There are not too many footballing topics that can promise to divide fanbases more than the matter of club size, which is a frequent figure of discourse throughout all levels of the professional pyramid and beyond.
The EFL is home to no shortage of sleeping giants, with many clubs in possession of glittering histories, trophies and past glories now cutting their teeth at Championship level or, in some cases, even lower down. An important distinction is that current position is not always parallel with overall club size, and there are many EFL outfits who are actually larger than certain sides excelling in the dizzying heights of the Premier League.
It’s also very subjective, though. Fans will naturally be more biased towards their own team from time to time, which means it can be difficult to put your finger on exactly who meets the qualifying criteria for a ‘big club’ – there are, as ever, so many factors at play.
However, a study conducted by the Daily Mail has accounted for a wealth of criteria to rank all 92 clubs of the campaign based on club size, spanning from Premier League heavyweights to sides down in the depths of League Two. The study measured each club by league titles, domestic trophies, European trophies, total top-flight points and seasons, all-time average league position, alongside more variable and recent considerations such as annual revenue, squad value, social media presence — and even the number of players to have been capped by England while representing the team, and how many caps were received.
There’s a lot to take in, and Football League World has decided to dive into the study and look at who the top 60 biggest clubs in English football really are based on the criteria at hand.

60. Leyton Orient

Getting us underway is League One side Leyton Orient, who fail to rank in the EFL’s top 60 for online presence and perhaps lack the history to compensate for a relative lack of social media reach. The O’s have never won a major trophy and only one campaign in the club’s 145-year history has been spent in the top-flight. They’re one of the smaller professional clubs in the capital and geography counts against the East London outfit, who have the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United to compete with.

59. Port Vale

The bulk of Port Vale’s history has been spent in the lower leagues, with the Valiants having long trailed local rivals Stoke City. Vale are well-supported by a loyal fanbase, but with only a limited social media presence and not too much to speak of by way of recent or historical success aside from promotions out of League Two, it’s no surprise that the Burslem-based outfit have just about made it into the top 60.

58. Grimsby Town

Grimsby Town are generally regarded as one of the larger clubs in English football’s fourth-tier and have the fanbase, atmosphere and previous success at higher levels to support that claim, even if it’s all not quite enough to place the Cod Army any higher. With close to 200,000 followers across Instagram and X, Grimsby have a decent reach by League Two standards and will be hoping to return to the third-tier in the not-too-distant future after losing out in this season’s play-offs.

57. Bristol Rovers

It’s a pretty similar case for Bristol Rovers, who may be some way behind fierce rivals Bristol City by way of recent success but remain a decent-sized League Two club in their own right. Their social media reach is comparable to Grimsby’s and the Gasheads’ support both at home and on the road brings impressive noise and numbers in equal measure, but they’re limited due to how much of Rovers’ history has been spent in the lower leagues and the fact that the Memorial Stadium has never hosted top-flight football.

56. Rotherham United

Rotherham United will be returning to League Two for the first time in more than a decade, with recent years having seen the Millers compete in both the Championship and League One. Avoiding relegation during previous second-tier seasons is about as good as it’s ever got for Rotherham, who pale in comparison to a number of Yorkshire rivals in terms of standing and levels of support.

55. Oxford United

Oxford United are now on their way back to League One and only ended a 25-year absence from the second-tier in 2024, meaning that the U’s historical success can often go under the radar. Traditionally, at least, Oxford fall short of much of the qualifying criteria for a big club, although the 1980s offered a brief exception as the side spent three years in the top-flight and even won the 1985/86 League Cup, which represents their only major honour to date and would’ve opened the door to compete in Europe if English teams were not banned from doing so at that time due to the Heysel disaster. Oxford’s online reach is worth noting, too, with the club’s official Instagram page boasting more than 350,000 followers.

