Top 10 Biggest Football Clubs In The World

What defines the size of a football club, and how do you know which are the biggest.? These are tough parameters to quantify, however, fan base, trophy count, and value all indicate which teams are the biggest. Combining historic achievements with current wealth and success is a difficult balancing act, but here are our 10 most famous football clubs across the globe.

10. Arsenal

The Premier League holds a lot of weight in this list, as it is the wealthiest and most watched league in world football, so any team competing in it automatically has a global fan base. Although not incredibly successful, especially in Europe, Arsenal has played host to some of the most iconic football players in history, with the likes of Thierry Henry, Cesc Fabrigas and Patrick Vieira all pulling on the red and white shirt of the Gunners.

They are still one of the most valuable clubs in the world despite their lack of trophies recently and was one of the most profitable clubs in 2024 according to Forbes. They are historically the third most successful club in England, and so deservedly get a spot on the list.

9. PSG

PSG are one of the clubs on the list that doesn’t have a lot of history, but their dominance in recent times has allowed them to be the only French club here. Qatari investment into the club led them to become a serial winner in Ligue 1 however that hasn’t translated over to the European stage, as they, like Arsenal, have not won the Champions League in their history.

Paris Saint-Germain 🆚 Liverpool FC

⌚️ 9pm at the Parc 🏟️#PSGLIV I #UCL pic.twitter.com/pExoFWcXdp

— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) March 5, 2025

In recent years they have seen the likes of Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi play for them however there was also a time when David Beckham and Ronaldinho played in the French capital. PSG's recent success has certainly carried the club into the limelight.

8. Chelsea

Another Premier League side, Chelsea, much like PSG, have come to the forefront of football more recently than the likes of Arsenal. Former owner Roman Abramovich’s investment into the club saw them rise to English and European Champions in the 2000s and 2010s, with the likes of Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and Petr Cech gaining legendary status at the West London club.

Todd Boehly has since taken over and while the success on the pitch is yet to arrive, they have made a huge amount of statement signings in the transfer market, flexing their influence and their wealth.

7. Juventus

The only Italian team on this list, Juventus are the true kings of the Serie A. In total, they have won 36 titles, 16 more than Inter in second place, and went on a run of winning nine in a row in the 2010s. In recent years the club has struggled slightly with the resurgences of AC Milan, Inter and even Napoli, but they are still historically the biggest club in the country.

⚪️⚫️🫂 pic.twitter.com/Rq7dt64MQv

— JuventusFC 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@juventusfcen) March 5, 2025

They are the only club on this list that is outside of the top 10 most valuable clubs as reported by Forbes, however they do sit at number 11. The Serie A isn’t as widely watched as the Premier League and so TV revenue is lower.

6. Manchester City

Manchester City are considered to be one of the best sides in world football at the moment, but that doesn’t mean that they are the biggest club. For the last decade, they have dominated English football and while they have one the Champions League in that time, their domestic performances are not reflected by their European ones.

Their owners, Sheikh Mansour from Abu Dhabi, are some of the richest in the world, and their ability to splash the cash on players such as Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish has led to them being one of the most popular teams in the world.

5. Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich’s stature in world football is built more on their historic dominance of German football than their current ability to buy lots of players. They are the sixth most valuable club in the world and one of the more popular teams, especially in central and eastern Europe.

Ready for an 𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙘 @ChampionsLeague night tomorrow! ⚡️#FCBayern #MiaSanMia | #FCBB04 #UCL pic.twitter.com/EBbAfiuXZI

— FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) March 4, 2025

With 33 league titles, they are by far the most successful club in Germany, and their six Champions League wins puts them near the top of all European clubs ever. They don’t have as much of a reach as a lot of Premier League teams because of the global Premier League audience, but they are still a huge powerhouse in Europe year on year.

4. Liverpool

Another Premier League club and historically one of the most successful, Liverpool’s 2000s and early 2010s weren’t too remarkable other than one night in Istanbul. This was during a time when the influence of top leagues was shifting over from the Serie A to the Premier League, and Liverpool’s popularity was slightly hindered because of this.

Jurgen Klopp did excellently to change this, and not only are Liverpool one of the most successful clubs in the world, but also now one of the most popular with fans across the world in Africa, Asia and South America. Despite their reluctance to spend in transfer windows, Liverpool are one of the most valuable clubs in the world, worth more than $5bn.

3. Barcelona

La Liga has been one of the most popular football leagues for a long time, but two clubs really dominate it. Barcelona is one of them, and while they don’t hold the record for the most La Liga titles, they are second with 27. They have won the most Copa del Reys with 31, Supercopa de Espanas with 15 and the most UEFA Cup Winners Cups with four.

No brakes. Full speed ahead.#BenficaBarça pic.twitter.com/LXaNywaVyh

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 4, 2025

They are hugely successful in both Spain and in Europe, but their recent history has been marred by financial troubles that has seen them struggle to have an extended period at the top. Despite this, they are still one of the most valuable clubs in the world and have a fanbase that stretches far beyond the confines of Catalonia.

2. Manchester United

Despite their recent failures both on and off the pitch, Manchester United are still considered to be one of the biggest clubs in world football. They dominated the English game for over a decade with Sir Alex Furgusen at the wheel and have won a total of 20 top flight titles, a record in the county.

They are known for their established history, their unrivaled success and their iconic players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Bobby Charlton. Unlike other teams on this list, they have been a relevant force in football from their creation up until now and even with their recent league failures, they have still managed to have domestic success in the FA Cup.

1. Real Madrid - The Biggest Football Club in the World

Undoubtedly the biggest and most iconic club in world football Real Madrid also happen to be the most successful and valuable too. Forbes estimated their value last year to be $6.6bn, just edging out Manchester United at the top. As well as this they have fans from across the world who are dedicated to the club and its players.

Forever a family 🤍🫂 pic.twitter.com/mlxZcDCmp4

— Real Madrid Pictures That Go Hard (@RMadridPix) March 4, 2025

On the pitch, they are the most successful club in the world, with 36 La Liga titles, 15 Champions Leagues, and six UEFA Super Cup wins. They have seen hundreds of talented players pull on the famous white shirt including both Ronaldos, Zinadine Zidane and Raul, all of who left a lasting legacy at the club. Across the world there are thousands of football clubs, many of which you have never and will never hear of, but everyone recognises Real Madrid. For these reasons, we deem Real Madrid to be the most popular football club in the world.