Soccer is one of the most popular sports globally, with billions of fans tuning in to the last FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022. Inhabitants of virtually every city in the world play the game. If you adore the sport known as soccer, football, or fútbol, depending on where in the world you are and who you’re talking to, you have a wealth of global destinations to visit. Where is soccer most popular? These are the 11 best football cities to see on your travels.
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1. London, England
London is a city high on many tourists’ bucket lists, and it has something for everybody. A truly cosmopolitan destination, there’s no shortage of things to do and see. You can “Royal” watch outside Buckingham Palace while taking in the famous changing of the guard or head out to one of the many London museums, including the Natural History Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum. If architecture fascinates you, visit St. Paul’s Cathedral or Westminster Abbey or take one of the English capital’s many historical tours.
For soccer lovers, there are plenty of London stadiums to visit during the “footie” season between August and May, with seven English Premier League (EPL) clubs calling the capital home. Choose between the EPL’s top five finishers — Arsenal and Chelsea — or visit Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to watch the Spurs — the current UEFA Europa League champions — in action. If none of those teams are playing at home, Brentford, Fulham, West Ham or Crystal Palace will likely be playing.
2. Buenos Aires, Argentina
Sports fans and travel enthusiasts will find Buenos Aires fascinating. For live music or an opera performance, visit the renowned Teatro Colon. Over the years, the likes of Luciano Pavarotti and Anna Pavlova have appeared there. If you travel along the Camino Real, stop at the historic Estancia La Mimosa to enjoy traditional Argentinian dancing or a cowboy show and sample the exceptional local cuisine. To take in a sport other than soccer, watch a polo match in the heart of Palermo.
The locals in Buenos Aires are big soccer fans, and for good reason. River Plate and Boca Juniors from the city’s La Boca neighborhood have won Argentina’s Primera División 53 times between them. Renowned players like Diego Maradona, Carlos Tevez and Juan Román Riquelme represented Boca during their careers, while Daniel Passarella and Enzo Francescoli played for River. Before you visit the hallowed Estadio Alberto J. Armando Stadium to watch Boca play, stop at nearby Caminito Street to see the colorful painted houses there.
Mexico City is an incredible tourist destination with seemingly endless sights. This densely populated capital city is home to almost 20% of Mexicans, and there’s always a local ready to show you around. Enjoy the splendor of the marquee El Ángel de la Independencia monument or the hustle and bustle of the Avenida Francisco I. Madero pedestrian-only shopping avenue. There’s always plenty to take in around Mexico City. Call at the Arena México — home of the Lucha Libre — if you’re a wrestling fan.
Mexican fútbol team Club América is a top league performer based in the city and is ranked the most popular team in Mexico. It has a long-standing rivalry with Guadalajara as two of only seven ever-present Mexican Liga MX clubs. The 16-time league champions often seek ways to entertain their massive fanbase, most recently collaborating with Bandai Namco to host PAC-MAN Day. The club’s players wore jerseys featuring retro PAC-Font lettering and elements of the classic PAC-MAN maze, so keep your eyes open for one of your own if you’re a gamer and soccer fan visiting Mexico City.
4. Milan, Italy
Art and architecture fans will love Milan, and you’ll appreciate this Northern Italian city even more if you’re a soccer fan. A must-see in Milan is the incomparable “The Last Supper” mural by Leonardo da Vinci at the Santa Maria delle Grazie monastery. Also, stop at the Milan Cathedral in Piazza del Duomo — an incredible example of Italian architecture. The I Navigli district — with its canal-lining snug restaurants and bars — provides sunset city views and is an ideal place to relax after sightseeing.
Soccer is a national pastime in Italy, especially in Milan. The biggest soccer attraction is undoubtedly the San Siro Stadium, now called the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza after a famous Milanese footballing son. Home to both Milan’s famous Serie A clubs — AC Milan and Inter Milan — the stadium seats 75,817 fans. One or the other plays there during almost every Serie A matchday. If you fancy a trip to one of the top league’s other local clubs, Monza, Como and Atalanta are all a short drive away.
5. Istanbul, Turkey
Istanbul is a multi-cultural cacophony of sightseeing excellence, incorporating many historical landmarks intermingled with contemporary wonders. The impressive Istanbul Modern is Turkey’s first museum of modern and contemporary art. It contrasts completely with the 19th-century Istanbul Archeology Museum. Istanbul’s maze of traditional markets — where bartering with stall owners is commonplace — and its many luxurious modern restaurants make it a vivid city for any traveler to visit.
Turkey’s “Big Three” clubs are all Istanbul-based. Between the three — Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş — they have 60 Süper Lig titles, with three other clubs sharing the remaining nine. As a soccer fan, visiting any “Big Three” stadium and witnessing the passion of the clubs’ derby matches will give you an idea of the Turkish fans’ passion. Moreover, the opposing managers often act impulsively and find themselves in trouble, so there’s sure to be entertainment on multiple levels.
6. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
A tour of Riyadh allows you to experience this Middle Eastern wonderland in all its glory. You’ll visit sights as interesting and diverse as the Al Masmak Fortress, Murabba Palace, King Abdulaziz Historical Center and Nadj Village. Sports-oriented travelers should plan their trip around the annual Riyadh season, typically between October and March, to enjoy some of the elite international sports events the city hosts. These include boxing, WWE wrestling, MMA and the Riyadh Season Cup soccer tournament.
Riyadh’s most popular and successful Saudi Pro League soccer club, Al-Hilal, generally competes in the Season Cup. Al-Hilal has won the Pro League a record 19 times, and fans often pack its Kingdom Arena ground to capacity. Saudi Arabia’s capital city is home to three other Saudi Pro League men’s teams, with the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo representing Riyadh’s Al Nassr. The Al Nassr Women’s Football Club holds the Women’s Premier League title, and four other Riyadh-based women’s teams are also in the top tier.