54. Wrexham AFC

Wrexham’s trajectory isn’t doing much lifting for them here, with various criteria going against the upwardly-mobile Welsh side despite achieving three successive promotions from the National League to the second-tier. There’s not any top-flight success to speak of right now for the 23-time Welsh Cup winners, but that could be subject to change in the coming seasons if everything goes to plan.
Wrexham have enjoyed a meteoric rise in recent years and have the financial backing to continue that journey, whereas they’re only going from strength-to-strength away from the field too — combined followers across all social media platforms exceed the four million figure at an increase of more than 2,000% since the Red Dragons’ Hollywood takeover in 2021, and they’re becoming a big player commercially under Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

53. Bradford City

Despite the objective criteria, this list was always going to be capable of dividing opinion and you do wonder whether Bradford City supporters may have expected their side to rank even higher. Bradford are just one example of a sleeping giant in the 92’s lower two tiers, having not played Championship football since 2004. They’ve previously graced the Premier League, though, and attendance figures have been strong at the Bantams’ impressive 24,800-capacity Valley Parade in recent times.

52. Wigan Athletic

Wigan Athletic have enjoyed stays in the Premier League following the turn of the millennium and even won the FA Cup back in 2013, claiming one of the competition’s greatest scalps over Manchester City at Wembley. The Latics’ historical success across the board is rather modest, and they do lack the attendances and overall fanbase size of other rival clubs in the North West, but that famous triumph is doing some lifting. Online reach also has to be considered, and Wigan have more than 300,000 followers on X alone.

51. Plymouth Argyle

Plymouth Argyle’s Home Park has never tasted top-flight football and the club’s trophy cabinet is without any major honours, but there are other factors to consider and the Pilgrims have one of the EFL’s more renowned fanbases. That’s working in their favour here, as too is a strong social media presence which currently has close to 300,000 followers on X and Instagram.

50. Barnsley

Barnsley may be another double-sided South Yorkshire side living in the shadow of larger clubs in the region, but that’s not to take anything away from the Tykes’ own stature either. Oakwell has previously hosted Premier League football and, while that’s about as successful as Barnsley have ever been, a history of competing regularly at Championship level ought to be considered and that’s exactly what supporters will be dreaming of a return to as they prepare for yet another season in League One.

49. Reading

Recent years haven’t been too kind to Reading, although the Royals do make it inside the top 50 after previously competing in the Premier League. Attendances often vary at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, which never operates at full capacity, and that’s rather at odds with a strong online presence in which the club has more than 500,000 followers across X and Instagram.

48. Millwall

We’re yet to see Millwall make it to the Premier League and the closest they came to achieving major honours was a shock run to the FA Cup final in 2004, where they were defeated by Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United. They are, however, a club of tradition with a rather renowned fanbase indeed, whereas solid second-tier history and a fair reach in the digital world helps to compensate for a lack of tangible success.

47. Notts County

Notts County may have spent the last decade in both League Two and even the National League, but historical roots also run deep on this side of the River Trent. The Magpies have a decent-sized fanbase and more-than-respectable home attendance figures at Meadow Lane despite being so close to Nottingham Forest, having last played top-flight football in the season before it became the Premier League.

46. Hull City

In contrast, much of Hull City’s success has arrived in relatively recent years. The Tigers, who have seen attendance figures grow dramatically at the MKM Stadium since Acun Ilicali’s purchase of the club a few years back, first made it to the Premier League in 2008 and have enjoyed a few seasons at the highest level ever since. That has perhaps allowed Hull’s social media presence to grow, too, with an impressive following count in excess of one million across Instagram and X. Hull are still searching for major silverware, though, having famously lost out to Arsenal back in 2014.

45. AFC Bournemouth

Ranked by all measures as the smallest Premier League club right now, Bournemouth are the first top-flight side to feature and that can be contested by few in spite of the Cherries’ ever-burgeoning trajectory. The majority of Bournemouth’s history has been played out in the lower leagues, but a stunning rise under Eddie Howe saw the south coast side reach the promised land against all odds in 2015 and they haven’t looked back since. Bournemouth may lack historical success and their fanbase is the smallest in the Premier League by some distance, but they maintain a large online presence and are poised to enter European football for the first time in the club’s existence — meaning the Cherries’ size is only sure to grow in the years to come.

44. Swansea City

Swansea City, meanwhile, have often shifted throughout the footballing pyramid, having gone from the top-flight to League Two and then right back up again to spend seven years in the Premier League after becoming the first Welsh club to achieve such a feat following the division’s 1992 rebranding. The Jack Army remain loyal and engaged despite a quieter period of history back in the Championship, although they’re still dreaming of a return to the top-flight glory days which saw Swansea win the 2013 League Cup and subsequently qualify for the UEFA Europa League.

43. Brentford

There are many on and off-field parallels between Bournemouth and Brentford, though it’s the Bees who rank marginally higher here. Much like the Cherries, the bulk of Brentford’s history has played out in the lower leagues, but shrewd and savvy recruitment and a sustainable player trading model has helped the West Londoners to get ahead of the curve and gain an advantage over larger clubs with stronger history and playing budgets. That’s exactly why Brentford, who have spent five successive seasons in the Premier League, are also on course to make it into Europe, showing that club size perhaps isn’t always what matters most.

42. Blackpool

From a current Premier League staple to a club which has only graced the division for one sole season since its rebranding, Blackpool have real history to shout about. The Tangerines won the FA Cup for the only time all the way back in 1953, which was orchestrated by legendary winger Sir Stanley Matthews, and they also lifted the Anglo-Italian Cup in 1971.

41. Bristol City

There’s an argument to be had that Bristol City’s potential as a club hasn’t ever been optimised, with the Robins still searching for major silverware and a debut in Premier League football following previous top-flight campaigns. Ashton Gate is a stadium tailor-made for the top-level and attendances in excess of 20,000 show that the West Country side can make that step up, too. They boast a fair reach online for good measure, but will need fresh investment in order to realise their potential.

40. Luton Town

Luton Town’s divisional history represents a rollercoaster journey virtually without peer, though their stature across the board remains relatively strong. The Hatters have enjoyed close to 20 seasons at top-flight level overall, while also spending five in the fifth-tier. They have a League Cup title to their name, too, and their presence has grown in recent years after making it to the Premier League — only to then suffer successive relegations down to League One.

39. Charlton Athletic

Situated right in the heart of South-East London, Charlton Athletic have a strong history and the sort of catchment area at play which enables the Addicks to retain a decent presence both in the stands on matchday and away from the field in the digital world. The Premier League days of the 2000s are now a distant memory, although Charlton can look back at a fair top-flight history alongside an FA Cup title right after the Second World War.

38. Cardiff City

Much like their fierce Welsh rivals down the M4, Cardiff City have fluctuated throughout the divisions but became the first non-English side to win the FA Cup in 1927 and have made it to future cup finals since, while twice achieving promotion to the Premier League. Attendances regularly exceed the 20,000-mark and, as a capital city club, the Bluebirds retain the feel of a sleeping giant. They’ve been a Championship staple over the last 20 years or so and have now returned to the division from League One at the first time of asking.

37. Watford

Unlike Cardiff, Watford have never won a major trophy in the club’s 145-year history, much of which has been in the top-flight. The Hornets have a rich history overall, though, and with nearly two million followers across Instagram and X, the online reach is there too.

36. QPR

QPR have not graced the Premier League in more than a decade now, having previously enjoyed years of success at top-flight level. The West London outfit once won the League Cup and retain strong, vocal attendances at Loftus Road to this day, even if recent success has proved somewhat hard to come by for the Hoops. There’s a lot of potential for further growth here, and it’s hard to feel that QPR are anything other than a decent-sized Championship outfit.

35. Brighton and Hove Albion

Brighton and Hove Albion’s story is similar to that of both Brentford and Bournemouth, with the Seagulls also punching above their weight to become Premier League regulars after spending long periods in the lower divisions courtesy of an intelligent and progressive approach to recruitment and trading. Promoted to the Premier League for the first time in 2017, Brighton’s trajectory has been remarkable and the Sussex-based side have even competed in Europe. Owner Tony Bloom will now be on the search for serious silverware, which the Seagulls have not won as of yet, but a consistent Premier League status has allowed Albion’s presence both on and off-the-pitch to increase exponentially in recent years.

