Go anywhere in the world. No matter the country or continent, the language, or the social class, you’ll find a Manchester United fan. Spend enough time travelling around and you’ll see flags, people wearing United tops, or carrying other Man United merchandise.
Take the United States for example. Football is a widely played and watched sport in the US, with Major League Soccer consisting of 26 teams, and soon to be extended to 30 ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It is one of the fastest growing football leagues in the world, both in terms of new teams and also in fanbase.
Statistically, MLS games are similar to established European leagues like the English Premier League and the Bundesliga, with an average of around 1.3 goals scored per game. However, the league has a big differential between its best and worst teams, and without a pyramid to promote and relegate up and down, there’s less chance of this changing.
MLS teams are also becoming attractive to foreign players, with teams made up of nationals from 124 countries, in addition to domestic players from the United States and Canada.
All of this goes against the commonly held belief among non-Americans that the USA is a country that hates football and would much rather play its own sports. In fact, just like everywhere else in the world, the English Premier League is popular among American football fans. And few teams can command admiration there like Manchester United.
Of course, the NFL is considerably larger, attracting more fans, bringing in more revenue, and seeing much more spent on betting on point spreads, total points, halftime scores, and props than soccer. In the United States, a country where American football and the NFL dominate, Manchester United still has a large following.
Why are Manchester United Fans Everywhere?
There are of course fans of other Premier League teams around the world. This is thanks to the fact that TV broadcasting rights for Premier League games have been sold to TV networks on every content, with commentary in more than 50 different languages. This helps to get the names of England’s best teams and players into the homes of hundreds of millions of football fans around the world.
This only explains part of United’s global popularity. Other teams have not achieved the same fame, despite playing as many matches. Here are some of the ways the Red Devils have got ahead.
International Players
While international players are key parts of every top flight team in the world, Manchester United has acquired a diverse range of players. For example, Ji Sung Park played for United between 2005 and 2012, having a key role in the team’s success during that time. Coming from South Korea, Park was also able to help make Manchester United popular in South East Asia. He continues to work as an ambassador for the club, helping to spread the brand around the world.
Summer Tours
Playing games on other continents during the summer is common among many Premier League clubs now, however Manchester United has been doing it for longer than most. In this time, they’ve undertaken pre-season tours in the United States, Australia, South Africa, China, South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, and many more countries.
By playing in these countries, Manchester United is able to build a connection between its brand and football fans.
World Class Players
Over several generations, Manchester United has kept stars in its team. Players like David Beckham, George Best, and Cristiano Ronaldo have helped to inspire young players from around the world by being the best of the best. This helps to bring in fans for the club, who want to support the team of their favourite footballers.
Success
Success breeds success, and Manchester United have had more success than any other team in the Premier League. They’ve won more league titles than any other team in both the recent era and the entire history of top flight football in England. They’ve also done it consistently, dominating the game in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Fans and brands love to be associated with winning, so new fans to the Premier League are more likely to choose to support the best team. Meanwhile, sponsors will also help to spread the United brand further.
This combination of factors, along with a good marketing strategy, have helped Manchester United to become the most successful English football team on the pitch, and one of the most successful brands around the world.
