15 Most Watched Football Leagues in 2023

When you talk about the most-watched sports leagues in the Globe without having Football league on your no. 1 list, then you are wrong. Football is one of the things which Brings people from all around the world together through various leagues.

If you love football, here is a look at the best football leagues in the world. Although over 30 football leagues are played in different countries, some are the most watched. The most-watched football leagues on tv have been ranked in terms of average viewers and the average goals scored per game.
Below is the list of 15 football leagues in the world that are most watched around the world.

15 Most-Watched Football Leagues on TV in 2023

  • English Premier League
  • La Liga
  • French League
  • Italian League
  • Brazilian League
  • Dutch Eredivisie
  • German Bundesliga
  • Chinese Super League
  • Major League Soccer
  • Portuguese Primeira Liga
  • Mexican Liga
  • Belgian Jupiler Pro
  • Swiss Super League
  • Russian Premier League
  • Ukrainian Premier League

English Premier League

The first in our list is Premier League which is also called the English Premier League. Founded on 20 February 1992, EPL is the world’s top and best football league.

It is been contested by 20 clubs, and it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football League. See Also The Impact Of English Premier League On Nigerian Youths

Average Viewers: For the 2018–19 season average Premier League match attendance was at 38,181

How the Premier League Works

The league takes place between August and May and involves the teams playing each other home and away across the season, a total of 380 matches. Three points are awarded for a win, one point for a draw and none for a defeat, with the team with the most points at the end of the season winning the Premier League title.

Worth/Award

In addition to a nice trophy, the Premier League winner receives a hefty chunk of prize money. Last season, Manchester City took home $52.2 million in prize money for a total payout of $201.9 million. Second-place Manchester United actually took home more money overall with $202.35 million because it appeared on TV more often. 

Country: England

La Liga

La Liga is the second in our list of the most popular football league in the world. Founded in 1929, La Liga is contested by 20 teams also, with the three lowest-placed teams at the end of each season relegated to the Segunda División and replaced by the top three teams in that division.

La Liga also known as the Spanish League, is among the top and best football leagues in the world. With the teams like FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atletico Madrid, aggregate attendance to La Liga matches is above 10 million, and over 300 million viewers overseas.

Average Viewers:  Average La Liga match attendance is at 26,983 

How the La Liga Works

La Liga is played between August and May, which each club playing every other club twice, once at home and once away, for 38 matchdays. Teams receive three points for a win, one point for a draw, and no points for a loss. The teams are ranked by total points, with the highest-ranked club at the end of the season crowned champion.

Worth/Award

The League is worth around €0.83 billion (£0.6 billion) a season among La Liga clubs (10 % will go for La Liga 2 clubs).

Country: Spain

Germany Bundesliga

Next, in our list is Bundesliga also known as Germany Bundesliga. Founded in 1963 Germany Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany and the football league with the highest average stadium attendance in the world.

The Bundesliga is Germany’s primary football competition at the top of the German football league system. The Bundesliga comprises 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga.

Average Viewers: Among these most watched football leagues on tv Bundesliga ranks second among domestic professional leagues in the world by average attendance (43,458).

How the Germany Bundesliga Works

The seasons run from August to May. Most games are played on Saturdays and Sundays, with a few games played on weekdays. All of the Bundesliga clubs qualify for the DFB-Pokal. It has the highest number of attendees in the league. Moreover, the players are full of talent plus the rivalry is on a new level.

Worth/Award

The First winner of the Bundesliga gets money prize of 751.5 million euros, followed by 608.3 million euros second position and Third position 476.7 million euros for. Aside from the monetary prize, the winner of the Bundesliga qualifies for the DFL-Supercup.

Country: Germany

French League

Among the most-watched football leagues in the world on tv is the French League also known as Liga 1. Founded in 1930 Ligue 1 is the country’s primary football competition, Administrated by the Ligue de Football Professionnel. Paris Saint-Germain won 2018-2019 Ligue

This most viewed football league is contested by 20 clubs and operate on a system of promotion and relegation with Ligue 2.

Average Viewers: It has a high number of attendees. With over 7 million aggregate attendance to its matches and 200 million in the world viewers of this league.