34. Huddersfield Town

Huddersfield Town’s history is rich, and represents a stark contrast to the current state of play at the Accu Stadium. Three-time top-flight champions on the spin between 1924 and 1926 and 1922 FA Cup winners, the Terriers are one of the larger clubs in Yorkshire but they haven’t had too much to cheer about in more recent times. Huddersfield did spend two years in the Premier League against the odds between 2017 and 2019, though, having historically spent a lot of their time outside of the top-flight.

33. Portsmouth

Portsmouth’s history goes beyond the club’s renowned Premier League stay during the 2000s, in which Harry Redknapp enjoyed success with the south coast side as the likes of Peter Crouch, Jermain Defoe and Niko Kranjcar all graced Fratton Park. That era would see Pompey win a second FA Cup title, having also twice won the first division in 1949 and 1950. A remarkable fall from grace followed Portsmouth’s relegation from the Premier League, but attendances have always remained strong at Fratton Park — which is one of the loudest and most iconic stadiums within the EFL.

32. Coventry City

Coventry City have spent large parts of their history in the top-flight, and Frank Lampard has just ended a 25-year exodus by taking the Sky Blues back to the promised land as champions. Exactly what lies ahead for Coventry is anyone’s guess, but their rich history helps the West Midlands outfit retain status as a big club — even if they had to go all the way down to League Two before building the foundations for a return to the Premier League. Coventry won the FA Cup back in 1987, which is their only major honour to date, and supporters will always look back at seeing top talent such as Dion Dublin, Darren Huckerby and Peter Ndlovu turn out for the club.

31. Norwich City

Norwich City, meanwhile, have earned the tag of a yo-yo club frequently switching between the Premier League and the Championship, but that hasn’t always been the case. Two-time League Cup winners, the Canaries finished as high as third in the Premier League’s first-ever campaign and competed in the UEFA Cup the season after. With continually strong home attendances in spite of more modest affairs these days, Norwich will be hoping to return to the top-flight under Philippe Clement in the near future.

30. Crystal Palace

Unlike many of their London counterparts, Crystal Palace cannot profess to winning a top division title in their long history, and it was only in 2025 when they won their first ever major honour when beating Man City in the FA Cup final. The Eagles only first reached the top flight in 1969, but in more recent years they have become consolidated in the Premier League — the best may yet still be to come for the South London outfit if they can continue to progress.

29. Preston North End

From a team that are consistently in the Premier League to one that has never reached that particular competition, you have to go back to 1961 for the last time Preston North End were in the top flight — one year after club legend Sir Tom Finney hung up his boots. North End have lost two play-off finals in the early 21st century that would’ve got them to the promised land, but it is their early history that puts the Lilywhites high up the list — they were the first ever Football League champions, and they did it as the first ever ‘Invincibles’, over 100 years before Arsenal’s attempt, and they are also two-time winners of the FA Cup.

28. Fulham

Fulham are a club that are still yet to win a major honour in their history, but aside from a few years in the Championship this century, they have become somewhat part of the furniture in the Premier League. Being London’s oldest professional football club gives the Cottagers longevity, and whilst a big title has eluded them, runners-up honours in the FA Cup in 1975 and the UEFA Europa League in 2010 has seen them go extremely close.

27. Ipswich Town

Ipswich Town didn’t turn professional until 1936, but they are still well-versed in picking up accolades over the years. Their resurgence over the last four years has been impressive to see, but the Tractor Boys peaked in 1962 domestically with a Division One title — an FA Cup followed in 1978 and the UEFA Cup three years later whilst they were challenging at the top of the domestic standings. A passionate fanbase also follows Suffolk’s biggest club, which has been a big help in their rise back to the top flight after being stuck in League One for a few years.

