A report by the European Football Association has revealed that Manchester United had the highest number of fans attending their matches during the 2023/24 season, with a total of 1,397,148 spectators.
The English club topped the list after finishing eighth the previous season, marking one of their worst Premier League standings in history.
Borussia Dortmund from Germany had the highest average home match attendance, with at least 81,305 fans attending their Bundesliga games. However, they were surpassed by English, Spanish, and Italian clubs in total match attendance across all competitions.
In all competitions, Borussia Dortmund attracted the most fans, with a total of 1,951,745 attendees, largely due to their journey to the UEFA Champions League final, where they were defeated by Real Madrid.
AC Milan from Italy ranked second with a total of 1,860,964 fans attending their matches, while Manchester United placed third with 1,834,291 fans watching their home games across all competitions.
Overall, 16 European clubs attracted more than a million fans to their home games last season. These included English clubs such as West Ham, Tottenham, Arsenal, Manchester City, and Liverpool.
The English Premier League was the most attended league, with 14.7 million spectators. However, this number reflects a 4% decrease compared to the previous season, which corresponds to a 5% reduction in stadium capacity.
The second division of English football (Championship) had an average attendance of 23,000 fans per game, making it the seventh most attended league in Europe during the 2023/24 season.
Increase in Women’s Football Attendance.
In women’s football, fan attendance in top European leagues grew by 2.6 million, representing a 38% increase compared to the previous season.
Arsenal WFC’s home matches were watched by 329,986 fans, while other clubs like Manchester United, FC Barcelona, and Chelsea also exceeded 100,000 spectators during the season.
FC Barcelona ranked second in total fan attendance across all competitions, with 216,974 fans attending their matches. They were also the only European club to host more than 100,000 fans in the Champions League.
The Champions League final between FC Barcelona and Lyon in Bilbao was the fifth most-attended match in Europe last season, drawing 50,827 spectators.
Four Arsenal matches in the Women’s Super League, against Manchester United, Tottenham, Chelsea, and Liverpool, were the most attended women’s football games in Europe.
