Average attendance "Big Five" European soccer leagues 1996/97-2021/22

Soccer games in the German top division averaged around 43,000 spectators during the 2018/19 season, the highest average attendance of the biggest European soccer leagues prior to the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. After restrictions were lifted for the most part, the Premier League bounced back quickest when it comes to attendance, reaching an average of close to 40 thousand visitors in stadiums for the 2021/22 season.

The Bundesliga getting the ball rolling again

The top division of German soccer is known as the Bundesliga and has topped average attendance rankings outright across Europe since the 2004/05 season up until the pandemic. There was a decrease of around 1,140 spectators at Bundesliga games in the 2018/19 season compared to the season before. Two German sides – Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich – were ranked in the top five for total number of spectators at soccer matches in Europe in 2017/18. Borussia Dortmund had around 1.35 million people pass through the turnstiles, only Manchester United had more; however, it is worth noting that teams in the English Premier League play two more home games per season due to a greater number of sides in their top division. Borussia Dortmund averaged 79,496 for each of their 17 home games in the Bundesliga in 2017/18 – the highest average attendance across all European soccer leagues.

Standing in European soccer grounds

It may come as a surprise that the English Premier League, which generates the largest revenue of the biggest European soccer leagues, does not top the attendance rankings. However, one advantage German soccer has over its English counterparts is that spectators remain free to stand in certain sections of stadiums, resulting in a greater number of people being allowed entry. Standing terraces were phased out in England following the Hillsborough disaster of 1989 and new regulations required all-seater stadiums to be introduced in the top two divisions of English soccer. Support for the return of safe standing areas in English stadiums has been growing in recent years – Tottenham Hotspur have installed rail seating at their new home stadium – but trials in the top two leagues have yet to be given the green light.