The Bundesliga vs Premier League: Why Germany Won the Attendance Battle in 2025/26 & What Could Happen This Season

The English Premier League is the financial powerhouse of football because it generates more revenue than any other domestic league. It is home to some of the most popular teams in the world, and this attracts the biggest sponsorship deals.

Despite that, the Premier League falls short in one area – football attendance. According to research by Nostrabet.com, the Premier League is not the most-attended football competition in Europe. This title belongs to Germany.

The statistics from Transfermarkt are clear – the Bundesliga had an average attendance of 42,308 people per match. For comparison, the English Premier League had 41,635. Even though the difference does not seem that much, it’s surprising, considering the state of the two competitions. It’s interesting to learn more about the stats and what could happen in the 2026/27 season, so let’s begin.

The Bundesliga’s Attendance Advantage is Built on Culture

As mentioned, Germany leads European football in average attendance, with 42,308 people per game. The EPL comes second with 41,635, followed by La Liga with 30,952, Serie A with 29,891, and Ligue 1 with 27,576.

Many people believe that football attendance should be tied to financial strength. This is true up to a point because the Premier League has impressive numbers, but the Bundesliga shows that it is not always the case. Money alone does not guarantee the strongest relationship between clubs and supporters.

German football has found ways to build a deep connection between teams and local communities. As a result, some of the big German clubs attract far more football fans than their English or Spanish counterparts.

Diving into a specific example, Borussia Dortmund is leading the charts because Signal Iduna Park averaged around 81,365 supporters per match. This number is very high and makes BVB the highest-attended club in Europe. It’s closely followed by the German powerhouse Bayern Munich with 75,000 fans per game. Manchester United comes third with around 73, 975.

These stats are very intriguing because Dortmund does not have the same commercial power as some of the bigger European clubs. Despite that, it attracts larger crowds and its “Yellow Wall” became a representation of what makes German football so interesting.

But why are Borussia Dortmund’s Numbers so Impressive?

One reason many football fans may be surprised by Borussia Dortmund’s attendance figures is the club’s financial position. It’s not that the club doesn’t have money, but it’s nowhere near the big European powerhouses.

The numbers mentioned earlier reveal that Dortmund’s stadiums are often near full capacity all the time. The club’s supporters have remained loyal through periods when the club struggled financially, especially when compared to Bayern Munich, another German club.

If you dive deep into Dortmund’s history, you will realize why people like the club so much. It has traditionally represented the working-class football culture. The club’s supporters are connected to this region of Germany, and attending the football games gives them a sense of community.

The Premier League is Winning Financially, but at What Cost?

Even though the German Bundesliga is the leader in attendance, the financial situation is a bit different. As mentioned earlier, all the big English clubs benefit from huge broadcasting agreements. The EPL games are broadcast all over the world, which allows clubs to generate far higher revenues than many of their counterparts.

We can clearly see the financial differences between the two in the transfer market. Premier League clubs will often spend hundreds of millions on building squads. The Bundesliga, on the other hand, often operates with more cautious financial strategies. For example, Liverpool spent close to 144.5M EUR for Alexander Isac in 2025. If we compare this to Germany, we can see that the most expensive transfer took place in 2023 when Bayern Munich got Harry Kane from Tottenham.

Despite the financial differences between the two competitions, the relationship between fans and clubs remains stark. Sure, Premier League games also get tons of attention, but many of them have become much more expensive. Ticket prices, hospitality packages and even commercial seating have increased because clubs try to maximize revenue. While it does help, the truth is that these high prices are causing some people to avoid visiting the stadiums.

Germany, on the other hand, has a different approach. It seems like the Bundesliga’s priority is to keep stadiums full and maintain a strong matchday atmosphere. Some stats show that the average ticket for a Bundesliga game is around €30 to €40, whereas the same match in the English Premier League is between €60 and €95. The difference adds up over time.

The 50+ Rule Could Be Germany’s Secret Weapon

One of the big differences between German and English football is the ownership structure of the clubs. In the Bundesliga, there is a famous 50+1 rule, under which clubs must generally remain majority-controlled by their members’ association. The advantages here are that members get voting influence over important decisions and prevent outside investors from taking full control.

For better or worse, this is not the case in the English Premier League. In fact, foreign investments have made some of the clubs the richest sporting organizations in the world. Manchester City is a prime example of that because it gained tons of fans and financial power after the club’s acquisition by Sheikh Mansour, whose net worth is over 17B GBP.

Because of this structure, many German fans feel they have a stronger connection to their clubs. The sense of belonging helps them create a powerful matchday culture and strengthens loyalty. As a result, many of them are more than happy to go to stadiums and support their favorite club.

It’s also worth pointing out that Germany has some of the largest stadiums in Europe. Borussia Dortmund’s home has a capacity of 81,365, while Bayern Munich’s is second at 75,000. For comparison, many traditional English stadiums are smaller due to historical restrictions and urban constraints. This is changing, however, because some of the bigger clubs are looking to build new stadiums or expand their existing ones.

Bundesliga vs Premier League Betting

The attendance debate between the two creates interesting opportunities for sports bettors. Even though many people wager on the Bundesliga, there is no disputing that the Premier League is in a league of its own when it comes to popularity.

While you may find more markets when betting on the EPL, this does not mean that it offers the best value. In fact, English football receives so much attention that popular teams often attract heavy public betting. This is very true for teams like Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United.

There are many instances in which the Bundesliga can offer better value. Sure, Bayern Munich gets tons of attention, but if we check the other teams, we will see that this is not the case. That’s one of the reasons some expert bettors focus more on it than on other football competitions.

2026/26 Season Prediction: Will the Bundesliga remain Europe’s Attendance Leader?

Considering that the stats mentioned throughout this article are from last season, we don’t expect to see many changes in 2026/27. As we’ve analyzed, the system in Germany is designed to allow fans to feel closer to their clubs. There are affordable tickets, large stadiums and fan ownership that create a sustainable model.

The Premier League will almost certainly continue to dominate European football financially. It will also continue to have a way higher average attendance than other parts of Europe. Despite that, we believe Germany will continue to win the attendance battle.

From a betting perspective, the Premier League could offer more unpredictable markets because of the number of elite clubs competing. The Bundesliga, on the other hand, can be a solid pick for bettors looking for more extravagant options.

Final Thoughts

We can safely say that an overview of Bundesliga and Premier League attendances reveals two different versions of football. England has the world’s richest league, where clubs spend millions on the best players. It represents globalization, commercial power and financial ambitions.

On the other hand, you have Germany, where people are trying to protect the relationship between clubs and their supporters. Due to these reasons, the most prestigious football league in the country attracts more people than the rest.

We are looking forward to the new season’s data and will compare it to see the differences. Right now, it is clear that the Bundesliga and the Premier League are in a league of their own when you compare them to others. After all, La Liga, Serie A and Ligue 1 have substantially lower attendance.