Football and basketball are more than just sports; they are cherished traditions that resonate with fans not only within the United States but across the world. From college games to the grand stage of the NBA and NFL, sports enthusiasts display their unwavering passion. But which teams have garnered the largest global following?

We delved into the teams with the most extensive fanbases worldwide analyzing the average monthly Google search volume in the past year and the results are in…

Which countries have the biggest NFL fan bases?

Canada has the most Google searches for 18 of the 32 NFL teams based on the research. This is likely due to the proximity of Canada to the United States and the fact that many Canadians are fans of American sports leagues.

Second, Mexico is another important NFL market. Mexico is the top search country for seven NFL teams. This is likely due to the large number of Mexican Americans living in the United States and the fact that the NFL has made a concerted effort to reach out to Mexican fans in recent years.

Finally, the United Kingdom comes in third with most NFL fans in 2022. The UK is the top search country for three NFL teams and is in the top five search countries for another 16 teams. This is likely due to the popularity of American football in the UK and the fact that the NFL has played several games in the UK in recent years.

Which NFL teams have the biggest global following?

The Cowboys are one of the most successful teams in the NFL in recent years as they have made the playoffs in four of the last five seasons and with over 377,300 total annual Google searches, the Dallas Cowboys is the most popular NFL team outside of the U.S. The biggest Cowboy fans are in Mexico, with over 170,000 annual searches in the past 12 months, followed by fans in Canada (120,333), the UK (46,742), Brazil (20,383), and Germany (19,725).

Following closely behind is the Buffalo Bills with a total of 365,417 Google searches and with the most international fans living in Canada and the UK. The proximity of Buffalo from the border and the fact that many Canadian cities are within Bill’s television market means that fans have been able to watch Bill's games on TV for years and support the team.

Rounding up the top 5 of the NFL teams with the most international fans, are Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, and Philadelphia Eagles. For the Chiefs, it is evident that success breeds fans and with the wins that the team has been racking up in recent years, it attracts international viewers who want to be a part of a winning team’s journey. With over 116,000 annual Google searches Mexican fans take the lead supporting the Chiefs outside the U.S., whereas Canadians are showing their support the most for the Miami Dolphins (75,833) and Philadelphia Eagles (67,016).

Looking at the other end of the table, the Indianapolis Colts have the least international fans overall with just 23,137 Google searches from countries outside the U.S., followed by Houston Texans (30,700) and New Orleans Saints (41.308). While every NFL team has its dedicated fanbase, some teams may not have the same global appeal as bigger teams. For these teams, the main reason would be their limited recent success or the lack of dynamic stars without global recognition.

Based on the analysis the top 5 countries with the most supporters for each NFL team are as follows:

Which NBA teams have the biggest global following?

Basketball may be king in the US, but its reign extends far beyond American borders. The NBA boasts a passionate international fanbase, and with the season in full swing, we’ve taken a look at the teams stealing hearts (and Google searches) around the world.

Based on our analysis of average Google search volume from countries outside the US, here's the top 10:

Taking the top spot on the list with almost 800,000 searches, it’s the Miami Heat; Dwyane Wade may be retired, but the Heat culture of hard work and hustle lives on. Jimmy Butler's defensive intensity and the team's overall gritty approach have won the respect and admiration of international fans who appreciate the finer points of the game.

2022 champions, Golden State Warriors follow closely behind with 760,000 international fans Googling to learn more about the team, whereas reigning champions, Denver Nuggets rank 5^th overall with just over 400,000 searches, primarily from fans in Brazil (190,525) and Canada (77,700).

Last on the list with the least international fans we find Washington Wizards, Indiana Pacers, and the New Orleans Pelicans. International fans from these three teams are primarily from Brazil, Canada, and Australia.

The NFL and NBA are two of the most popular sports leagues in the world, with passionate fan bases spanning the globe. As the leagues continue to grow their global presence, we can expect to see even more fans from around the world supporting teams. The future of these leagues looks bright, and the excitement of watching the best athletes in the world compete is sure to capture the imaginations of fans for years to come.

In the meantime, to discover all the latest sports odds for your favorite NFL and NBA teams, visit Betway’s picks page for picks and predictions throughout the regular season.

Methodology

The mean average monthly Google search volume of each NFL and NBA team was collected from a list of 20 countries, for the period November 2022 - October 2023. From this, a list of the top 5 countries for each team was gathered, based on the search volume in each country.

Source:

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