How the French League Works

Seasons run from August to May. Clubs play two matches against each of the other teams in the league – once home and once away – totaling to 38 matches over the course of the season. However, Most games are played on Saturdays and Sundays, with a few games played during weekday evenings. Play is regularly suspended the last weekend before Christmas for two weeks before returning in the second week of January. 

Worth/Award

Country: France

Italian League

Next in our list of football leagues in the world is Italian League, is also known as Serie A, or Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by TIM. However, Serie is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system.

With legendary teams like AC MILAN, INTER MILAN, and JUVENTUS, the league is regarded as one of the best football leagues in the world, and often depicted as the most tactical national league.
Italian league once was the hardest of all leagues and ruled the world football for several years.

Average Viewers: an overall attendance of 8 million to all the matches in the season and 160 billion people in attendance.

How the Serie A Works

During the season, which runs from August to May, each club plays each of the other teams twice; once at home and once away, totaling 38 games for each team by the end of the season.

Thus, in Italian football, a true round-robin format is used. In the first half of the season, called the andata, each team plays once against each league opponent, for a total of 19 games.

In the second half of the season, called the ritorno, the teams play in exactly the same order that they did in the first half of the season, the only difference being that home and away situations are switched. Since the 1994–95 season, teams are awarded three points for a win, one point for a draw and no points for a loss.

Worth/Award

The winner is awarded the Scudetto and the Coppa Campioni d’Italia. Aside from the awards, the top four teams in the Serie A qualify straight to the UEFA Champions League group stages. Teams finishing fifth and sixth qualify for the UEFA Europa League tournament. 

Country: Italy

Brazilian League

SAO PAULO, BRAZIL – FEBRUARY 25: Goalkeeper Diego Alves and Diego of Flamengo lift the champions trophy after a match between Sao Paulo and Flamengo as part of 2020 Brasileirao Series A at Morumbi Stadium on February 25, 2021 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)

Among the most viewed football leagues is the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, commonly referred to as Brasileirão. Brazilian professional league for men’s football clubs. At the top of the Brazilian football league system, it is the country’s primary football competition

Average Viewers: Among these most watched football leagues on tv Brazilian League ranks second among domestic professional leagues in the world by average attendance (43,458).

How the Dutch Eredivisie Works

There are 20 clubs in the Brasileirão. During a season (from May to December) each club plays the others twice (a double round-robin system), once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents, for a total of 38 games.

Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, victories, goal difference, and goals scored. At the end of each season, the club with the most points is crowned champion. If

Worth/Award

The First winner qualifies for the UEFA champions league.

Country: Brazil

Dutch Eredivisie

The Eredivisie is the highest echelon of professional football in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956, two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands.

As of the 2018–19 season, it is ranked the 11th best league in Europe by UEFA and among the most-watched football leagues on tv. The top division consists of 18 clubs. Ajax is the current champion. The average salary for a player is $445,000.

Average Viewers: This most popular football league in the world has an average attendance of 18,010,

How the Dutch Eredivisie Works

The seasons run from August to May. Most games are played on Saturdays and Sundays, with a few games played on weekdays.

Worth/Award

The winner of the Eredivisie claims the Dutch national championship.

Country: Netherland

Chinese Super League

Chinese Super League is a popular football league in the world that is played in China. The league currently known as the China Ping An Chinese Football Association Super League for sponsorship reasons, is the highest tier of professional football in China, operating under the auspices of the Chinese Football Association.

Average Viewers: There is an average attendance of 24,107 in each match. However, The Chinese Super League has the highest average attendance of any football league in Asia. 

How the Chinese Super League Works

However, This popular football league starts in February or March and ends in November or December. In each season, each club plays each of the other clubs twice, once at home and another away. With 16 clubs currently in the Super League, teams play 30 games each, for 240 games in the season.

Worth/Award

The CSL champion’s official trophy award is the Fire-god trophy.

Country: China

Major League Soccer

Founded in 1993, Major League Soccer is among the most viewed football leagues and a men’s professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation.

The league comprises 24 teams—21 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada and constitutes one of the major professional sports leagues in both countries. The average salary for MLS players is $373,094.

How the Major League Soccer Works

The regular season runs from March to October, with each team playing 34 games. Fourteen teams compete in the postseason MLS Cup Playoffs through October and November, culminating in the MLS Cup championship game.

Worth/Award

The team with the best record is awarded the Supporters’ Shield.