26. Birmingham City

Whilst not one of the inaugural Football League clubs, Birmingham City entered the system a few years later, but it took until the 1950’s for Blues to hit the big time for good. City reached an FA Cup final in 1956 but won their first accolade seven years later by winning the League Cup against bitter rivals Aston Villa — they’d have to wait 48 years for another big trophy though, and it was the same one they won, this time against Arsenal at Wembley. Despite Birmingham’s reputation decreasing in recent years through Championship stagnation, financial issues and a drop to League One, Tom Wagner is trying his best to build them back to being a Premier League club — and they’ve certainly got the size to be one.

25. Southampton

A superpower of the Southern League before they were finally accepted into the Football League in 1920, Southampton had to wait until 1976 to record a big major honour when they took the FA Cup back to the south coast — all whilst being a Division Two club. The Saints would spend 27 straight years in the top flight between 1978 and 2005 without picking up another major honour, but despite their yo-yoing nature in recent years between the top two divisions, they’ve got a good history, and have even had a few European escapades in the 21st century.

24. Bolton Wanderers

Whilst Bolton Wanderers cannot profess to have won the top flight of English football, they are a four-time winner of the FA Cup, with three of those coming post-World War One between 1923 and 1929. Another followed in the Nat Lofthouse era in 1958 at a time where the Trotters were well established in the top division. There’s been no major accolades since, but their Premier League stint from 2001 to 2012 was very memorable, and whilst they’ve had their lows since, which has included dropping into League Two, there’s reason to believe Wanderers are on their way back.

23. Stoke City

A founder member of the Football League, Stoke City’s early years were a struggle and actually ended up in liquidation, but the reformed club came back bigger and stronger. The 1972 League Cup final saw the Potters win their first major domestic trophy, which remains their only big accolade to date, but they also reached an FA Cup final in 2011, as well as fully establishing themselves in the Premier League in the early 2010’s. The Championship may have become their new regular home in recent years, but Stoke still aspire to dine at the top table again, and they’ve got the size and scope to do just that with a bit of luck.

22. Middlesbrough

The North East is a hotbed for football, but out of the three big guns in the area, it is Middlesbrough who rank the lowest. Boro have been a Football League mainstay since 1899, but dropping from the top flight in 1954 and not returning for 20 years, as well as a lack of major honours perhaps keeps them out of the top 20. The Teessiders have never won the top flight, however they broke their domestic honours duck in 2004 after a number of close shaves in the 1990’s when winning the League Cup in Cardiff under Steve McClaren.

21. Burnley

Another one of the 12 Football League founders, Burnley’s history stretches back to the late 1800’s, and they hold the honour of being two-time champions of England in 1921 and 1960, with one FA Cup win as well in 1914. One of only five teams to win the top four divisions of English football, the Clarets’ history since their last top flight success in 1960 has been topsy-turvy, having dropped all the way down to the fourth tier 25 years later, but they returned to the riches of the Premier League in 2009, and have bounced between the top two divisions ever since.

20. Derby County

Yet another one of the 12 founders of the Football League (which will become commonplace in the top 20), Derby had to wait until the end of World War 2 for their first big trophy, which came in the form of the FA Cup in 1946. Their real peak came in the 1970’s though, when both Brian Clough and Dave Mackay led the Rams to Division One titles and also into European football — no big honours have landed at Pride Park since that decade and Premier League football hasn’t been seen since 2008, but they’re still a club that sees big attendances for second tier level.

19. Sheffield United

Despite not being a Football League founder, Sheffield United had some very early success when they made it into the professional ranks, winning a Division One title and three FA Cups before the start of World War 1. Success has been more sparse since then, although another FA Cup was added in 1925 — the Blades briefly saw the lows of Division Four in the 1980’s but came back and have played in the top flight again, but they’re below their bitter rivals across the Steel City in this ranking.

