Which are the best soccer leagues in the world? A ranked list
The Premier League is frequently hailed as the most thrilling league in the world, and with good reason, football is the most popular and most watched sport globally, as it tops nearly every league comparison criteria. So, what are some of the best soccer leagues in the world?
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The League has been successful in monetary sense and popularity since it was renamed to the "English Premier League" in 1992. Why is it considered the "greatest football league" worldwide, and who are its competitors? Let's explore all this right here.
What are the criteria used to rank football leagues?
There are six different criteria that are often used to determine some of the best soccer leagues in the world of FIFA. Every criterion has 10 points, and they are awarded points based on how well they compare with other leagues in that particular point.
- Competitiveness
- Quality of football
- Success on an international level
- TV rights & viewership numbers
- Star Power
- Average attendance
Ranking of the best soccer leagues in the world
According to the most recent data analysis, we analyze different leagues with the best soccer quality in the world.
10. Major League Soccer - The United States of America
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US Soccer Federation oversees Major League Soccer; US and Canada make up the top tier. There are 27 people on the squad, 24 from the United States and three from Canada. Few people thought the American League would last long, despite its successful 26-year run.
However, from 10 clubs playing at empty NFL stadiums during their first season in 1996, they currently have around 72,000 spectators watching them play within their facilities.
The league has received investments from several of the sport's wealthiest players, including Zlatan Ibrahimovich, Wayne Rooney, and David Beckham.
9. Argentine Primera Division - Argentina
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The Primera Division is an Argentinean professional football league, and it is unquestionably the greatest in South America when both financial success and on-field accomplishments are taken into account.
It is contested by twenty clubs and uses the Primera B Nacional's promotion and relegation system. Popular teams like River Place and Boca Juniors are constantly vying for local and international top awards.
8. Primera Liga - Portugal
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The Primera Liga is the top level of the Portuguese football league system. It was first known as "Campeonato da Liga da Primera Diviso" when it was established in 1934.
Only five clubs have won the Primera Liga championship after more than 70 teams have participated. The "Big Three" groups of Benfica (37 victories), Porto (30 victories), and Sporting CP (19 wins) have taken home all but two of the Primera Liga championships.
7. Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A - Brazil
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Also known as "Serie A," it has a flair and samba touch. Five champions since 2015 show the League has that competitive nature, and none of the top teams dominates like in others.
However, the actual quality of football is better than the likes of MLS and Liga Mx but needs to improve compared to Argentina. It has stagnated in financial growth, but the Brazilian FA is working on deals in international TV rights and sponsorships to bring in extra revenue for the clubs.
6. Eredivisie -Netherlands
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In the Netherlands, the Eredivisie is the top division for professional football. Two years after professional football began in the Netherlands, the League was established in 1956. One of the most significant ones in Europe, according to many. According to UEFA, it is the sixth-best League in Europe as of the 2022–23 season.
It features 18 clubs. With 35, 24, and 15 titles won, the top three teams in this division are Ajax, Eindhoven PSV, and Feyenoord.
5. Ligue 1 - France
Ligue 1 is a French professional league for men's association football clubs. It is the primary football tournament in the nation and the premier division in the French system.
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Twenty clubs compete in Ligue 1, which the Ligue de Football Professionnel runs. Ligue 1 utilizes a promotion and relegation system from and to Ligue 2.
There are seasons from August through May. Over the course of the season, clubs play two games—one at home and one away—against each of the other teams. Paris Saint-Germain, who won in the 2021–22 season, are the reigning champions.
4. Italian Serie A - Italy
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The Serie A is a professional tournament for football teams at the top of the Italian football system. The Scudetto and Coppa Campioni d'Italia are given to the champion. Since the 1929/30 season, the competition has been run in a round-robin format.
The most tactically and defensively sound national League is frequently portrayed as being Serie A, one of the top football leagues in the world. According to IFFHS, Serie A was the strongest national League in the world in 2020.
As founding members of the G-14, a group that from 2000 to 2008 represented the biggest and most prestigious European football clubs, it is home to three of the most well-known clubs in the world: Juventus, AC Milan, and Inter Milan.
3. Bundesliga - Germany
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German football's Bundesliga is the nation's most-watched League. It has 18 clubs in competition. Weekends are when the matches are typically scheduled. A little over 45000 spectators watch the games in stadiums.
2. La Liga - Spain
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La Liga is a Spanish Football League Championship. La Liga has 20 teams in competition. Sixty-two teams previously competed in the competition.
The top teams in La Liga are Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, and Valencia. Barcelona has won 26 championships, while Real Madrid has won 34. It is ranked second on the list. The Lionel Messi and Ronaldo era raised the bar for Spanish La Liga. But La Liga is improving every year, even without them.
Although La Liga continues to be behind Premier League in terms of TV revenue and sponsorship deals, La Liga teams continue to play at the highest level of football.
1. English Premier League - England
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It is the top-tier football league in the world. Twenty clubs take part in the competition. Each side plays 38 games. The competition takes place from August to May. The competition was established in 1992 and has since become one of the most-watched sporting events worldwide.
Since it's debut in 1992, fifty clubs have competed: 48 English and 2 Welsh clubs. Seven of them have taken home the trophy: Liverpool (1), Blackburn Rovers (1), Leicester City (1), Manchester City (6), Chelsea (5), Arsenal (3), and Manchester United (13).
So yes, when ranking the best soccer leagues in the world, the English Premier League is by far the most popular today and is considered the greatest in the world. Since the best players in the world desire to play for English teams at some point in their careers, Premier League has emerged as the summit of European league football.
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