The Sky Bet EFL has achieved the distinction of being the highest attended league body in Europe, after welcoming more than 21.5 million fans through the turnstiles in 2023/24.
The cumulative attendance figure is the most since the 1951/52 season, representing an 11 per cent increase on the previous season and sees the league finish ahead of Germany’s Bundesliga & Bundesliga 2.
Contributing to that is the Sky Bet Championship breaking the record for total attendance, with 12,723,678 fans (22 per cent increase on previous season) representing the highest-ever cumulative attendance for the second-tier competition since records began in 1892.
Sky Bet League One (ninth) and League Two (13th) also finished in the top 15 European Leagues for the 2023/24 season.
Sky Bet League One attendances remained steady, with more than 5.3 million through the turnstiles.
The EFL’s cup competitions remain appealing midweek fixtures for fans across the country, with 1.8 million fans taking in a live Carabao Cup or Bristol Street Motors Trophy fixture. The 88,868 fans from Chelsea and Liverpool that attended the Carabao Cup Final made it the highest attended final since 2014/15.
In total, more than 23.7 million supporters passed through the turnstiles of an EFL competition in 2023/24.
EFL chief executive, Trevor Birch said: “The 2023/24 numbers - not just in stadiums, but inside homes all around the world – are tangible proof that our competitions now rank among some of the most exciting and popular in European football. To be the highest attended league body in Europe is testament to our league and clubs.
“It really is a remarkable feat when you consider the quality of players and football on show across the continent. These numbers are not only a result of the strength and depth of the EFL but also highlight the importance of the football pyramid and the reasons why we need to protect it.”
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