The Kings of European Football in Southeast Asia

The euphoria of European football has truly become a global euphoria, a massive spectacle that captivates audiences worldwide, often highlighted by big names on the front pages and collections of incredible goals that are always a thrill to share. Outside the field, however, it’s the relentless consistency in maintaining high performance that has cemented Europe’s status as the gold standard of football competition.

Many clubs deliver compelling stories each season, yet only a select few successfully retain that narrative of success, backed by trophies or clever marketing, to remain the center of attention for viewers outside their domestic leagues. This has led to fierce competition for popularity in crucial regions, particularly Southeast Asia.

This popularity contest is definitely no joke: clubs naturally need a growing fanbase to sell merchandise and match tickets. Without it, they risk commercial stagnation, which directly impacts their financial health.

So, which clubs are the benchmark for success in Southeast Asia? We’ve gathered the biggest names—which probably won’t surprise veteran viewers, especially if you’re an official member of one of the clubs listed below.

Let’s dive!

Manchester United

Despite their ongoing struggles, Manchester United’s proud history as a dominant force in both English and European football is one that should not be taken lightly.

Veteran supporters will never forget the era of manager Alex Ferguson, who established the Red Devils as a dominant and respected powerhouse from 1992 until his retirement in 2013. This period coincided with the widespread broadcasting of the Premier League across Southeast Asia in the early 2000s, making United a favorite in football-crazed nations like Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore.

Even though they are no longer considered a top footballing force, United’s visits to Southeast Asia are always met with immense excitement. A highlight this season is their 2025 pre-season tour to Malaysia, which drew about 70,000 fans to the Bukit Jalil National Stadium—a true testament to the loyalty of their fanbase.

Furthermore, media surveys consistently record a seasonal jump in the club’s brand popularity. Reports indicate Manchester United has over 320 million fans in Asia (as of 2025), both official and unofficial.

Liverpool

The modern revival of Liverpool, kickstarted by their Champions League win in 2018/19 and the Premier League title in 2019/20, successfully reignited a fanbase that had been dormant due to a long trophy drought. And this euphoria significantly impacted their ardent supporters in Southeast Asia.

As we’ve all witnessed, the club’s famous never-say-die spirit returned when Jürgen Klopp took over as manager in 2015. Leveraging his Bundesliga experience, the German maestro effectively transformed Liverpool’s playing style and transfer strategy, bringing in players who perfectly fit the team’s ideology.

Fears of a decline loomed when Klopp decided to step down in 2024. However, his replacement, Arne Slot, has proved doubters wrong and he has been brilliant with his new squad to this date.

This stability has made their global fanbase, including in Southeast Asia, more confident in championing the team’s performance and boosting its brand—slowly closing the popularity gap with United. Their match schedules are always met with great enthusiasm by supporter groups, predominantly from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand.

With a renewed “You’ll Never Walk Alone” spirit, no one doubts that Liverpool could become the world’s most popular English club if they secure a string of prestigious titles this season—namely the Premier League 2025/26 and the Champions League 2025/26 trophies.

Barcelona

Although their introduction to Southeast Asia public was relatively late compared to other European giants, Barcelona has successfully built a substantial fanbase in a short time; thanks to their impressive strategy that targets younger, digitally-savvy online supporters through a unique style of social media engagement.

In the 2024/25 season alone, their promotional campaigns that featured influencers from Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand successfully generated positive attention for the club. These media promotions also introduced the legacy of La Masia and its young stars to the Southeast Asian public, proving they are fully committed to building their brand outside of Spain.

This strong popularity is also inseparable from the enduring charm of two iconic stars: Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi. Both of them are synonymous with Barcelona’s golden era and remain a constant topic of discussion, often acting as a bigger draw than the club’s own achievements.

To this day, media surveys record Barcelona’s global fanbase at approximately 520 million, both official and unofficial. With manager Hansi Flick finishing his debut season strongly, their loyal supporters are undoubtedly hoping for even more fantastic results this year.

Real Madrid

There’s no Barca without Real Madrid. This eternal rivalry creates excitement among fans worldwide, including in Southeast Asia, boosting both clubs’ popularity year after year.

With its rich history, El Clásico never fails to pull massive crowds whenever the two teams meet. Since the end of the Covid era, Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines have been increasingly active in organizing public viewing parties, from cafes to mini-stadium near city centers.

Beyond the rivalry, the Real Madrid brand commands immense attention thanks to its extraordinary achievements, particularly in the Champions League. Though their status as a European giant was already well-established, it was the managerial transition from Carlo Ancelotti to Zinedine Zidane, a period marked by a record number of European trophies in the last decade, that elevated their status as legendary.

Bayern Munich

Although the Bundesliga’s global popularity still trails the Premier League and La Liga, Bayern Munich has captivated global football fans through savvy brand promotion and unwavering consistency as a European powerhouse, frequently challenging giants like Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Liverpool in recent years.

Since the dawn of their legendary era featuring German stars like Bastian Schweinsteiger, Philipp Lahm, and Thomas Müller in 2009, the flag of Die Roten has been raised higher. Their displays of typical German efficiency, which often leave opponents in shock, have slowly captivated the Southeast Asian public. And their results against teams that were already popular in the region eventually made everyone wanting to find out about their history and ideology.

Bayern’s presence among younger fans also grows each season, fueled by the engaging social media activities of Müller and Alphonso Davies. The club caters to its loyal fans by establishing international official stores and organizing pre-season tours in select countries. By 2025, they had recorded 40 official fan clubs in Southeast Asia—with Indonesia and Thailand being the largest—and even opened an official regional office in Bangkok to connect with fans in the area.

Considering their current squad and performance, Vincent Kompany and the boys have the potential to attract even more fans if they maintain their signature playstyle and secure convincing wins in major matches.

Premier League remains the Southeast Asia’s favorite

Beyond the specific teams mentioned above, the Premier League itself remains the region’s most popular competition. Clubs like Chelsea, Manchester City, and Arsenal also have solid fanbases—though not yet as large as their rivals—and feature star players who are constant talking points within the global football community, including in Southeast Asia.

This fact is supported by the unwavering demand for Premier League broadcasting rights, especially in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. As highlighted in 2022 by BBC, reports claimed that 56% of the total Premier League audience in Asia came from Southeast Asia, a figure that is estimated to grow every season.

Outside, La Liga, the Bundesliga, and Serie A remain top European competitions that are also widely discussed in the region. However, factors like playing style, competitiveness, and a perceived relaxed pace are often seen as less compelling than the spectacle offered by the Premier circuit.