The Legacy and Future of English Football

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 According to data from the Deloitte Football Money League 2025, five of the ten richest clubs in the world are from England: Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Tottenham Hotspur. This demonstrates how a league system built on strong traditions has become highly commercialized. However, behind the numbers, the role of the working class in shaping club identity remains deeply felt.

The global influence of English football

Since the Premier League's inception in 1992, English football has transformed from a national league into a global spectacle. More than 200 countries broadcast matches every week. Premier League has around 4.7 billion cumulative viewers per season, making it the most popular league in the world. This influence extends beyond broadcasts and revenue. The English style of play, with its fast-paced, high-intensity pressing (kick and rush), has influenced tactics across leagues worldwide. Managers such as Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsène Wenger, Jose Mourinho, Jürgen Klopp, and now Pep Guardiola, have created new tactics that add variety to the Premier League's game.

 Value gap

Despite its rapid growth, English football is not free from dilemmas. It must consider how to maintain traditional values in a commercially driven era. Several long-standing clubs are now owned by foreign investors. Manchester City is owned by the Abu Dhabi United Group, Newcastle United by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, while Chelsea was recently taken over by an American consortium. Foreign ownership brings significant capital and modern infrastructure, but it also raises questions about whether the clubs still "belong" to their local communities. Many supporters feel alienated. Rising ticket prices, frequent match schedule changes for international TV broadcast rights, and an increasingly sterile stadium atmosphere have left some longtime fans feeling a loss of the "old soul" of English football. On the other hand, there's the argument that modernization is inevitable. Without global capital, English clubs wouldn't be able to compete at the European level. The challenge now is to balance tradition and modernity, ensuring that football remains a shared responsibility, not just a corporate one.

The fans

This discussion wouldn't be complete without delving into football fans in England. Even as football becomes increasingly global, that community spirit remains. Clubs like FC United of Manchester were born as a protest against commercialization. They seek to return football to the people, with a system of shared ownership by supporters. This phenomenon proves that behind the glory of the Premier League, there remains a strong grassroots spirit.


Looking at the regeneration of young English talent, England is truly never short of talent. The FA is currently aggressively developing the "Elite Player Performance Plan" (EPPP) program to develop local talent ready to compete. As a result, young stars like Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, and Bukayo Saka have emerged from this new system. However, the challenge remains significant: they must ensure that young players are not merely products of the industry, but also maintain a love for the essence of the game itself. Finally, technological developments such as VAR, data analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI) are bringing about significant change. Data is now not just an analytical tool, but also an integral part of strategy. Clubs like Liverpool even have their own data scientist teams. The question is, will technology make football fairer or will it actually eliminate the spontaneity that made it so beautiful in the first place?



Brandwarch. (2013). How Sports Sponsorship Benefits Brands: The Barclays Premier League. retrieved from: 

https://www.brandwatch.com/blog/how-does-sponsoring-the-premier-league-work-out-for-barclays/#:~:text=2nd%202013-,How%20Sports%20Sponsorship%20Benefits%20Brands:%20The%20Barclays%20Premier%20League,uncover%20the%20advantages%20of%20sponsorship.&text=Premier%20League%20clubs%20are%20renowned,TV%2C%20print%20and%20online%20visibility


Deloitte. (2025). Deloitte Football Money League 2025. https://www.deloitte.com/uk/en/services/consulting-financial/analysis/deloitte-football-money-league.htm


Katellev. (2025). Premier League Viewership Statistics in 2025. https://www.sportingpedia.com/2023/07/03/premier-league-tv-viewership-statistics/

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