The International Sports Analysts Center CIES Football Observatory has announced a new ranking of the world football teams with the most subscribers. This list, which takes into account audiences on major social networks — X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube — features the most popular clubs in the world competing against each other.
In this year's ranking, Real Madrid has left all its rivals behind, achieving absolute leadership. The Madrid team has managed to gather over 473.7 million subscribers across all platforms. Real is solidifying its position as the most followed team not only in Europe but also among football fans worldwide.
In second place is the Catalan club Barcelona. Its number of subscribers has reached 427.4 million, which also indicates how wide the audience of world football is.
In third place is the English giant Manchester United, with 233.6 million subscribers. Clubs like PSG (199.4 million), Manchester City (179.5 million), Juventus (174.9 million), Liverpool (166.7 million), Chelsea (152.9 million), Bayern Munich (149.1 million), and Arsenal (114.1 million) also complete the strong top ten.
Interestingly, among Russian clubs, only Zenit has made it into the top 100. The Petersburg team occupies the 68th place with 10.4 million subscribers and is noted as the only club from Russia to enter this elite list.
The Secrets of Popularity and Modern Football Marketing
Today, football clubs hold significant importance not only for their results on the field but also for their impact in the digital space, popularity, and activity on social networks. Millions of subscribers are factors that directly influence the team's international brand, commercial agreements, opportunities in the transfer market, and the expansion of their fan base.
Giants like Real Madrid and Barcelona continue to evolve into global brands, attracting millions of young fans from various continents. English clubs are also attracting many new fans due to the promotion of the Premier League and professional marketing strategies.
The CIES Football Observatory ranking once again demonstrates how football has become a global structure around the world. Fans continue to support their favorite clubs not only in stadiums but also daily through the internet. It is evident that modern football has become an important part of not just sports but also world culture and popularity.
