Scotland boasts highest football attendance per capita says UEFA report

Scotland has recorded significantly higher top-flight attendances per capita than any other football league in Europe, according to a new report from UEFA.

The Scottish Premiership – the top tier of men’s football in the country – welcomed 18.36 attendees per 1,000 people at matches during the 2023-24 season, close to double the figure welcomed by the next closest European nation.

This figure is nearly 80% higher than second-placed Portugal, with the Primeira Liga posting 10.23 attendees per 1,000 people.

In third was the Netherlands’ Eredivisie with 9.16 match-goers per 1,000 people, followed by England’s Premier League with 6.77 attendees per 1,000 people.

UEFA’s annual ‘The European Club Talent and Competition Landscape’ report also found that the almost 3.8 million fans that attended top-flight matches in Scotland last season was the eighth highest in the whole of Europe, with the average league attendance of 16,500 the seventh highest on the continent.

“It’s brilliant to see that Scotland’s top flight has again, by some margin, the highest attendance per capita in Europe,” said Neil Doncaster, chief executive of the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL).

“It’s a real tribute to the incredible passion of our supporters across the country, whom I’d like to thank on behalf of our member clubs for their continued strong support of our national game.

“Scottish attendances have, for many years now, outperformed leagues of a similar size, so it’s great to see that trend continue in this new UEFA report.

“This positive news builds on two record years for attendances for the SPFL, and our clubs are looking to continue to grow these attendances across season 2024-25.”

Fierce Glasgow rivals Celtic and Rangers joined clubs such as Spain’s FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, Germany’s Bayern Munich and England’s Manchester City in having had an aggregate attendance of over one million home supporters across last season, including league, domestic cup and European matches.