Best League In The World: Top 10 Football Leagues (Ranked)

Football leagues across countries continue to shape the future of the game. Be it the nail-biting & often more passionate than usual derby matches, showcasing passionate fan bases and providing box-office entertainment, people are always glued to their seats while watching football. Some of the best league in the world also provided the platform for stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, and Mohamed Salah to shape their unmatched legacy in the game.

Many players are coming through the ranks of different teams from all these leagues, competing to be better than the other in each and every aspect. While the player from the Premier League is proving to be more technical, someone from La Liga is working hard to improve their physical aspect of the game. In this way, different leagues are developing in a different manner, accommodating a culture of mixed ideas and tactics.

But we are sure that our readers, among all these leagues, are trying to figure out the answer to the question, “Which is the best league in the world?” Worry not, as we at Sportsdunia have come up with the list of the top 10 football leagues in the world based on crucial ranking factors. To determine the best league in the world in an insightful & unbiased manner, we have taken ranking factors in the form of Financial Power (Club Revenue), average match attendance & competitiveness level of those leagues.

List of Top Football Leagues

Now that we have revealed our approach in determining the best league in the world, let's have a look at the top 10 list below, which is strictly created keeping the ranking factors in mind.

Note: Revenues of leagues mentioned in the above table are based on estimated figures & may vary from source to source.

How We Ranked the Best Football Leagues in the World?

Football, in general, is a spectator sport, as apart from what happens between the teams on the pitch, the atmosphere created by the passionate fanbases around a particular club's stadium also influences the tempo & as well as mood during the game to a significant extent. Also, it's the responsibility of the associations representing these football leagues to not only ensure a level playing field, or in layman's terms, “competitiveness” of the league, but also proactively take measures to ensure fans keep getting involved in the game & more and more of them come to the stadium or watch online.

NOTE: All stats are taken from reliable sources like Transfermarkt.

Which is the Best Football League in the World?

Now that we are clear about how the ranking factors come into play, let's have an insightful look at our list of the best football league in the world.

10. Liga MX (Mexico)

Liga MX is the highest division league in the Mexican football pyramid. It attracts a large audience from North America & South America, both in terms of attending games & through live broadcast of the matches. It is the top-ranked league in the CONCACAF rankings & the evergreen popularity of football in the nation means that Liga MX average attendance figures are among the largest across professional sports leagues in North America.

The Liga MX divides its season into two tournaments held during July-December and January-May, & each tournament crowns a separate champion. The teams finishing in the top 6 then advance to the playoffs (or Liguilla), while the remaining teams compete to qualify for the remaining playoff spots. The success of the big clubs such as Club América, Guadalajara, Cruz Azul & Pumas UNAM also has a hand behind the league's success. But an even higher indicative factor of Liga MX belonging in the list of top 10 football leagues in the world is its ability to attract players of the calibre of Real Madrid legend Sergio Ramos, James Rodriguez & more.

9. Major League Soccer (USA)

To give a boost to the USA's bid to host the 1994 World Cup, MLS was created in 1993. Initially, it consisted of 29 teams, with the teams divided into Eastern & Western conferences. Though at times its ability to attract players was questioned as only footballers at the twilight of their careers (such as Beckham & Ibrahimovic), smart business strategies focused on fostering growth & expansion across the USA & Canada meant that the league was able to attract even young players under 25, such as Chris Brady, Obed Vargas & more. This also led to MLS expanding its league to 30 teams with the recent inclusion of San Diego FC.

But the most transformative moment came in 2023, when not only did MLS tie up with Apple TV as its streaming partner, but also one of its franchises, Inter Miami, signed Argentine World Cup winner Leo Messi. It was a statement signing as it's pretty much showcased to the world that MLS can even attract some of the greatest footballers of all time. After Messi, a series of players took the pathway to MLS, such as Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets & Jordi Alba. The league earned a revenue of 1.5-2 billion euros during the 2023/24 financial year, & recorded average attendance of 22,100. Hence, it goes without saying that MLS is among the top football leagues in the world.

