European football is dominated by the “Big Five” leagues which boast the highest viewing figures and most successful teams in European competition, but there are still other leagues that offer value and should not be ignored.
Millions of viewers and spectators enjoy football all over Europe, and this has a massive economic impact on countries with employment, public transport, and gambling industries all benefitting significantly.
Other European Leagues
Football is by far the most popular sport for consumers to gamble on, with a variety of markets including match, league, domestic, European, and international all proving to be popular.
Most betting football betting markets run from the late Summer through to the Spring, with international tournaments like the Euros and World Cup taking place over the summer.
Betting in Norway is different with the league running from March to November to avoid harsh winters. Online betting expert Edgar C Blakeslee explains that gambling in the country is strictly regulated, but consumers can access offshore betting sites for football betting and online casinos.
Norway’s Scandinavian neighbours Sweden and Denmark also have competitive leagues, with teams regularly competing in European competition. Other popular leagues outside the top five include the Netherlands, Turkey, and Scotland where the Old Firm dominates.
The Big Five
England
The English Premier League is the most watched of the big five leagues, helping to generate massive amounts of revenue. TV deals and sponsorship helped clubs generate revenue of more than £6 billion over the 2022/23 season. Other factors that impact this figure include player sales, ticket sales, and merchandising.
Teams like Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, and Arsenal all have a massive global following, helping the Premier League sell TV rights around the world.
Spain
La Liga is home to two giants of the game, Real Madrid and Barcelona. The league also boasts the likes of Atletico Madrid, Sevilla, and Villareal.
Real Madrid and Barcelona have the honour of being the two most widely followed football teams on social media, no doubt helped by the Ronaldo vs Messi debate a few years ago.
Germany
German football had been dominated by Bayern Munich until Bayer Leverkusen broke their 11-year monopoly on the Bundesliga. Borussia Dortmund came close with Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham in their squad, while Schalke 04, WfL Wolfsburg, VfB Stuttgart, and Werder Bremen have all had formidable squads in recent years.
Italy
For years Italian football was widely regarded as the best, with Serie A enjoying unprecedented success in the 1990s. Teams like Juventus, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Fiorentina, Roma, Lazio, Parma, and many more have been among the top European clubs for decades, and the Italian league is still watched by millions of adoring and passionate fans.
France
The French Ligue 1 has seen years of transition, with clubs going through spells of dominance through the decades including Bordeaux in the 80s, Marseille in the 90s, Lyon in the 00s, and Paris Saint-Germain since the 2010s.
These eras saw clubs competing in European competition, but only PSG’s Cup Winners’ Cup victory in 1996 and Marseille’s inaugural Champion’s League victory came from the 12 finals they have reached since 1990.
Of course, Marseille’s European victory was shrouded in controversy after it transpired they had been paying off refs.
Conclusion
The success and reputation of clubs playing in the big five leagues have helped them to exert dominance over other leagues. The revenue now generated in football has led to creating an even bigger divide, with teams from smaller nations unable to compete with the spending power of bigger countries.
