Best Football League in the World: Top Leagues Ranked!

Football is the most watched, followed and played sport around the globe. According to FIFA, around five billion people engaged in the last FIFA World Cup in Qatar 2022, with the final reaching a global audience of 1.5 billion viewers. The 2023-24 UEFA Champions League final was estimated to reach 450 million people across the planet according to UEFA. 

Despite being the biggest sport in the world, this doesn't stop the fans from engaging in both friendly and fiercer debates. Be it the best players, managers, national teams and even leagues, everything is up for debate in the world of football. 

Today we answer the question of the best football league around the globe, based on verified data and key metrics such as trophies, revenue and awards. 

10. Russian Premier League (RPL) 

The top-division professional associated football league in Russia: the RPL, was established at the end of 2001. In 2018, the league was rebranded under its current name, the Russian Premier League. 

The league consists of many top clubs such as Zenit Saint Petersburg, CSKA Moscow, Lokomotiv Moscow, Rubin Kazan and Spartak Moscow. Zenit Saint Petersburg are the current champion of the league, having won the league title consecutively from the 2018-19 season till now. 

The league falls under the UEFA Confederation and was home to many top players such as Hulk and Malcom. The RPL used to have two UEFA Champions League qualifying spots and two UEFA Conference League spots as of the 2021-22 season, but these have been suspended due to the nation's invasion of Ukraine, alongside their national team's participation in international competition and matches.

9. English Football League Championship (EFL Championship) 

The EFL Championship is a professional football league in England and Wales. It is the highest division of the English Football League (EFL) and the second highest overall in the English league system. 

It is currently contested by 24 clubs, with the winner of the league receiving the EFL Championship trophy, which was previously awarded to winners of the English top flight before the launch of the Premier League. Just like any other league in the professional English football pyramid, Welsh clubs can also be a part of the division, making it a cross-border league. 

The top two finishing teams are promoted to the Premier League, while teams finishing 3rd to 6th enter the playoffs, with one team gaining promotion to the top flight. While the bottom three clubs are relegated to the League One. 

EFL Championship is one of the most competitive leagues in the world and is fiercely contested from top to bottom. The league has also nurtured many world-class talents in history. The best recent examples are of Jude Bellingham, who broke through at Birmingham City before his move to BVB. The player with the most goals in 2024: Viktor Gyokeres (62 goals in 63 matches for club and country) was also playing in the EFL Championship for Coventry City before his move to Sporting.

8. Major League Soccer (MLS) 

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Major League Soccer (MLS) is the men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the US Soccer Federation. The league was founded in 1993, as a part of the nation's successful bid to host the 1994 FIFA World Cup. 

The first season of the league took place in 1996 with just 10 teams. The initial few seasons of the league were disastrous, meaning the investors lost a lot of money. But with the introduction of the Designated player rule, things changed. The signing of David Beckham was seen as a major turning point in the league's history. 

The league season normally starts in late February and runs through mid-October. MLS now has 30 teams, 3 from Canada and 27 from the USA, divided into 2 confederations (Eastern and Western).

MLS side Inter Miami signed Lionel Messi in the summer of 2023, adding more fans and credibility to the league. Messi was later also awarded the prestigious Ballon d'Or award, making him the first player to win the award while playing in a league outside Europe.

7. Campeonato Brasileiro Série A (Brasileirão)

The Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, commonly referred to as the Brasileirão or Brazilian Série A is Brazil’s primary football competition. The league was founded in 1937 and is contested by 20 clubs and operates on a promotion and relegation basis. 

In 2021, the competition was chosen by the IFFHS as the strongest national league in South America as well as the strongest in the world. The league has been home to some of the best players in football history such as Neymar, Vinicius Jr, Rivaldo, Tevez, Romario and many more. Record three-time FIFA World Cup winner Pele also played the majority of his career in the Brazilian Serie A. 

The league still continues to produce top talents such as Endrick, Estêvão Willian and many more. The league also features some other top players in 2025, such as Thiago Silva, Memphis Depay and many more. 

6. Eredivisie

Founded in 1956, Eredivisie is the top level of professional football in the Netherlands. Ranking sixth on our list, the league is also ranked as the sixth-best league in Europe by UEFA.

The league consists of 18 clubs and the winner of the Eredivisie claims the Dutch national championship. Ajax have won the most titles with 36. PSV Eindhoven are next with 25, and Feyenoord follow with 16. The league has been home to some of the best players in the world and still continues to produce great talent to this day.

5. Championnat de France de football (Ligue 1)

Ligue 1, currently known as the Ligue 1 McDonald’s due to sponsorship reasons, is the top-level association football league in France located at the top of the French football league system.  Ligue 1 was inaugurated on 11 September 1932 under the name of Division 1.

The league is administered by the Ligue de Football Professionnel and consists of 18 clubs (since the 2023–24 season). Ligue 1 is also considered a part of the ‘top five leagues’, normally ranked in the 5th spot. PSG are the most successful side in the league and it also consists of a foreign club: AS Monaco, who have also won the league title on many occasions. 

Ligue 1 was the home to many star players such as Kylian Mabppe, Lionel Messi and Neymar. But all the big names have since then left the league and the league has also witnessed a dip in viewership. 

Bayern Munich are the most successful club in the league, winning an incredible 32 of 61 titles available. The league is also home to other major clubs such as Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen. Bundesliga clubs have won eight UEFA Champions League, seven UEFA Europa League, four European Cup Winners' Cup, two UEFA Super Cup, two FIFA Club World Cup, and three Intercontinental Cup titles.

The German Bundesliga has also been filled with superstars such as Gerd Muller, Franz Beckenbauer, Miroslav Klose, Robert Lewandowski and many more. 

3. Lega Nazionale Professionisti Serie A (Serie A)

Italian Serie A is a professional league competition located at the top of the Italian football league system. The league began in the 1929-30 season under the current structure, the winners of the league are awarded the Coppa Campioni d'Italia trophy and the Scudetto. The Scudetto is a decoration that the league winners wear on their jersey the following season.

The Italian Serie A is regarded as the most tactical and defensively sound league around the globe. The league hosts three of the world's most famous and historic clubs: Juventus, AC Milan and Inter Milan. Juventus are the most successful team in the league, with 36 titles. Inter Milan are the current champions, winning the 2023-24 league title. Serie A was also ranked as the best league by UEFA coefficient in the 2023-24 season. 

2. Campeonato Nacional de Liga de Primera División (LaLiga)

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Campeonato Nacional de Liga de Primera División, currently known as the LaLiga EA Sports, is the top men’s professional division of the Spanish football league system. The league consists of 20 teams and is contested over a 38 matchday period. 

FC Barcelona won the inaugural season of the LaLiga, while Real Madrid have won the title a record 26 times, with the most recent coming in the 2023-24 season. LaLiga clubs have also dominated on the European front, with Real Madrid holding the record for the most UEFA Champions League titles with 15 and Sevilla holding the record for most UEFA Europa League titles with seven. 

The Spanish top flight also holds the record for the most Ballon d’Or winners, with Lionel Messi winning an incredible six while featuring in the league and Cristiano Ronaldo winning four during his time with Real Madrid. Karim Benzema was the last LaLiga player to win the award in 2022.

The Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo era might be over in the league, but the league has found new poster boys in Vincius Jr, Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal.