Soccer is most popular in various parts of the world, but some regions have particularly huge and passionate fan bases and well established football cultures like Western Europe, whole South America and most of Africa.
Details of places where Soccer is most Popular:
1. Europe
Soccer enjoys immense popularity across Europe, with countries like England, Spain, Italy, Germany, and France being hotbeds of footballing passion.
People of England in particular love the game the most in Europe but in terms of success they are far behind Germany and Italy.
In terms of global success, European countries have won 12 world cups which if broken down are Italy (4), Germany (4), France (2), England (1), Spain (1).
Their domestic leagues are the best in the world with English Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, and Ligue 1 attracting millions of fans both domestically and internationally, making Europe the best place for football.
2. South America
Soccer holds a special place in the hearts of people across South America.
Countries like Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Colombia are known for their rich footballing traditions and passionate fan bases.
The Copa Libertadores and Copa America tournaments showcase the continent’s footballing prowess.
South American leagues are not financially powerful like Europe to attract the global talent but some of the world’s top talent comes out of this region.
That’s why countries like Brazil (5), Argentina (3), and Uruguay (2) have won 10 World Cups in total.
Europe (12) is ahead of South America (10) in terms of world cups won.
3. Africa
Soccer is hugely popular in many African countries, with passionate fans supporting both domestic leagues and European clubs.
Countries like Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Egypt and Ivory Coast have produced talented players who have made their mark on the global stage.
Africa is the most underrated region in world football and we have witnessed it by the quality shown in the recent African Cup of Nations. Check out some of the best goal highlights of the tournament in the video below:
4. Asia
Soccer has a massive following in Asia, with countries like China, Japan, South Korea, and Iran boasting large fan bases and professional leagues. The AFC Asian Cup and the AFC Champions League are major competitions in the region.
The game is particularly most famous in Asia in the Middle Eastern countries, with fans supporting local clubs and European giants alike.
Countries like Saudi Arabia, Egypt (which is in Africa), Iran, and Qatar have vibrant football cultures and competitive leagues.
In terms of global presence Asia don’t have any big success in world football beside occasional upsets like what Saudi Arabia did to Argentina in the Qatar world cup.
5. North America
Soccer’s popularity has been growing steadily in North America, particularly in Mexico.
Major League Soccer (MLS) in the U.S. and Liga MX in Mexico attract large audiences, while the CONCACAF Champions League showcases top club teams from the region but in an important country like USA in North America, soccer is still not popular compared to American football, Basketball, and Baseball.
6. Oceania
Soccer enjoys popularity in Oceania, particularly in countries like Australia and New Zealand. The A-League in Australia and the national teams of both countries compete in regional and international competitions.
But in terms of success this region has absolutely no presence in world football. The continent has fewer countries so countries like Australia are put in qualifying round initially in Asia.
The video below shows how Australia qualified for world cup last time: