With football being the most popular sport in Namibia, and the Premier League the most popular league in the world, which teams in the league are most popular among Namibian fans?
An analysis of Google search query volumes in Namibia shows that the Premier League’s ‘Big Six’ – Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur – unsurprisingly occupy the top six spots in Namibian search interest.
Manchester United is the most popular Premier League team in all regions across Namibia, with Tottenham Hotspur the least popular. The two clubs recently contested the final of the 2024/25 UEFA Europa League, having reached the final despite disappointing league campaigns.
Tottenham ultimately emerged victorious, ‘saving’ their season at the expense of United, who subsequently failed to qualify for European football for the first time since the 2013/14 season.
Arsenal, the second-most popular team in nine Namibian regions, finished as Premier League runners-up for a third consecutive season. Although there were many positives to take from the campaign, Arsenal fans were left disappointed after finishing the season trophyless despite high expectations heading into 2024/25.
Support for the remaining three clubs – Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester City – is more regionally split. Chelsea ranks as the second-most popular team only in the Zambezi region, but is more popular than Liverpool and City in Omusati, Ohangwena, Oshana, Oshikoto, Kunene and the Kavango regions. Chelsea fans had reason to celebrate after the club lifted the 2024/25 UEFA Conference League and secured fourth place in the Premier League.
Meanwhile, Liverpool ranks second in the Kunene, Omaheke and Hardap regions, and is more popular than Chelsea and City in the Khomas, //Kharas, Otjozondjupa and Erongo regions. Liverpool were crowned 2024/25 Premier League champions, equalling Manchester United’s long-standing record for the most English top-flight titles won.
Manchester City, once the least supported of the six, now ranks fourth or fifth in all Namibian regions, having transformed into one of the biggest clubs in the world.
However, 2024/25 was a disappointing season for City fans, with the club failing to lift a major trophy other than the community shield for the first time since 2016/17.
With the most popular Premier League teams among Namibian fans enduring disappointing seasons, it was the fans of the less-followed Big Six clubs who enjoyed greater success in 2024/25.
