Football is a universal language in which the lovers of the game communicate through the echoes of stadium cheers, thrill upon every goal, and heartbreak upon every loss.
It is not an overstatement to say that football is by far the favourite sport of the world, played and watched by an estimated 3.5 billion fans.
Originating in 19th-century England, the modern version of this game has since transcended borders, cultures, and languages to become an obsession for millions around the world.
But which countries are the most football-crazy?
1. England (8.37)
Football runs through English veins like hot tea in a cup at any countryside café. Having been considered the birthplace of modern football, England has since harboured an enduring, almost passionate, relationship with the sport.
Now, with a new index score of 8.37 out of 10, England confidently holds the title of the most obsessed country with football, and its ever-growing craze is not slowing down.
England can boast 90 stadiums with a capacity of over 10,000 fans each, and a Premier League game sees an average of 40,236 fans.
Still, maybe the most booming proof of the passion they hold towards football is the mind-boggling amount of £1.63 billion shelled out for the domestic broadcast rights of the Premier League. That is not spending money on football; that is investing in a national obsession.
It’s not just a love for the game; it’s a full-blown cultural phenomenon. From grassroots clubs to Premier League giants, football is more than a pastime-it’s a way of life for the English.
The fever peaks during international tournaments, with 65% of the population watching the 2022 Qatar World Cup. If you’re in England and you’re not into football, good luck escaping the fever.
2. Spain (7.83)
Spain is the football royalty, of course – from FC Barcelona’s tiki-taka dominance to the national team’s international triumphs. Spain is tied for second, with an overall score of 7.83,
Spain’s rich footballing history translates from the pitch into the stands.
With 66 major stadiums and the average attendance at a La Liga game being 29,584, football simply runs deep in the Spanish veins. From Real Madrid to FC Barcelona, almost every game is a national event.
And with a television deal hauling in £850 million a season, the country is well on its way to magnifying itself.
This passion for football scales even higher in World Cup tournaments, where 63.8% of Spaniards declared an interest in watching the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
The combination of global reach and international victories probably makes Spain the footballing giant.
3. Germany (7.83)
And then there is Germany, on equal footing with Spain.
In Germany, football is not exactly a pastime—it is a meticulous national effort. The day the team takes the field, it is the most disciplined and effective that spectators can hope to see; hence, many world-beaters derive from its soil both in terms of clubs and national teams.
Four-time winners of the FIFA World Cup, Germany’s national team, Die Mannschaft, has long inspired deep national pride and global respect.
The country has 61 stadiums, and the Bundesliga games have an excellent average attendance of 42,992. The broadcast deal of German football is worth £926 million per season, second only to England’s Premier League.
But there was a sentiment to watch the 2022 World Cup from only 50.1 per cent of Germans; still, their love for club football and such a matchday atmosphere is unparalleled; thus they remain comfortably above the list.
4. Brazil (7.60)
Brazil is football, and that is an understatement. The South American giant has given world legends like Pele, Ronaldo, and Neymar, while its national team is the record holder for most times winning the FIFA World Cup. It’s little wonder Brazil scored 7.60 out of 10 on the football-crazy scale.
Football weaves through the Brazilian cultural fabric with 144 stadiums, topping this list.
Also, with 28,296 average attendance per match, the number slightly decreases. There is no match for the love the nation has for the game, as 85.9% of Brazilians express interest in watching the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
But football in Brazil is about so much greater than the money – look at their relatively modest domestic broadcast deal of £171 million.
But in a country that has more football fields in some areas than classrooms, it is simply a right of passage and a very national obsession.
5. Italy (7.52)
Italy’s love for football is hot, passionate, and often emotional, much like the country itself. Currently sporting a score of 7.52, Italy sits comfortably in the fifth position amongst the world’s most fanatical football nations.
The nation boasts of 64 big stadiums, and Serie A matches attract an average 29,537 number of fans.
Italians live and breathe soccer. Starting from iconic players such as Roberto Baggio, and Paolo Maldini to tactically outstanding coaches like Antonio Conte, and Arrigo Sacchi, Italy has played a significant part in writing football’s rich history.
Although only 59.3% of Italians showed interest in the 2022 World Cup, the domestic love for the beautiful game is there in the nation’s £926 million broadcast deal.
For the Italians, football is much more than triumph: it is style, pride, and a nationalistic sense all squeezed into 90 minutes of beautiful chaos.
6. Argentina (7.17)
Argentina does not just love football; it reveres it. Scoring 7.17 on the index, one can easily see why.
The country is home to two of the best sportsmen in the sport, Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi. Football in Argentina is more than a sport.
It houses 54 stadiums in Argentina, with truly passionate fans; the average match-day attendance reaches an astonishing 40,768, higher than many European leagues.
In fact, when it came to World Cup fever, Argentina is also high on the list since 82.3% of its population followed the 2022 tournament very anxiously.
Yet for all its relative modesty in domestic broadcast deals at £36 million, Argentina’s love for the game isn’t about the bottom line. It’s about heart, pride in the nation, and a fan base that lives for every goal, every dribble, and every win.
7. Mexico (6.71)
Mexico has 127 football stadiums, holding an average attendance of 20,500 per match for the Liga MX. This means passionate football makes the beating heart of this North American nation, proven by its 6.71 on the football-crazy index.
Football is no longer just a sport there but a cultural expression.
73.5% of Mexicans get on the 2022 World Cup bandwagon, then it is quite evident that the national team have a significant place in the country’s collective identity.
The domestic broadcast deal, valued at £246 million, goes a long way toward keeping the passion for the game very much alive in a country deeply in love with the beautiful game of football.
8. United States (6.71)
The United States is gradually turning into a football-crazy nation from what was known to be a one-time outsider in world football.
Now level with Mexico on an index of 6.71, millions of fans pour into the country’s 61 stadiums to watch an average of 42,992 being present at each Major League Soccer (MLS) game.
Though only 50.1% of Americans saw the Qatar World Cup to its conclusion in 2022, football is quickly becoming the most-watched sport in the United States through constantly increasing youth participation and substantial investments in the game.
Thanks to this increasing domestic interest, the £926 million being made for the deal in domestic broadcast, with the 2026 World Cup taking place in the U.S., the love story is only beginning.
9. France (6.63)
In France, the country where the fever for football runs perennially high, more so after their World Cup triumph in 2018, one of the most glittering clubs in Europe, Paris Saint-Germain, puts the country on the global map scoring 6.63. In fact, it is a fantastic football culture not only of Paris but also in the world.
France: 61 stadiums, average attendance of 23,708 per Ligue 1 match. 40.6% of the population is interested in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Quite a shocking fact, considering the recent international achievements of the country.
Still, with a £500 million domestic broadcast deal, France’s love for football, particularly at the club level, remains strong.
10. Saudi Arabia (5.74)
Saudi Arabia is up and coming as a powerhouse in the game of football, with 5.74 making them ranked in the top 10 football-crazy nations. This country has 13 major stadiums for football games, but their sports fame has been on the rise gradually in the country.
With the percentage already high, 85.3% of its populace showing interest in the 2022 World Cup, the football fever is gripping the kingdom.
The domestic broadcast deal, £64m, pales in comparison with that in European football but still represents an increased investment in the country. Recent forays by Saudi Arabia toward hosting major international events suggest the country’s interest in football is just beginning.
Other World’s Most Football Crazy Countries
- Nigeria
- South Africa
- Netherlands
- Turkey
- Portugal
- Czech
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