8. Eredivisie (Netherlands)

Eredivisie is the professional football league of the Netherlands & the top division in the Dutch football pyramid. Its rich legacy alone makes it a reason for being included in the list of the best football league in the world. The Eredivisie league was started in 1956 & has 18 teams in it, with one team playing home & away fixtures against every other team. While the clubs finishing in the bottom two are relegated to Eerste Divisie (2nd division), and are replaced by the top 2 teams from the 2nd division, the team finishing 16th gets involved in a playoff with 6 other high-placed teams in the Eerste Divisie.

Be it during the past or present, the Eredivisie has always belonged among the top 10 football leagues in the world due to its rich legacy of producing world-class & era-defining footballers & as well as coaches. Some of the biggest clubs, such as 36-time Eredivisie Champion Ajax, PSV Eindhoven, and Feyenoord Rotterdam, add further appeal to the league because of their free-flowing football & ability to produce top-class talents, before selling them for higher profit. Hence, due to its unparalleled legacy, players involved & type of football played, Eredivisie is ranked 8th in our list of the best leagues in the world.

7. Primeira Liga (Portugal)

At rank 7th, we have the Primeira Liga, the top-flight division of Portuguese domestic football. It was established in 1934 and features 18 teams in total, with each club playing 34 games throughout the season. At present, the league is dominated by Sporting Lisbon, FC Porto & 38-time Primeira Liga winners Benfica. It is one of the most competitive leagues in the world, which has been proved in the form of nail-biting finishes to the title race in recent seasons. The league's revenue is driven by TV rights & sponsorships, along with the ability to develop the players to world-class levels, before selling them for high transfer fees. The league recorded a total revenue in the range of 350-400 million euros in the 2023/24 financial year.

What makes Primiera Liga different from other top-flight divisions in our list of the best leagues in the world is its ability to develop players into potential world-class talents. Players like Real Madrid legend Angel Di Maria, Diogo Costa, Luis Diaz, Victor Gyokeres & more put themselves on the map while playing here, before eventually moving to bigger clubs.

6. Brasileirão Série A (Brazil)

With an impressive revenue of 1 - 1.5 billion Euros, the Brazilian Serie A ranks 6th in the list of the best league in the world. The league was founded in 1959 & consists of 20 teams, with each team playing twice against other teams & eventually playing 38 matches in total. It is run by the Brazilian Football Federation (CBF). Palmeiras is the most successful team with a record 12 league titles to its name, followed by Santos with 8. This league, for many years, has attained a global reputation for producing stars like Neymar, Real Madrid No. 7 Vinicius Junior, Coutinho & more.

With an average attendance of 27,187, it showcases the level to which the fans are involved in supporting their respective clubs in the league. The association of legendary players like Pelé, Ronaldo Nazario & Garrincha with some of the biggest clubs gives us an insight into the legacy this league has created. Flamengo, Palmeiras, Corinthians, and São Paulo are among the iconic clubs in the league that also tend to dominate Copa Libertadores (Equivalent to UEFA Champions League) & as a result, qualify for FIFA Club World Cup as well. The league gained even more visibility & popularity as soon as Neymar returned to his homeland.

5. Ligue 1 (France)

The French top-flight division, Ligue 1, ranks 5th on our list of the top 10 football leagues in the world. It was founded in 1932 and used to have 20 teams, but was reduced to 18 teams to ease fixture congestion. In the first 10-11 years of this century, Olympique Lyonnais used to dominate as they won 7 titles on the trot. But after the investment by Qatari Sports Investment Group (QSI) in PSG, one of the best clubs in the world currently, the landscape shifted, as, except for 3 seasons, Les Parisiens have won the Ligue 1 every time. With a revenue between 2 and 2.5 billion €, Ligue 1 has produced world-class players in the form of Kylian Mbappe, Karim Benzema, Zinedine Zidane, Raphael Varane, Ousmane Dembele & more.

Till few years back, Ligue 1 was one of the best leagues in the world, thanks to the spike in viewership witnessed with the arrivals of Marquee players like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Barcelona Legend Lionel Messi, Neymar & Sergio Ramos. But once they left, a decline in the viewership was also witnessed. But on a positive note, thanks to the passionate involvement of fan bases, Ligue 1 recorded an average attendance of 21,200, which showcases why it deserves to be in the list of the best football leagues in the world.

