Football has grown to be the world’s most popular sport, with people from around the world tuning in to watch their favourite teams compete. Certain clubs have risen to iconic status, capturing the support of millions.
These powerhouse teams not only excel on the pitch but also boast a massive and passionate fanbase. Each of these clubs has carved a place in football history, becoming household names for a lot of families.
This support has extended to their online presence, where fans follow them on social media. This allows us to take a look at which clubs are the most popular.
Here is a list of the ten most followed football clubs across social media.
#10: Arsenal (Premier League) – 96M
Instagram: 28.5M
Facebook: 42M
Twitter: 22.2M
Youtube: 3.37M
The Gunners take number 10 in this ranking. The London-based football club was founded as Dial Square Football Club in 1886 by a group of workers employed by the Dial Square workshop at the Royal Arsenal, an armaments factory in Woolwich.
Mikel Arteta became the team’s manager in December of 2019 and has helped the team to win the FA Cup in the 2019/2020 season, as well as the community shield in both 2020 and 2023.
#9: Bayern Munich (Bundesliga) – 109M
Instagram: 41.2M
Facebook: 58M
Twitter: 6.9M
Youtube: 3.89M
The only team from the German League to appear on our list is Bayern Munich in the ninth spot.
Bayern is historically the most successful German football team, having 83 titles under their belt since their inception in 1900. These titles include 33 Bundesliga first-place finishes, having won every season since the 2011/12 season, when they came in second spot.
They are currently second in the Bundesliga, behind high-flying Bayer Leverkusen.
#8: Juventus (Serie A) – 120M
Instagram: 60.2M
Facebook: 46M
Twitter: 10M
Youtube: 4.48M
Juventus is the most successful club in Italy, and the only team from the Italian League to make our list today.
Founded in November of 1897, Juventus takes the nickname “The Old Lady”. They have won a total of 71 titles, including 36 Serie A seasons. The club’s popularity also received a big boost in 2018, with the arrival of Christiano Ronaldo to the team.
#7: Liverpool FC (Premier League) – 123M
Instagram: 44.1M
Facebook: 46M
Twitter: 24.2M
Youtube: 9.21M
This northwestern England-based team has played in every Premier League season and has garnered a large following as a result.
Players such as Mohammad Salah and Andy Robertson, who have each been with the team since 2017, have helped to boost this club’s popularity to over 123 million followers.
#6: Manchester City (Premier League) – 123M
Instagram: 50.4M
Facebook: 49M
Twitter: 17.3M
Youtube: 6.98M
Founded in 1880, the Blues have been the most successful team in the Premier League in recent years, winning seven of the last 12 Premier League seasons.
Pep Guardiola, who became City’s manager in 2016, has taken the team to new heights. One of the club’s biggest stars is their striker Erling Haaland, who holds the record for most goals in a single Premier League season, scoring 36 times with eight assists in his first 35 Premier League games.
#5: Chelsea FC (Premier League) -125M
Instagram: 41.6M
Facebook: 54M
Twitter: 25.4M
Youtube: 4.86M
Chelsea’s rise to prominence in the Premier League began in 2003 when Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich took over as the club’s owner.
Since their takeover by new owners, Chelsea has seen a major rise in their following, coming in at number five. Players such as Raheem Sterling, Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernandez and Conor Gallagher have continued to boost the club’s popularity.
#4: Paris Saint-Germain (Ligue 1) – 138M
Instagram: 65.3M
Facebook: 51M
Twitter: 15M
Youtube: 7.39M
The only French club in this list, PSG takes is fourth with 138 Million followers. The team has 11 Ligue 1 titles, meaning they have more first-place finishes in the league than any other team, narrowly beating out Saint-Étienne, who has 10 titles.
The club has attracted some of the biggest names in football, including world-class players like Ronaldinho, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Neymar, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappé.
#3: Manchester United (Premier League) – 191M
Instagram: 63.2M
Facebook: 82M
Twitter: 37.5M
Youtube: 8.56M
Manchester United is the most successful team in the Premier League, with more EPL titles than any other club.
Having won a staggering 13 times, the Red Devils’ record is unlike any other team. From the inception of the Premier League in 1992, United came in the top three every single year until the 2013/2014 season.
This success has contributed to their popularity, garnering nearly 200 million followers on social media.
#2: FC Barcelona (LaLiga) – 302M
Instagram: 125M
Facebook: 113M
Twitter: 48.5M
Youtube: 16.4M
Spanish club Barcelona has risen to fame largely due to their legendary roster of players. The club has been home to the likes of Ronaldinho, Andreas Iniesta, Neymar, Xavi, and Messi.
Each of these players achieved great success while playing for the club, and has helped the team to reach over 300 million followers.
FC Barcelona has won 132 titles, and it does not look like it’s slowing down any time soon.
#1: Real Madrid (LaLiga) – 333M
Instagram: 151M
Facebook: 121M
Twitter: 49.8M
Youtube: 12M
With 333 million followers, Real Madrid takes top spot.
The Spanish team is arguably the most successful club of all time, holding 129 titles to their name, and having won La Liga more than any other club, with 35 first-place finishes.
El Clásico is the name of their rivalry against Barcelona. Because of their history and how successful each of the two clubs is, it has become one of the biggest rivalries in football.
Real Madrid has also had several notable players throughout history, such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Figo, and Iker Casillas.
These factors have led to Real Madrid being the most followed football club of all time.