Top 10 Biggest Football Clubs in the World of All Time – Ranked

As football fanatics ourselves, we pondered whether there is a way or a particular method to define the biggest football club in the world. The answer is a straight “No”, as depending on who you ask, it can be subjective & also understandably can invite bias if asked to a supporter of one of those supposed biggest football clubs in the world. Bottom line, it's not an easy task at all, since all these clubs have a rich legacy to look back at, unbridled on-pitch success & financial power. On the other hand, greatness is also measured in passion & legacy, thanks to the breathtaking atmosphere in sold-out stadiums & glittering trophy cabinets.

But the real question remains. That is, how do we rank these clubs? The answer is pretty straightforward! We can balance all these factors and compile a fair & accurate list of the top 10 biggest football clubs in the world. Clubs like Real Madrid, Manchester United & Liverpool have shaped the game's history & legacy, while Manchester City and recently crowned Champions League winners PSG are redefining the art of dominating the football landscape.

Though fans will always be at the forefront of arguing which football club is the biggest, they hardly reach a fair conclusion. Hence, we will have a look at all the factors mentioned above that make the biggest football clubs in the world stand out from the rest.

List of Biggest Football Club in the World of All Time

As clearly explained at the beginning of this article, the list of biggest football club in the world is based on the above-mentioned ranking factors. We, at the Sportsdunia football desk, have done extensive research to ensure that not even an ounce of bias is there. Now Without wasting any time, let’s have a look at our Top 10 biggest Football Clubs in the world.

How We Ranked the Top 10 Biggest Football Clubs in the World?

Below, we have provided reasons behind our decision to choose the aforementioned ranking factors to come up with an unbiased and informative ranking of the biggest football club in the world:

History: The primary factor to decide the ranking of the biggest football club in the world of all time is to take a look at their history, how well they’ve performed in the past & to what degree they have achieved success.

Trophies Won: The secondary, but also an important factor, is by looking at the number of trophies they have won and how dominant they were and for how long they maintained their golden era of unparalleled success.

Popularity: The third parameter we considered while coming up with the list of top 10 biggest football clubs in the world is their engagement on major social media platforms. This gives us an idea about the club's followers on a global level.

Financial Stability: While ranking the clubs and determining which club stands at the pinnacle, it can only be possible after having a look at their financial situations and how stable they have been in recent times. Likely, a club with a rich, trophy-laden history but turbulent current financial times would be ranked lower. (Financial data related to valuation is taken according to Forbes annual release of the list of valuable football clubs)

Which is the Biggest Football Club in the World?

Before beginning to go through the detailed insights of our list of top 10 biggest football clubs in the world, we would like to inform our readers that we have taken a couple of extra steps to ensure unbiasedness in the rankings. We have not considered those football clubs that have played less than 500 games in their history or are primarily known for their monetary power only.

10. AC Milan (Serie A)

It goes without saying that a list of biggest football club in the world is incomplete without including the Serie A giants AC Milan. The Rossoneri enjoyed a golden age of dominance from the late 1980s to mid-1990s, first under the legendary Italian Manager Arrigo Sacchi (1987-91), followed by Fabio Capello's era (1991-96). With his legendary players like Franco Baresi, Paolo Maldini, Ruud Gullit, Marco Van Basten, the now Brazil national football team manager Carlo Ancelotti & more, Sacchi unleashed the beginning of Milan's golden era.

After winning the UCL in 2007, Milan went through a decline, with some of their issues originating at ownership & boardroom level. After series of changes made across different levels of the club, Milan came back into contention of being one of the best Serie A clubs, when Stefano Pioli guided them to a Scudetto win after an 11-year drought in 2021-22. Shrewd recruitment followed as the Milan team signed both experienced & young players like Rafael Leao, USMNT attacker Christian Pulisic, Mike Maignan & more. Though the club has a valuation of $1.5B as of May 2025, it took a little hit due to a disappointing 2024-25 season in which they couldn't qualify for evena single European competition. Currently, AC Milan is at top of the table after an impressive start under Massimiliano Allegri.

9. Chelsea (English Premier League)

Since Roman Abramovich took over Chelsea in 2003, the West Londoners have never looked back. The club has won a whopping 23 trophies, including 5 Premier League titles & 2 UCL, till Todd Boehly's takeover in 2022. But it was Abramovich who provided the financial stability and the platform to develop players like Didier Drogba, John Terry, Petr Cech, and more. Partly thanks to their trophy haul, Chelsea has approximately 129 million followers across major social platforms, highlighting the club's ever-growing popularity worldwide.

Chelsea is currently managed by Italian Manager Enzo Maresca and is continuing to rebuild their squad (albeit with mixed results) as Boehly has spent more than $1Billion since taking over. Recently, Chelsea won the UEFA Conference League & as a result, became the 1st team in history to win all four UEFA club football trophies. They also won the FIFA Club World Cup by beating the 2025 UCL Winners PSG 3-0. Currently, Chelsea are planning to renovate their Stamford Bridge stadium into a 60K seater.

8. Paris Saint-Germain (Ligue 1)

After the investment of Qatari Sports Investment Group (QSI), Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has found its footing among the football elites and is regarded as one of the best football clubs in the world. With players like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Lionel Messi, Neymar, Ousmane Dembele, and Achraf Hakimi over the years, PSG has maintained an iron-tight grip on the French footballing landscape as they have won a whopping 13 Ligue 1 titles. This shows the club's growth and power to pull some of the best players in the world over the years. Les Parisiens has a combined social media followers of around 144 million.

PSG's success this year reached an even greater stratospheric level when they achieved the quadruple in the 2024/25 season. After years of setbacks & chastening defeats, PSG finally got their hands on the UEFA Champions League. Though their popularity dwindled a bit after the departures of elite players like Mbappe & Neymar, an able sporting structure & signings of young players like Desire Doue, UEFA Nations League winner Joao Neves, Vitinha & Ousmane Dembele meant PSG went through a pretty successful rebuild. Luis Enrique, the best manager in the world right now, has given the club an identity that was missing under his predecessor, Mauricio Pochettino.

7. Juventus (Serie A)

Despite their recent struggles, Juventus has been one of the most successful clubs in Serie A in the last 15 years. Not only have the Bianconeri won an unprecedented 9 successive Serie A titles, but they have also represented Serie A on a consistent basis for a certain period of time. The club reached 2 UCL finals in 2015 and 2017. Some of the greatest players in the game, such as Portuguese legend Cristiano Ronaldo, Gigi Buffon, and Andrea Pirlo, have donned the famous ‘Old Lady’ jersey.

Despite the financial crisis hovering over the club in recent years, which also led to mass resignations at the boardroom level, the club have remained in a strong position, as its valuation of $2.15B showcases. Though Juventus hasn't tasted UCL glory since 1996, they have a trophy-filled cabinet, which includes 36 Scudettos and thus have cemented their status among the biggest football club in the world​. With approx. 120 million followers across major social media platforms, Juventus maintains an immense level of popularity and a passionate fanbase worldwide.

6. Manchester City (English Premier League)

The team that has gone through one of the most transformative decades is none other than Manchester City. Ever since the Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG), led by Sheikh Mansour, started backing the club, the Cityzens have dominated the Premier League, which is undisputedly the best league in the world of football. Under Pep Guardiola, the blue side of Manchester has dominated the top flight with 6 league titles out of 7 seasons, showcasing the amount invested, hard work done & planning implemented behind the scenes & across all levels of the club.

After years of calculated investment & smart transfers, Manchester City has built a team around young players like Phil Foden, Norwegian Striker Erling Haaland & along with them, experienced players like Kevin De Bruyne, Gundogan & Ederson instilled the leadership & mentality required to be a successful team. This all culminated in a memorable 2022-23 campaign as the Cityzens won their 1st ever UCL & also completed the treble as a result, cementing their status as one of the biggest football club in the world.. With more than 130 million social media followers, City has built a large fan base around the world. Currently, they are undergoing a sort of transitional period, as in the recent transfer windows, they have almost rebuilt their team. Erling Haaland, Josko Gvardiol & Bernardo Silva have taken leadership roles to fill the void left by the departures of Ederson & De Bruyne.

5. Liverpool (English Premier League)

After seeing 2024-25 Premier League winners Liverpool ranked 5th among the biggest football club in the world, you can see how competitive our list is. Under the charismatic & tactically astute Jurgen Klopp, the Reds went through a renaissance & reclaimed their status among the elite football clubs of the world. Under him, the club won the UEFA Champions League and also won the 2019-20 EPL, ending their 30-year drought. While Legends like Steven Gerrard & Xabi Alonso donned the jerseys & served the club loyally in the past, modern-day legends like Mohamed Salah & Van Dijk are still continuing to embody the spirit of Anfield & serve the club with their on-pitch performance & off-pitch deeds. With a total of almost 125 million social media followers, Liverpool continues to be one of the most supported football clubs in the world.

Their epic comeback against the mighty AC Milan during the 2005 UUCL final in Istanbul was forever etched in the memories of the club's supporters & as well as that of neutrals. In this match, the Reds showcased class as they won the title against the star-studded team which had legendary players like Paolo Maldini, Gennaro Gattuso, Pirlo & more. Players like Alexis Mac Allister, Gravenberch, and Trent Alexander-Arnold ensured that Liverpool has a bright future ahead of them. The club is set to undergo a transition period under Arne Slot, with a few prominent players leaving the club. But the Reds proved during the summer transfer window that they belong in the list of top 10 biggest football clubs in the world as they signed players like German playmaker Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak & Jeremie Frimpong after beating the rival clubs in the bidding war.

