The NFL is the most popular professional sports league in the United States. Comprising 32 teams in two conferences, the league records huge followerships with high stadium attendance and a large television audience. However, unlike the NBA, which has a large number of followers around the world, the NFL doesn't enjoy huge followerships outside the United States.
While American football may not be a popular sport in many countries, the NFL has managed to build a dedicated fanbase across the globe. The popularity of the league has grown relatively over the years outside the shores of the United States. The league has been able to expand around the world through a combination of savvy marketing and compelling content
Which Countries have the Most NFL Followers Outside the US?
According to the Global Web Index, Mexico is the country with the most NFL followers outside the United States. The North American neighbors of the United States have over 23 million people following the league. They are closely followed by Brazil with approximately 20 million fans. This comes as a surprise for a country with cultural ties to the game of soccer.
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Canada is a distant third on the log. The North American nation, which also has its own football league, has over 7 million of its population following the game. South Korea has the most fans in Asia, with approximately 7 million followers of the league. The country has a soft spot for American sports and has a football and baseball league of its own.
The league is also relatively popular in Europe. The one-time existence of NFL Europe has ensured the popularity of the league inside the continent. Germany leads the largest number of league followers in Europe with more than 6.5 million fans. They are closely followed by the United Kingdom, which has approximately 6 million following the league.
Other countries with significant NFL fans include Spain. The European country has more than 3.5 million fans following the league. Saudi Arabia also leads the Arab world in terms of followership of the NFL. The league has over 3 million followers within the Arab nation. Australia also has sizable NFL fans within its shores, with over 2.5 million following the league.
Argentina caps up the top 10 list. The South American country boasts over 2 million NFL fans. The NFL is a very unpopular league within the shores of Africa, as there are microscopic few following the league. The NFL, however, has been making efforts in recent years to penetrate the continent. The future holds quite a lot of promise for the league in terms of global followership.