Country: United State.

Portuguese Primeira Liga

LISBON, Jan. 6, 2020 (Xinhua) — Luciano Vietto (C) of Sporting CP vies with Danilo Pereira (L) and Otavio of FC Porto during the Portuguese Primeira Liga soccer match between FC Porto and Sporting CP in Lisbon, Portugal, on Jan. 5, 2020. (Photo by Pedro Fiuza/Xinhua/IANS)

Net in our list of the best-viewed football leagues is Portuguese Primeira Liga. Founded in 1934, the Primeira Liga, also known as Liga NOS for sponsorship reasons, is the Portuguese football league’s top professional association football division.

It is organized and supervised by the Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Profissional, also known as Liga Portugal.

Average Viewers: This league has up to 50,000 viewers.

How the Portuguese Primeira Liga Works

There are 18 clubs in the Primeira Liga, up from 16 in the previous seasons. During a season, each club plays all teams twice – once at their home stadium and once at their opponent’s – for a total of 34 games.

And also, At the end of each season, the two lowest-placed teams are relegated to the Segunda Liga, and the top two teams from Segunda Liga are promoted to the Primeira Liga.

Country: Portugal

Mexican Liga

Founded on 17 October 1943, The Liga MX is the top tier of the Mexican football league system. Currently sponsored by BBVA through its Mexican subsidiary BBVA México, it is officially known as Liga BBVA MX.

The league is considered the strongest in North America and among the most viewed football leagues globally.

Average Viewers: According to CONCACAF, the league – with an average attendance of 25,557

How the Mexican Liga Works

The season has two tournaments: Apertura, which starts in the summer, and Clausura, which starts in the winter. As of 2017, the league comprises 18 clubs, with one being relegated every year (two tournaments) based on its league performances over the previous three years.

The first 8 teams in the table at the end of the regular phase of the tournament qualify to the liguilla (“mini-league”, or “playoff”).

Country: Mexico

Swiss Super League

Also known as Raiffeisen Super League, the Swiss Super League is a professional league in the top tier of the Swiss football league system and among the most viewed football leagues. It has been played in its current format since the 2003–04 season.

As of February 2019, the Swiss Super League is ranked 16th in Europe according to UEFA’s ranking of league coefficients, which is based on Swiss team performances in European competitions.

Average Viewers: It is viewed mostly by Switerzland citizens.

How the Swiss Super League Works

Swiss Super League is been played by 10 teams.

Country: Switzerland

Russian Premier League

The Russian Premier League is the top-division professional association football league in Russia. It was  27 August 2001 as the Russian Football Premier League and was rebranded with its current name in 2018.

Average Viewers: 16,817 viewers.

How the Russian Premier League Works

Teams in the Russian Premier League play each other twice, once at home and once away, for 30 matches. Three points are awarded for a win, one for a draw, and none for a loss. If teams are level on points, the tie-breakers are the number of wins, then the goal difference, followed by several other factors.

If the teams are tied for the first position, the tie-breakers are the number of wins, then head-to-head results. If the teams tied for first place cannot be separated by these tie-breakers, a championship play-off is ordered.

Worth/Award

The champions and the runners-up qualify for the UEFA Champions League group stage. The third-placed team qualifies for the Champions League Third qualifying round. The fourth- and fifth-place teams qualify for the UEFA Europa League. 

Country: Russia

Ukrainian Premier League

Founded in 1991, The Ukrainian Premier League, or UPL, is the highest division of the Ukrainian annual football championship.

The sports organization consists of 12 football club organizations that take control of the league’s operations under the statutes of the Football Federation of Ukraine, UEFA, and FIFA. 

Average Viewers: Ukrainian Premier League average viewers is 5751.

How the Ukrainian Premier League Works

Clubs play each other twice (once at home and once away) in the 26-match season. The league begins in mid-July and ends in mid-June. After 13 rounds of fixtures, a winter break lasts for three months (from early December to early March).

Thus, the winter break is significantly longer than the interval between seasons. This schedule accounts for climatic conditions and matches that of most European leagues in terms of the season’s beginning and end.

Worth/Award

The teams that reach the top ranks of the competition table at the end of each season as always gain the chance to represent Ukraine internationally in several prestigious tournaments (continental club tournaments). 

Reference


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