4. Bayern Munich (Bundesliga)

Undisputedly, the most dominant club in the Bundesliga, 34-time winners Bayern Munich saw an 11-year title reign end at the hands of Xabi Alonso-led "Invincible" Bayer Leverkusen in 2024. After Robert Lewandowski’s departure to Barcelona, the club struggled in front of goal for some time before they signed Harry Kane from Tottenham Hotspur. Thanks to years of effort behind building commercial partnerships, Bayern is on a strong financial footing. They have partnered with brands like Adidas and Audi. Also, unsurprisingly, the Bavarians are one of the most supported and followed clubs globally, with close to 200 million followers across major social media platforms.

The Bavarians have won 6 UCL titles till date, including the 2020 treble. It showcases Bayern's rich legacy in UEFA top-tier competition along with clubs like Barcelona & Liverpool. Due to their unique 50+1 ownership rule, fan involvement while making major decisions related to the club is maximum, making it more special. From legends like Franz Beckenbauer & Gerd Muller to modern-day greats Thomas Muller, Manuel Neuer & Joshua Kimmich, Bayern has produced some of the finest and greatest footballers in the world, which catapulted them to their place as the biggest football club in the world.

3. Manchester United (English Premier League)

In 3rd position, we have another club from England, Manchester United, because of their dominant history and rich legacy. The ‘Theatre of Dreams’ have witnessed the performance of legends like Sir Bobby Charlton, Eric Cantona, Paul Scholes, David Beckham, to modern legends of the clubs such as Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs & Cristiano Ronaldo. The club basked in unprecedented success under the greatest Manchester United manager ever, Sir Alex Ferguson, for more than 20 years. The Red Devils won 38 trophies in 26 years under the Scotsman, including the iconic 1999 treble. With over 190 million fans on social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and X, United has one of the largest fan bases in football.

Despite their seemingly never-ending on-pitch turmoil, the club has maintained a significant degree of financial stability, as its latest valuation of $6.6B showcases, majorly due to its partnerships with major brands. Their stranglehold on the English Premier League of 20 titles is under threat as Liverpool has equalled it this season. Although they’re still performing poorly under Portuguese manager Ruben Amorim in the current season, fans are still hoping that things will turn around, due to the fact that United has no European football, leading to a lighter schedule & lesser workload.

2. FC Barcelona (La Liga)

In second position, we have the 2024-25 domestic treble winners FC Barcelona as one of the biggest football club in the world. Their former president, Narcís de Carreras came up with a famous phrase, "Més que un club" (More than a club) in 1968, which reflects the club's pride and rich history. First, Barcelona conquered Europe in 1992 by winning the UCL under the legendary Johan Cryuff, then in the 2008-09 season, under Pep Guardiola, they made the world gasp in awe with their revolutionary tiki-taka football & went on to complete the sextuple. Barca has produced some of the greatest players of all time in Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta, Dani Alves, Neymar & more.

Barca's dominance reached its peak in 2015-16, when under the manager Luis Enrique, they won the treble (La Liga, Copa Del Rey, and UCL). After it, financial scandals followed, and the club's image also took a hit as a result of it when several of their top officials were arrested. The dominoes started to fall as the club's performance not only dipped domestically, but humiliating exits in the UCL also followed. After legendary players like Messi, Iniesta & Xavi left, the club struggled. But Thanks to Joan Laporta & German Tactician Hansi Flick, the club is getting back to where it belongs. With shrewd signings & by giving minutes to La Masia players like Lamine Yamal, Pedri & Cubarsi, the club is back to playing high-octane football. Barcelona won their 28th La Liga title in 2025 & fell short of UCL glory due to being defeated by Inter Milan in the semis.

1. Real Madrid (La Liga)

Based on our ranking factors, it goes without saying that Real Madrid gets the first position on our list. From players like Alfredo Di Stefano, Ferenc Puskás, and Cristiano Ronaldo, the club has seen an endless line of greats donning their jersey & ending up winning numerous trophies. But it's not the fact that they have 71 domestic titles, which is jaw-dropping; it's the number of trophies they have won at the continental level, which is more mindboggling. The Los Blancos have won a record 15 UCL titles, making it the most successful club in the competition. After the departures of legends like Luka Modric & Toni Kroos, the club is building around young players like England's 2024-25 player of the year Jude Bellingham, Arda Guler, Federico Valverde, Dean Huijsen & more.

Not only is Real Madrid the best football club in the world, in 2023-24, they also became the first club in football history to cross 1 billion dollars in revenue ($1.19 billion to be precise), largely thanks to the renovated Santiago Bernabeu stadium. With close to 400 million social media followers, it's unsurprisingly Real Madrid that is the most supported football club in the world.