How the Premier League became the most popular league in the world: a historical perspective

Today, English football is experiencing an unprecedented boom. The Premier League brings together the best players from around the world, sets current trends and attracts the attention of hundreds of millions of fans across the globe. But this wasn’t always the case. International betting brand 1xBet recounts the key milestones in the development of the strongest national league.

First successes in Europe

Football originated in England and took a special place in the hearts of the English more than 100 years ago, but financial and sporting success didn’t come to local clubs immediately. For a long time, English teams were unable to win the European Cup, the tournament for the best clubs in Europe, which was first held in the 1955–56 season. Manchester United became the first English side to win the trophy in 1968, but teams from the home of football had to wait almost 10 years for the next success.

If you read 1xBet review about the history of football, you probably know that after Bob Paisley’s Liverpool triumphed in the 1976–77 season, an era of English club dominance began in European football. Over the course of six seasons, Liverpool won the trophy three times, Nottingham Forest, led by the legendary Brian Clough, won twice, and in 1982, Aston Villa achieved unexpected success. Liverpool won another European Cup in 1984, but despite these achievements, English football was in crisis, which was not related to the quality of play but to events outside the pitch.

The horrible events at the Heysel Stadium and the 5-year ban

In 1985, during the European Cup final between Juventus and Liverpool at the Heysel Stadium in Brussels, aggressive Merseyside fans broke into the Italian supporters’ section and started a mass brawl. Panic ensued among the crowd in the stands. To escape, they tried to climb over the barrier wall, but the concrete structure couldn’t withstand the load and collapsed. This led to a crowd crush that claimed the lives of 39 people. As punishment for the hooligans’ actions, English teams were banned from participating in international tournaments for 5 years.

The ban had an extremely negative impact on the ability of English clubs to attract new sponsors and sign foreign stars. Viewer interest declined, and with it, the league’s financial situation became dismal. In addition, in 1989, England was shaken by another tragedy: at Hillsborough Stadium, where the FA Cup semi-final was being played, 97 Liverpool fans died in a mass crush. English football had hit its lowest point. Radical changes were needed.

The creation of the Premier League and the dawn of a new era

After the end of the 1990–91 season, the 18 clubs remaining in the top division decided to leave the Football League and create a separate structure - the Premier League. With the approval of the English Football Association, they implemented the plan a year later, when there were already 22 teams in the top flight. Starting with the 1992–93 season, the First Division officially became the Premier League and signed a major television contract with Sky Sports, which not only became the main source of income for local teams but also turned the English league into a high-quality media product.

From the mid-1980s to the mid-2000s, the Italian Serie A was still considered the strongest league in the world. Italian clubs made record transfers and signed superstars, from Diego Maradona to Brazilian Ronaldo. The Premier League gradually developed: it improved its infrastructure and security, concluded major sponsorship deals and increased its international audience. In the first decade of the 21st century, the Premier League confidently surpassed other European leagues in terms of both financial performance and quality of football, becoming the dream of every professional player and a passion for fans around the world.

Why is the English Premier League so popular today?

Today, the Premier League is the richest football league on the planet. Its annual revenue exceeds €7 billion, which is almost twice as much as that of its closest competitor, the Spanish La Liga. Last season, Real Madrid earned €157 million from the sale of television rights - roughly the same amount that underdogs such as Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley earn in England.

The clubs’ high revenues open the doors to the Premier League for top-class players. Liverpool can easily pay €125 million for Florian Wirtz, while Chelsea can spend a similar amount to sign Enzo Fernández. At the same time, England’s top teams are renowned for their successful history and have a huge fan base.

Fans love exciting, spectacular football. They enjoy watching great players compete and relish analyzing key moments thanks to high-quality production. Other leagues offer similar experiences, but the Premier League does so at a level that is completely unattainable. Besides, English clubs often win big tournaments and thus increase their fan base abroad.

Published by Patrick Jane
26.03.2026