Top 30 Leagues in World Football (2025)

There are a lot of different factors as to what makes a good footballing league. Is it the competition that makes the most money? Is it the most competitive division? Is it the one with the best players or the one that is more inclined to make a splash in continental tournaments? With so many different variables at play, it is almost impossible to give a definitive answer as to who deserves to be number one.

The key word there is almost, as the experts at Opta have managed to do just that. Using their unique Power Rankings formula, the analysts have been able to whittle all the leagues in the world down to the top 30. They make their calculations by taking the average power ranking for every team in the respective division, which helps inform them about the relative strength of the competition.

Because their rankings are based on averages, that sees several leagues fall out of the top 20, but the most shocking is the money-filled Saudi Pro League, who are behind even some of Europe’s top second-tier competitions.

Top League image gallery

20

Turkish Super Lig

Jose Mourinho has made an impact on the Turkish Super Lig since joining Fenerbahce, even if he has found himself being ridiculed at times by the national press. They sit in 20th in these rankings, perhaps highlighting the influence the Portuguese coach has. Games between any of Fenerbahce, Galatasaray and Besiktas all making for great spectacles, with all three sides based in the capital of Istanbul.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the clubs in the capital city have dominated the division, which is now over 60 years old. Six different teams have won the Super Lig, though Besiktas have lifted the trophy 16 times. This is three less than the 19 triumphs from Fenerbahce, which itself is five behind the 25 league titles that Galatasaray have won over the years.

19

Swedish Allsvenskan

Perhaps not one of the first leagues that comes to mind when thinking of top-tier competitions, but there are some fairly recognisable teams in the Swedish Allsvenskan. Malmo are the current reigning champions and have previously had the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Jari Litmanen on their books.

Malmo are clearly the dominant force in the country, having won the title on 24 separate occasions. That being said, teams such as Goteborg and Djurgardens have also had their periods of control in years gone by. It just so happens that the pendulum has swung once again in favour of the record holders.

18

Serie B

The Allsvenskan is followed by Serie B, the first of three divisions on this list that are not a top division in their respective countries. The division has seen some historic sides play in Serie B, including the likes of Sampdoria, Palermo and Sassuolo, the latter of which came out on top in the 2024/25 campaign, with three teams earning promotion each year.

No team is yet to match Genoa’s tally of six Serie B titles, but both Palermo and Atalanta have secured the trophy five times each. In the latter’s case, they most recently won the title in 2011, which only makes their improvement in the years since all the more impressive, as the club are now consistent challengers for European football in Serie A.

17

Superligaen

The highest tier of Danish football, the Superligaen is known simply as the Superliga in English and is made up of 12 teams, having been founded in 1991 to replace the pre-existing Danish top flight. The current format played by the league has been active since the mid-1990s, with the top six entering a championship play-off at the regular season’s conclusion and the bottom six battling to avoid the two relegation places.

Copenhagen have dominated the Superliga since its formation, having lifted the title 16 times, with only one of those coming before the turn of the millennium. Peter Schmeichel’s former employer Brondby have won seven league titles, ending a near 15-year drought in 2021, while both AaB and Midtjylland have lifted the trophy four times each, though the former of the two was relegated to the second tier last time out.

16

Ekstraklasa

The Polish Ekstraklasa has climbed up these rankings in recent times. In the same rankings at the start of last season, the home of sides such as Lech Poznan and Legia Warszaw, were as far back as 30th, but has shot up the table as a result of their improved calibre.

Legia Warsaw are the most successful club in the league’s history, with all but four of the 15 titles coming from the 1990s onwards. Behind them, both Gornik Zabrze and Ruch Chorzow have 14 trophies to their name, though neither have won the league since the late 80s. Wisla Krakow are the only other team to have won the league more than 10 times, with the latest of their 11 titles coming in 2011, but the current champions Lech Poznan are close to that feat as they sit on nine.

15

Croatia Prva HNL

There is no doubt who the top dog in the Croatia Prva HNL is right now, and that has largely been the case from when the league first came to be. There have only ever been four champions across the 37 seasons of this competition’s existence, and it’s Dinamo Zagreb who have come out on top the most with 25 titles to their name.

In fact, since 2005, only twice have Zagreb not come away with the silverware, with last season being one of those as HNK Rijeka secured their second ever title. The only other team to have any sort of dominant period was HNK Hajduk Split, who were the early force in the 1990s.

14

Japanese J1 League

You might look at the Japanese J1 League and think it’s a little high on the list because, aside from Vissel Kobe, there aren’t that many teams recognisable outside of Japan. The defending champions’ reputation was certainly helped by Andres Iniesta’s stint there, but the fascinating thing with the J1 is that there aren’t too many dominant teams.

Sure, there have been examples of back-to-back champions, but never has there been a team to win five on the bounce or anything close to that. It’s even evident when you look at the fact that Kobe, despite aiming to secure a three-peat, are all the way down in sixth — with just four points separating first from seventh.

13

LIGA MX

Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

It says a lot that, despite the fact it lacks some of the high-profile names of the MLS, Mexico’s equivalent to their neighbours is still viewed comparably as an almost equally prestigious competition.

Made up of 18 teams, the Liga MX consists of two competitions, the Apertura and the Clausara, running from July to December and January to May respectively, to meet the FIFA season calendar. America, with 16 titles, are the most successful club in league history, closely followed by Guadalajara and Toluca with 12 and 11 trophies.

12

Major League Soccer

The Lionel Messi effect has undeniably taken hold in the United States, as the league’s highest-paid player has seen his reputation elevate MLS into the upper echelon of football leagues. Since arriving in America, countless eyes have been on Messi in the country’s top tier of football, as he plies his trade with former Barcelona teammates Jordi Alba, Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets.

30 teams are divided into two conferences, the Western and Eastern, with teams battling to compete in a tournament at the end of the season to crown its overall winner, similar to many footballing leagues based in the Americas. LA Galaxy, with their six MLS Cups, are the most successful team in MLS history to date.

11

Liga Profesional

Ranked ahead of the MLS by just 0.1 power ranking points is the Liga Profesional, the home of top flight football in Argentina. The division has a rich history, stretching over 100 years since its founding in the 1890s. 30 teams compete in the league, with some of the most famous including River Plate, Newell’s Old Boys, Racing Club and of course, Boca Juniors.

River Plate have been the most successful side in the division to date, having won 38 league titles between 1920 and 2023. Just behind them, with 35 trophies, are Boca Juniors, with a massive 17-trophy deficit between themselves and Racing Club in third.