Real Madrid, Barcelona and the 10 Most Followed Football Clubs on Social Media in 2026: CIES Rankings Revealed

The CIES Football Observatory has released its latest global social media rankings for football clubs, tracking official accounts across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter). The findings confirm the scale of football’s digital footprint — and the extent to which a small number of clubs dominate it.

The aggregate following of the top 10 clubs now stands at 2.36 billion, a 3.8% increase compared to the previous year. Real Madrid lead the rankings with 488 million followers across their verified channels, while FC Barcelona follow in second place with 442 million. Together, the two Spanish clubs account for approximately 930 million followers — a combined total that dwarfs every other club in the sport.

Manchester United rank third with 239 million followers, a figure that represents roughly half of Real Madrid’s total. Paris Saint-Germain are fourth with 208 million, followed by Manchester City (188 million), Liverpool (179 million), Juventus (178 million), Bayern Munich (165 million), Chelsea (157 million), and Arsenal (119 million) in positions five through ten.

The most significant growth story in the top 10 belongs to Bayern Munich. The Bundesliga club added 16.1 million new followers over the past 12 months — an 11% relative increase — the highest growth rate recorded among elite clubs in that period. According to the CIES data, Bayern’s expansion was driven by high-profile international tours and targeted digital content campaigns.

On platform distribution, Instagram and Facebook each account for 31% of total followers across the top 10 clubs, making them the dominant channels. TikTok follows with a 17% share, X holds 16%, and YouTube accounts for the remaining 5%.

Beyond Europe, three clubs have established clear regional dominance. Brazil’s CR Flamengo lead all non-European clubs with 71.6 million followers, cementing their status as South America’s most-followed football institution. Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr FC rank second outside Europe with 66.0 million followers — a figure substantially influenced by the presence of Cristiano Ronaldo at the club. Egypt’s Al-Ahly SC, one of the continent’s most decorated sides, command 60.1 million followers, making them the most-followed club in Africa.

The broader top 100 features clubs from 26 countries across every continent except Oceania. Spain accounts for 21 clubs in the top 100 — the highest national representation — with England contributing 16 and Brazil 11. The CIES data notes that Spanish clubs frequently benefit from significant viral activity on TikTok.

The rankings underline the sustained commercial and cultural influence of the European elite, while also reflecting the growing digital reach of clubs in South America, the Middle East, and Africa. For Al-Ahly in particular, a following of over 60 million represents a marker of global recognition for a club whose domestic and continental achievements — including a record number of CAF Champions League titles — have long made them a continental institution.