7. Cape Town, South Africa
Few international cities boast as scenic a backdrop as Cape Town. The majestic Table Mountain rises above South Africa’s original city and sets the scene for some historic local sights. The 17th-century Castle of Good Hope — the country’s oldest building — and the notorious Robben Island prison — where Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners spent time during Apartheid — are excellent starting points. Take a cable car up Table Mountain to view the city and Indian and Atlantic oceans, or visit the outlying Winelands that produce South Africa’s famous wines.
Two Western Cape clubs — Cape Town City and Stellenbosch FC — play in the Premier Soccer League (PSL). The former is well-established, while “Stellies” was only formed in 2016. Three years later, under the guidance of African Nations Cup-winning ex-national manager Clive Barker, the club gained top-tier status. Currently third in the PSL, Stellenbosch FC calls the Cape Winelands home. Enjoy the short trip to the Danie Craven Stadium and stop for some exceptional wine-tasting en route.
8. Madrid, Spain
Residents of Spain’s capital city have two primary passions — food and fútbol. As a visitor to Madrid, don’t discount the art museums, statues, royal palaces and stunning old buildings that make this city a unique pleasure. Spanish cuisine is varied and incredibly tasty — locals will boast about how good Madrid’s restaurants are. Whether you choose the sophisticated Los Montes de Galicia for buñuelos de bacalao or the traditional Bodega de los Secretos to sample its rabo de toro oxtail stew, you won’t regret it.
The food in Madrid is mouthwatering, but the soccer is even better. The world’s most successful club, Real Madrid, plays at the capital’s 81,000-capacity Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, which many locals call the best soccer stadium in the world. While Madrid has five clubs in Spain’s La Liga, locals primarily support Real and its derby rivals, Atlético. Real recently signed up and coming manager Xabi Alonso to lead the club and secured world star Trent Alexander-Arnold from Liverpool, the EPL champions. The La Liga title may return from Barcelona soon.
9. Liverpool, England
Liverpool — a predominantly working-class city — has found fame in many ways, especially in music and soccer. The city is the historical home of iconic bands like The Beatles, Gerry & The Pacemakers and Frankie Goes to Hollywood. Stop at the Beatles Museum and the Cavern Club, where the band first performed, and take the ferry across the Mersey to admire the impressive Liverpool skyline. Visit Anfield — the home of Liverpool FC — and Goodison Park, which was until very recently the home of Everton, Liverpool’s local rivals.
Music and soccer intertwine in Liverpool, with the classic “You’ll Never Walk Alone” as more of a community mantra than a song for Liverpool FC supporters. Attend an Anfield match day and experience the heartfelt rendition of this anthem sung by 60,000 faithful Reds supporters. Liverpool is the most successful club in England and holds the EPL title. Despite losing to eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain in the past season’s UEFA Champions League, it remains a top club globally. Experience the soccer aura resonating around this majestic old city for yourself.
10. Munich, Germany
Berlin may be Germany’s capital, but Munich is its primary soccer city. However, the Bavarian capital lists more than soccer among its attractions. In October, Munich comes alive during Oktoberfest. With fairground entertainment, traditional games at Oide Wiesn and plenty of Munich-brewed beer, the world’s biggest beer festival allows reveling tourists to mix with the locals. Those wanting more serene sightseeing can explore Altstadt, watch the famous Glockenspiel or enjoy the Bavarian State Opera at night.
Munich soccer revolves around Fußball-Club Bayern München, known worldwide as Bayern Munich. The current Bundesliga champions have 34 national soccer titles, more than any other German club. With legendary German ex-players like Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Muller, Sepp Maier, Lothar Matthäus and Miroslav Klose, it’s no wonder the club eclipses any other. Munich has other Bundesliga clubs — Augsburg and Heidenheim also play in the top division — so there are options other than Bayern’s Allianz Arena to catch a top-level game while you’re in the city.
11. Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.
California is an excellent tourist destination for soccer supporters and other visitors, and Los Angeles is high on the list of cities to visit in the state. From viewing Broadway Street’s Art Deco architecture to taking in Hollywood Blvd.’s famous stars and visiting the Getty Center’s art, gardens and weekend movie nights, there are many things to do without breaking the bank. If you choose to visit nearby Malibu, hire a car and enjoy the picturesque Pacific Coast Highway 1 driving experience.
Los Angeles FC is having a decent season in the MLS Western Conference, nestled comfortably in sixth spot. Its neighbors, the LA Galaxy, are currently propping up the table, so the BMO Stadium may be a better soccer destination. The Galaxy is an established MLS franchise with six MLS Cup wins. With Marco Reus in its squad, you can expect an upturn in fortune for the team that finished fourth overall last season. Whoever you support during your L.A. experience, you will enjoy some competitive soccer.
Where to Watch Soccer
Wherever you travel, you can build excellent soccer into your tour itinerary if you touch down at your destination during a recognized soccer season. The best international soccer cities always include several options for fans of the sport, and each one has enough sights to explore and activities to entertain you in between games. Check out the dates of local soccer seasons and plan ahead to make the most of a spectacular soccer-filled vacation.
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Jack Shaw is the Senior Outdoors Writer for Modded Magazine. Driven by his passion for writing, Jack loves to traverse the wilderness, travel, and explore the unknown. He has over six years of experience writing professionally and loves engaging in new projects. His works have been published in The Travel Magazine, EcoHotels, Trekaroo, and more.