4. Serie A (Italy)

Founded in 1898, not only is Serie A one of the best football leagues in the world, but also one of the oldest leagues as well. We believe it won't be wrong in saying that it was once hailed as the Mecca of football. The Italian top flight boasts some European giants in the form of AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus, and 2024/25 Serie A champions Napoli. Despite the financial challenges in the not-too-distant past, Serie A’s resurgence has been phenomenal as competitive & nail-biting title races, along with going in the latter stages of European competitions by clubs like 2009-10 UCL winner Inter Milan & Atalanta, Serie A has, to an extent, regained its status among the top 10 football leagues in the world.

With a revenue of more than 3.5 billion & an ever-increasing influx of investments from American companies, Serie A has not only regained its competitive edge, but also is entertaining its audience with a free-flowing attacking kind of game delivered by teams like Atalanta, Napoli & Juventus. This was unthinkable years ago, when it was regarded as a league of defenders only. Along with average attendance of 30,650 & smart investments in terms of player recruitment by teams like Milan & Bologna, who have targeted the American & British pool of talents, the viewership of the league has also been diversified. In this way, Serie A is now watched in the UK and the USA as well.

3. Bundesliga (Germany)

It's a no-brainer indeed to see Bundesliga is in third position among the best football leagues in the world. The league pretty much aligns with its slogan “Football as it's meant to be” as in the Bundesliga, fans witness both the goals galore & as well as defensive masterclass. Due to Bayern Munich being the most successful club in the German top division, the Bundesliga has experienced glorious moments in Europe as well. The Bundesliga has the highest average attendance in the stadiums this season (42,051). Though Bayern, one of the best football clubs currently, has won more in the last decade, the league has mostly remained competitive till the latter stages of the season.

The ability to provide a perfect environment for youngsters to thrive, a passionate & loud fanbase, and stadiums' atmosphere make the Bundesliga one of the top football leagues to follow. Top clubs such as Bayern Munich, 1997 UCL winner Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, 2023/24 Invincibles Bayer Leverkusen & more flaunt their passionate fanbase & display a high-octane brand of football while competing for the Meisterschale. Bundesliga has secured 3rd place in our list thanks to the presence of players like Jamal Musiala, Harry Kane, one of the best players in the world currently, along with the likes of Joshua Kimmich and Luis Diaz. The league generated 5.5-6 billion Euros in revenue in 2023/24. Also, due to lucrative broadcasting deals with top networks like Sky Germany & commercial partnerships with Adidas and Deutsche Telekom, the league increased its visibility to a significant extent.

2. La Liga (Spain)

La Liga just fell short of the top spot and had to settle for second in the list of the best league in the world. Real Madrid, Barcelona & Atletico Madrid have dominated La Liga in the last decade. On the other hand, in Europe, Los Blancos have dominated the UEFA Champions League. Currently, La Liga is blessed with some of the best players & as well as best coaches in the world, such as Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, Lamine Yamal, Julian Alvarez, Hansi Flick & Xabi Alonso.

Though many expect La Liga to be the best league in the world instead of the Premier League, the league has seen a significant decline in its viewership since the departures of Cristiano Ronaldo & Lionel Messi. For a few years, they failed to secure any major broadcasting deal in South Asia. But eventually, Fancode took the rights to stream La Liga matches live. At present, La Liga is one of the most-watched leagues in the world.

1. Premier League (England)

In case you are still wondering, "Which is the best league in the world?", then the answer to your question is just 3 words: it's the "English Premier League". Factually, it's not a surprise as some of the richest football clubs in the world, as well as some best players in the world, are part of this division. Hence, its first position in the list of the top 10 football leagues in the world is justified. The likes of Erling Haaland, Mohamed Salah, Bruno Fernandes & Victor Gyokeres all ply their trade in England to showcase their world-class talent on the big stage.

But what makes the Premier League unique is not just its pulling power of the world's best footballers, but also elite-level managers, namely Pep Guardiola, Mikel Arteta, and Arne Slot, all of whom compete in this league. As per Transfermarkt data, the league has recorded an average stadium attendance of 38,600 per game in the 2025/26 season, placing it just below the Bundesliga.