18. Leicester City

Leicester City did not win their first major trophy until 1964 when taking home the League Cup, but it’s their recent history that perhaps puts them higher up in the list. An unexpected Premier League title in 2016 was one of the biggest achievements in English football history, giving the Foxes a pathway into the UEFA Champions League, and five years later a first ever FA Cup followed. City fans have experienced the highest of highs in this century, but they’ve also sunk to the lows of League One again.

17. Leeds United

Leeds had to wait until 1968 to win their first bit of silverware, but it soon started flowing thereafter, with two Division One titles and an FA Cup following in the next six seasons. The Whites had to fall a level before they could rise again though with another top tier success in 1992 under Howard Wilkinson, just before the Premier League was formed, and whilst they have not tasted domestic success since, you cannot argue with the size of the Elland Road outfit, as well as their passionate fanbase. Perhaps controversially though, Leeds are not ranked as Yorkshire’s biggest club…

16. Sheffield Wednesday

That accolade goes to Sheffield Wednesday, who place one spot above Leeds in the size rankings. Whilst not a Football League founding member, the Owls had a lot of early success with two pre-World War 1 Division One titles and two FA Cup successes too, and in total, they have won the top tier four times and added another FA Cup in 1935. Modern-day Wednesday have not been as significant though at the top table, and they’ve not seen the Premier League since 2000 — there are hopes and aspirations though that in the years to come, top flight football will return to S6.

15. Blackburn Rovers

As far as this list goes, Blackburn Rovers can champion the fact that they’re the ‘biggest’ club in Lancashire (post-1974 anyway when Merseyside and Greater Manchester were created). Rovers won five FA Cups and two Division One titles before World War 1, but aside from another FA Cup success in 1928, their major trophy haul ended until 1995, when thanks to the funding of Jack Walker, they were able to build a team good enough to win the Premier League. Modern-day Blackburn peaked there — aside from the 2002 League Cup win, Rovers have not landed a blow for major silverware, and they have not seen the Premier League since 2012, and under the ownership of the Venky’s, that may not happen anytime soon.

14. West Brom

A one-time First Division champion in 1920 and five-time FA Cup winner, West Brom have a long-standing history in English football. You have to go back to 1968 for their last major honour though, and despite their continued recent floating between the top two divisions (they have not seen the third tier since 1993), they do not appear in this size list above their bitter rivals in the Midlands.

13. Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest didn’t really become a mainstay in English football’s top flight until the 1960’s, but they were the must-see club for a period under Brian Clough. Between 1978 and 1980, the Tricky Trees won Division One, two League Cups and also won back-to-back European Cups, with club legend Clough also winning two more back-to-back League Cups in 1989 and 1990. Major silverware has dried up for Forest in the last 36 years, but after ending their 24-year exile from the top flight in 2022, Evangelos Marinakis looks committed to bringing more honours to the City Ground.

12. Wolves

Wolves and West Brom are the bitterest of rivals, but it is the former that appear higher in this list. Three-time Division One winners, four-time holders of the FA Cup and twice winners of the League Cup, Wolves have plenty of accolades to celebrate, but their last came in 1980, meaning it has been a long time in the wilderness.

11. West Ham

Whilst West Ham have never been crowned champions of England, their three FA Cup wins are held in great esteem. Some greats have passed through Upton Park and the London Stadium over the years, and in 2023, David Moyes led the Hammers to the UEFA Conference League, which lacks the prestige of other European competitions, yet is still an accolade regardless.

10. Sunderland

The list found it hard to split the Tyne-Wear rivals, but Sunderland just lose out in that battle. The Black Cats are steeped in history — they’re six-time top flight champions, as well as two-time FA Cup winners, but their last major trophy came all the way back in 1973. The way they are going though, you would not back against the Wearsiders to land something in the near future, as they’re on an upward trajectory under the ownership of Kyril Louis-Dreyfus.

