The latest UEFA report has revealed that the past club competitions in Europe were record-breaking in terms of attendances. The union, which unites football associations on the Old Continent, said that the number of fans in the stands in the 2022-23 season marks the rebirth of football after the pandemic.

Record-breaking season at European stadiums

The UEFA report states that around 209 million fans attended all European club football matches in 2022-23. The leagues in the so-called TOP 5 account for more than half of this impressive result with a total attendance of 109 million spectators. The English Premier League leads the way with 15.3 million fans, closely followed by the German Bundesliga (13.2 million). A similar result of 11.2 million fans was achieved by LaLiga and Serie A. Crowds in LaLiga were 10 per cent higher than in 2018-19, with UEFA noting that the figure would have been a 30-year record had it not been for ongoing renovation work at Santiago Bernabeu. The French elite rounds off the table with an attendance of 9 million spectators. As many as 17 clubs attracted more than one million spectators to their stadiums, with AS Roma and Olympique Marseille achieving this figure for the first time in their history.

© Markus Unger (cc: by)

The lower-tier leagues attracted 68 million fans to their stadiums, with England once again leading the way with 22.5 million fans in the stands. Germany came next with 12.2 million. UEFA said the figures represented "remarkable post-pandemic resurgence". The 109 million spectators in the country's top-level leagues is a new record, up four per cent on the previous record set in the 2018-19 season.

The European cup competition attracted 16 million spectators to the arenas, while attendance at domestic cup games was 13 million. Women's club matches saw 3 million fans in the stadiums. Attendance at national team matches in Europe reached 5 million spectators.

The football union report also showed that 33 countries recorded higher attendances in 2022-23 than in 2018-19, the last season unaffected by the pandemic. Fourteen leagues recorded the highest number of fans in at least a decade, with all-time records in England, France and Switzerland.

European football is doing well

The top leagues in Croatia, the Czech Republic, Ireland, Poland and Scotland also recorded their highest attendances for more than 20 seasons. For instance the total number of fans in Polish Ekstraklasa stadiums in the 2022/23 season was almost 3 million. In comparison, 2018/19 saw an attendance of 2,677,294 spectators and the 2021/22 season brought 2,250,205 people to the arenas. The improvement is therefore evident.

© Mishka, Legionisci.com

UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin said: As you explore these pages, you’ll quickly notice the remarkable strength and vitality of European football, which remains the global leader in game development and continues to captivate audiences worldwide. A staggering 209 million fans supported European professional club football matches from the stands last season alone. It’s not just about the big leagues; our game is thriving at all levels, with an impressive 68 million enthusiastic supporters attending grassroots games away from the flashy arenas. This incredible passion and participation showcase European football’s profound depth and enduring strength.