The 13 Biggest One-Club Cities in European Football
Madrid, Milan, Munich, Manchester, etc. In Europe, there are numerous cities with prominent football teams vying for dominance, but what about sizable cities with just one team? At both the domestic and continental levels, these venues are frequently referred to as "sleeping giants" because they are home to some of the world's most fervently supported football teams.From the Mediterranean to deepest Yorkshire, we have combed through population data and leagues throughout the continent to identify the top 13 one-club cities in Europe.
13. Lyon
The city of Lyon More than half a million people live in Lyon, France's second-largest city in terms of total area, and many of them cheer for their nationally recognized local side. Lyon, who won seven straight Ligue 1 titles in the 2000s, has lost some of its luster in recent years, but they are still among France's top teams and are doing well in the Europa League this year.
12. Hannover
The city of Hannover Hanover, one of the biggest cities in northern Germany with a population of over half a million, is home to just one professional football team. Hannover 96 won the German Cup in 1992 and were declared champions of Germany both sides of World War II, however they haven't been a major force in a while. The city did not qualify for last summer's European Championship, but it did host games at the World Cup in 1974 and 2006 and Euro 88. The fact that Hannover is currently seventh in the second division and hasn't participated in the Bundesliga since 2019 may be the reason for that.
11. Bremen
Bremen One of the most illustrious football teams in Germany is based in Bremen, a major port city in the north. In addition to winning the German Cup and the Bundesliga multiple times (they did it in 2003–04), Werder also had success in Europe in 1992 when they overcame Monaco to win the Cup Winners’ Cup and advanced to the 2009 UEFA Cup final. Werder Bremen, who are still going strong today, are sixth in the Bundesliga and are tied with Bayern Munich for the most seasons spent in the top division in Germany.
10. Malaga
Malaga Malaga, the gateway to the Costa del Sol, is experiencing a rebirth thanks to its beaches, museums, and restaurants, demonstrating that it is much more than just an airport stop on the route to Marbella. The local football team was merely pleased to be promoted from the lower reaches of Spain's third division last year, despite having been quarterfinalists in the Champions League in 2013. Malaga CF, a team that draws a lot of British expats to its home games, is currently three points outside of the promotion play-offs and in 10th place in the Segunda Division.
9. Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund, the second-biggest team in Germany after Bayern Munich, is home to the nation's largest stadium, the Westfalenstadion, which is well-known for having the biggest terrace in European football, known as the "Yellow Wall" with its tifos. Dortmund has no rivals in the city itself, but they do play a strong rivalry with Schalke from nearby Gelsenkirchen. Dortmund has won the Bundesliga on multiple occasions, won the Champions League in 1997, and finished second in 2013 and 2024.
8. Dusseldorf
The city of Dusseldorf Located in Germany's most populated Rhine-Ruhr area, Dusseldorf is a significant economic and financial hub. The city's 54,000-seat Merkur Spiel-Arena hosted five Euro 2024 matches, including England's victory over Switzerland in the quarterfinals. However, Fortuna Dusseldorf barely missed out on promotion previous season and hasn't played in the Bundesliga since 2020. Despite the allure of Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen being close by, Fortuna had an average of nearly 40,000 supporters the previous season, and given that the team has won the Bundesliga and German Cup before, there is room for even more.
7. Wroclaw
Wroclaw, the third largest city in Poland with 674,000 residents, served as the venue for three Euro 2012 group-stage games. Despite Poland's strong population and passion for football, the Polish League is arguably the least successful in Europe, with its teams rarely having an impact in the Champions League. Slask Wroclaw is a shining example of this. Slask is at the bottom of the league table and faces serious relegation after being eliminated from the Conference League in the qualifications. Even before you consider that Slask won the league in 2012, this is an embarrassing situation given the size of the city.
6. Zaragoza
Zaragoza, the capital of Aragon and the site of the 2030 World Cup, is the fourth largest city in Spain, having just surpassed Seville in population. Real Zaragoza, a local team that is among the most legendary in Spanish football, has been out of the top division since relegation in 2012–13 and is in dire need of modernization. Nevertheless, after defeating Arsenal in the 1995 Cup Winner's Cup final, the team still has pleasant memories for English fans of a particular age. "Nayim from the halfway line" was a taunt for years directed at Gunners supporters, and the goal of Real Zaragoza's leaders is to revive the fallen behemoth.
5. Palermo
Palermo With more than 600,000 residents, Palermo is the fifth most populated city in Italy and the capital of Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Although Palermo is one of Calcio's most recognizable teams with their iconic pink uniforms and for having launched the careers of Edinson Cavani, Paulo Dybala, and Luca Toni, they are now ranked mid-table in Serie B. Even though City Football Group owns 20% of the team, the fact that the current Palermo is a phoenix that emerged from financial turmoil in 2019 is an accomplishment in and of itself.
4. Leeds
Leeds is the most populous city in Yorkshire, however it only has one professional football team. Leeds United, one of the titans of English football, has spent the majority of the last 20 years outside of the Premier League despite winning every major domestic award, including the First Division title three times and finishing second in the 1975 European Cup. Leeds supporters might be cautiously optimistic that their team will prosper again, especially with Daniel Farke spearheading a promotion campaign in 2024–25 and plans to renovate Elland Road.
3. Amsterdam
The city of Amsterdam There were formerly two professional clubs in Amsterdam, but since FC Amsterdam's dissolution in 1982, Ajax has been the only one in the Dutch capital. Fortunately for Amsterdam, Ajax continues to be one of the most recognizable and prestigious teams in football worldwide. Even though they aren't playing at their best right now, the Eredivisie powerhouses still have a lot of fans and play at the state-of-the-art Amsterdam Arena.
2. Marseille
The city of Marseille The only French city with a higher population than Marseille is Paris; yet, although the capital has a few professional clubs in addition to PSG, this is not the case in the sweltering Mediterranean melting pot. Due to their victory over AC Milan in 1993, Olympique Marseille (OM to the locals) is still the only French team to win the European Cup and is one of the most fervently supported clubs in Europe. The atmosphere inside the Stade Velodrome, a top-notch, contemporary arena, can make even the most confident team shudder on its day. Another popular tourism destination is Marseille, which is transforming its image as a gritty and edgy city into a well positive.
1. Naples
There is only one football team for the 970,000 residents of Naples to support, in contrast to the other major Italian cities of Rome, Milan, and Turin. This likely explains why Napoli has among of the world's most ardent supporters. Film producer Aurelio De Laurentiis actually saved the club from bankruptcy in 2004 and oversaw an amazing comeback to the top, which culminated in their 2023 Scudetto victory.
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