9. Newcastle United

Whilst Sunderland are still waiting for their first major trophy in over 50 years, Newcastle ended their own rot in 2025 by landing the League Cup — they hadn’t tasted success since 1955 when winning the FA Cup, which was their last of six. The Magpies are also four times champions of England (last winning the title in 1927), but they have remained a big club with a big fanbase to this day — even when they sunk into the Championship twice in the 21st century.

8. Aston Villa

Aston Villa left their Second City rivals Birmingham a long way behind in this list — they are one of the oldest and most successful clubs in the country, having been formed in 1874. Seven-time top flight champions with their most recent success in 1981, seven FA Cup winners medals and a five-time League Cup champion, Villa’s record speaks for itself, and they’re a regular fixture in European competition now under Unai Emery — they were European Cup winners in 1982 and who is to say they could not repeat that again one day?

7. Everton

Everton left the historic Goodison Park behind in 2025 when moving into their brand new Hill Dickinson Stadium, and it’s an arena that saw a lot after the Toffees moved from Anfield in 1892. They won eight of their nine First Division titles there, as well as five FA Cups, but the Merseyside outfit are another one that are waiting a long time for domestic success — not since 1995 have the Blues landed a trophy, and their passionate fanbase will be hoping their luck changes sooner rather than later.

6. Tottenham

Tottenham Hotspur’s heyday was very much in the 1960’s — despite winning the English title for the very first time in 1951, they would repeat the feat 10 years later, and also add to it with three FA Cups in that decade too. Spurs’ Europa League success in 2025 was their first in Europe for 41 years since a UEFA Cup triumph over Anderlecht, and added to their five other FA Cup wins, four League Cups and a 1972 UEFA Cup — and when you throw in the size of their fanbase, you get a truly big club for English football, but not one that’s in the top five.

5. Man City

Man City did not win their first Division One title until 1937, but they’d already won two FA Cups before then — it’s a lot different to how their trophy cabinet looks in the 21st century. After 1937, City added one more top tier title, two more FA Cups and two League Cups to their arsenal until their Arabian takeover in 2008 — and then the floodgates truly opened. Eight Premier League titles, four FA Cups, seven League Cups and a first Champions League success in 2023 — you’d be forgiven for thinking that lifelong Citizens are getting bored of getting silverware left, right and centre.

4. Chelsea

The second biggest club in London as per this list is none other than Chelsea, who have certainly become a force in the 21st century. Silverware was sparse at Stamford Bridge up until the mid-1990’s, with just one top division title, one FA Cup win and one League Cup win — the 1997 FA Cup final win though saw the soft launch of the floodgates opening, and trophies became a regular occurrence after Roman Abramovich’s 2003 takeover. Six top flight championships, eight FA Cups, 5 League Cups, two Champions Leagues, two Europa Leagues and a Europa Conference League later, the Blues can claim to be one of the most decorated clubs in English football.

3. Arsenal

But Chelsea are not the ‘biggest’ club in London though — that honour goes to Arsenal. The Gunners are a 13-time champion of England, a 14-time FA Cup winner and two-time League Cup winner, but their lack of European silverware is surprising — although that could all change come the end of May. There can be no arguments that Arsenal are one of the biggest and richest clubs in the world, but they may be dwarfed by two of their rivals from the North.

2. Man United

Man United and Liverpool are from two different cities, but they’re still big enemies, and according to this list, the Red Devils are second in terms of overall size. With 20 top flight titles to their name, 13 FA Cups and six League Cups, United are not only decorated domestically and have the biggest attendances, but they also have three European Cups/Champions Leagues, in addition to the UEFA Europa League.

1. Liverpool

Man United fans will claim that they are the biggest club in the country, but Liverpool fans will claim their own club is top of the ranks — this time though, the team on Merseyside win the battle. Joint-level at the top of the top tier title wins alongside Man United with 20, their eight FA Cup wins are less than the club from Old Trafford, but they have more League Cups (10) and UEFA Champions League/European Cup winners medals (six), as well as three UEFA Cups. Anfield’s capacity may not be as big as Old Trafford’s, but Liverpool’s domestic and global fanbase is just as passionate, and it edges out United here.