16.2m Fans Keep League Turnstiles Busy

In total 16,216,672 people attended games in The League's three divisions, a figure only beaten in the modern era by the 16,364,419 that attended matches last season. This equates to a decrease of just 89 fans per match across the 1,656 games of The League season.

Across the last 20 years League crowds have more than doubled from a low of 7.5m in 1985/86, making The League the best-attended sporting competition in Europe.

Crowds in the Coca-Cola Championship rose for the eighth consecutive season with the aggregate of 9,719,264, once again outstripping Italy's Serie A (8.1m). An extra 197 supporters at each match produced an annual increase of 1% and an average crowd of 17,607, the division's highest since 1951/52. Additionally, a total of 247 Championship matches drew crowds of more than 20,000.

In welcoming these figures Football League Chairman Lord Mawhinney said:

“Once again, supporters have made an enormous commitment to their clubs and the game generally. On behalf of our clubs, I would like to offer my appreciation to all those that have attended matches this season.

“These figures reflect the quality of footballing entertainment being provided in The Football League, as well as the imaginative efforts clubs are making to attract new supporters.”

Reflecting on the first season of The League's ‘Fans of the Future' initiative, which aims to encourage the next generation of supporters to watch live football at their local League club, Lord Mawhinney said:

“Encouraging more fans, particularly young fans, to live matches is a key priority of The Football League and in its first season ‘Fans of the Future' has given more the 200,000 young supporters the chance to see League football at first hand.

“For many youngsters this will have been their first experience of watching live football. Giving them this opportunity will, I'm sure, have a positive impact on League crowds for many years to come.”

The Football League's attendance figures compare favourably with Europe's other major footballing nations. Crowds in the Coca-Cola Championship are now more than two and a half times the size of the equivalent competitions in France, Italy and Spain and almost 80% higher than those that watch the same level of football in Germany.

Similarly, Coca-Cola League 1 matches, which attracted an average of 7,576 fans, are watched by more than twice their Italian and German equivalents and more than three times the number watching the same level of football in France.

Crowds for Coca-Cola League 2 games, which averaged 4,194 spectators, also out-performed similar continental competitions — with clubs at a similar level of Italian football attracting just over 1,100 fans per match.