ligue 1, the Italian Serie A, and the German Bundesliga are some of the biggest and most beloved soccer competitions. And it is from these leagues that the most popular clubs come from. So, in this article, we would like to take a look at some of the biggest soccer clubs in the world, that enjoy an incredibly large following.