In football, there’s a term that, although it may sound corny at times, has more meaning than most people realize. That’s what a “12th man” is all about. The proverb describes the power that home fans may provide to their team as they cheer them on to victory and block out the opposition’s away end’s music.
Even though it might sound flimsy, players, both past and present, will tell you how powerful the roar in the stands can be in inspiring them or intimidating the opposition. It makes sense to assume that the more ’12th guys’ there are, the better, even though this isn’t necessarily the case. Additionally, these 20 clubs have the advantage of having the most crowded stadiums in the world, which should theoretically work in their favor. Learn more about the 20 clubs with the greatest average attendance for the 2024–2025 season, presented by GIVEMESPORT.
20-16
Flamengo, Arsenal, Hamburger SV, Eintracht Frankfurt, Benfica
With Flamengo, Brazil’s most popular team, starting off, the bottom of our list features some great footballing heritage. The team may not be as good as some of the teams above them, but over 54,000 people still flock to Maracana, which AI named the world’s most famous stadium. They are followed by Arsenal, one of the five Premier League teams on this list. Even though the Gunners have finished second in three consecutive Premier League seasons, 56,000 devoted supporters still turn out to cheer them on, eager to win the championship once more.
The team that comes next is Hamburger SV, one of only two that did not even play in their nation’s top flight for the 2024–2025 season. More than 56,000 spectators routinely attended the 2. Bundesliga match to watch the German team finish second and earn a return to the Bundesliga the following season.
Eintracht Frankfurt had over 57,000 supporters this season despite losing Omar Marmoush halfway through the season, while Benfica finished in the bottom five with 58,000 weekly attendance.
15-11
Atletico Madrid, West Ham United, VfB Stuttgart, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool
Atletico Madrid will be the next to play, making their first trip to Spain for number 15. Even though Diego Simeone’s team placed third in La Liga this season, they still had a sizable fan base, with about 59,000 people supporting them each week.
All three of the teams in the discussion have experienced recent success in Europe, and there are just 439 fans separating 14th from 12th. With 59,286, 59,438 and 59,725 supporters, respectively, West Ham United, VfB Stuttgart, and Tottenham Hotspur follow.
Liverpool, the current Premier League champions, are in eleventh place. Anfield regularly drew crowds of over 60,000 as the team adapted to life without Jurgen Klopp. They had a lot of supporters as Arne Slot arrived and immediately propelled them to the pinnacle of English football.
10-6
Schalke 04, AS Roma, Marseille, AC Milan, Real Madrid
This year, we are the second-to-last squad to play outside of a top division as we enter the top 10. Despite Schalke 04’s two-year absence from the Bundesliga, supporters have continued to demonstrate their support. Next up comes the Stadio Olimpico, which is the closest approximation to an old colosseum. As they continue to wait for their team to end their Serie A title drought, Roma supporters bring the same fighting spirit to every game, even though there may not be the same level of violence that the Italian city used to witness in arenas under the Roman Empire.
Seven-time European winners AC Milan come after Roberto de Zerbi’s Marseille, who are renowned for having an extremely fervent supporter base. The red and blacks may not make the top five since they are not as strong as they once were, but the San Siro can fill more than the 66,984 that the Rossoneri average.
The attendance of Real Madrid has somewhat decreased from its usual level due to the Santiago Bernabeu’s ongoing redevelopment. Still, during Kylian Mbappe’s first season in Spain, 68,000 people attended Los Blancos each week. Only 412 fans separate them from the top five.
5-1
Inter Milan, River Plate, Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund
Inter Milan, who demonstrate that the storied San Siro can accommodate even more by drawing over 3,000 more fans to each game when they host than when their local rivals play at home, just cracked the top five. The Estadio Mas Monumental, where Argentine giants River Plate cram in an average of 71,775 every time they are at home, is the destination of our second voyage to South America.
Even if everything isn’t going well for Manchester United right now, their fans are still showing up at the Theatre of Dreams to cheer for Ruben Amorim’s team no matter what. With talks about a new stadium, it is unclear how long Old Trafford will remain in place.
Germany will once again host the top two, with Bayern Munich, the most powerful team in the nation, finishing second. Borussia Dortmund, the yellow wall itself, is the only team with an average of more than 80,000 supporters, surpassing them. Dortmund is renowned for having one of the greatest atmospheres in Europe, and it is easy to understand why given the fervent supporters and the number that Signal Iduna Park can accommodate.
20 Football Clubs With The Highest Average Attendance in the World (2024/25)
Rank
Club
Attendance
1.
Dortmund Borussia
81,365
2.
The Bayern Munich
75,000
3.
United Manchester
73,385
4.
Plate of Rivers
71,775
5.
Milan Inter
68,544
6.
Real Madrid
68,132
7.
Milan AC
66,984
8.
Marseille
63,587
9.
AS Roma
61,892
10.
Schalke 04
61,639
11.
Liverpool
60,320
12.
Tottenham Hotspur
59,725
13.
Stuttgart VfB
59,438
14.
United West Ham
59,286
15.
Real Madrid
58,917
16.
Benfica
58,509
17.
Frankfurt Eintracht
57,455
18.
SV Hamburger
56,324
19.
The Arsenal
56,099
20.
The Flamengo
54,298
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