The global appeal of the English Premier League is reflected directly in its attendance figures, making stadium capacity and crowd support crucial indicators of club strength and financial health. In this article, we focus on fan engagement and matchday support throughout the 2024/2025 Premier League season.
We begin by examining the capacity ranking of the league’s venues and then look at how effectively these stadiums are utilized. Our analysis continues by detailing total and average spectator numbers for each club, highlighting maximum attendance records, and reviewing away match attendance. We place this season’s figures into a broader historical perspective by reviewing attendance trends over the last ten years.
EPL Stadiums Ranked by Capacity for Season 2024/2025
Looking at the stadium capacities for the last full Premier League season, we can spot substantial differences between the biggest and smallest grounds. Stadium size is primarily determined by a club’s historical success, the size of its local and global fanbase, and the financial resources available for expansion or new construction. Before we proceed, we should also point out that stadium capacity figures may change over time due to renovations or other infrastructural developments.
Manchester United’s home ground, Old Trafford, is the largest stadium in terms of capacity, holding over 74,000 people. Four other venues, namely Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London Stadium, Anfield, and Emirates Stadium, also have capacities exceeding 60,000 seated spectators, cementing their status as grounds with huge matchday demand. Bournemouth’s home ground is at the very bottom of the ranking, with a capacity of 11,307 seats, which some might argue enhances fan engagement.
A key change in season 2025/2026 is that Everton has moved from Goodison Park to the new Hill Dickinson Stadium, a waterside venue that seats 52,769 people. The club made a decision to complete the full 2024/2025 campaign at Goodison to give the stadium a proper send-off and avoid the logistical issues of a mid-season move. Additionally, Fulham’s Craven Cottage is currently undergoing renovations that will increase its capacity to around 29,600.
| EPL Stadiums Capacity (2024/2025) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ranking | Stadium | Home Team | Capacity at Season Start | Opening Year |
| 1. | Old Tafford | Manchester United | 74,197 | 1910 |
| 2. | Tottenham Hotspur | Tottenham Hotspur | 62,850 | 2019 |
| 3. | London Stadium | West Ham United | 62,500 | 2012 |
| 4. | Anfield | Liverpool | 61,276 | 1884 |
| 5. | Emirates Stadium | Arsenal | 60,704 | 2006 |
| 6. | Etihad Stadium | Manchester City | 52,900 | 2002 |
| 7. | Saint James Park | Newcastle United | 52,258 | 1892 |
| 8. | Villa Park | Aston Villa | 42,918 | 1897 |
| 9. | Stamford Bridge | Chelsea | 40,173 | 1877 |
| 10. | Goodison Park | Everton | 39,414 | 1892 |
| 11. | Saint Mary’s Stadium | Southampton FC | 32,384 | 2001 |
| 12. | King Power Stadium | Leicester City | 32,259 | 2002 |
| 13. | AMEX Stadium | Brighton & Hove Albion | 31,876 | 2011 |
| 14. | Molineux Stadium | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 31,750 | 1889 |
| 15. | The City Ground | Nottingham Forest | 30,404 | 1898 |
| 16. | Portman Road | Ipswich Town | 29,813 | 1884 |
| 17. | Selhurst Park | Crystal Palace | 25,194 | 1924 |
| 18. | Craven Cottage | Fulham | 24,500 | 1896 |
| 19. | Gtech Community Stadium | Brentford | 17,250 | 2020 |
| 20. | Vitality Stadium | AFC Bournemouth | 11,307 | 1910 |
Source: Premier League Season 2024/2025 Handbook
EPL Stadium Utilization Rates in Season 2024/2025
While stadium capacity helps gauge a team’s popularity and scale, the true measure of matchplay demand is how effectively this capacity is used. Stadium utilization rate is a key metric, calculated by dividing the average attendance by the total stadium capacity. It represents the percentage of available seats filled on a matchday, which is a strong indicator of fan demand and ticketing efficiency. For the 2024/2025 season, the overall average utilization rate was an exceptional 98.8%, demonstrating the Premier League’s immense popularity.
At the top of the table, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, West Ham’s London Stadium, and St. James’ Park, homeground of Newcastle United, all reported utilization rates of 99.9%, showcasing near-perfect sell-out rates for every home fixture. On the other end of the spectrum, Southampton’s St Mary’s Stadium recorded the lowest rate at 95.2%. While this figure is still very high, the nearly five-point difference from the top-tier clubs suggests a lower demand and more available seating relative to its capacity compared to the rest of the league.
| EPL Stadiums Utilization Rates (2024/2025) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ranking | Stadium | Team | Utilization Rate |
| 1. | Tottenham Hotspur | Tottenham Hotspur | 99.9% |
| 2. | London Stadium | West Ham United | 99.9% |
| 3. | St James’ Park | Newcastle United | 99.9% |
| 4. | Vitality Stadium | AFC Bournemouth | 99.8% |
| 5. | Goodison Park | Everton | 99.5% |
| 6. | Old Trafford | Manchester United | 99.4% |
| 7. | Emirates Stadium | Arsenal | 99.3% |
| 8. | Selhurst Park | Crystal Palace | 99.3% |
| 9. | Gtech Community Stadium | Brentford | 99.1% |
| 10. | Portman Road | Ipswich Town | 99.0% |
| 11. | The City Ground | Nottingham Forest | 98.9% |
| 12. | AMEX Stadium | Brighton & Hove Albion | 98.7% |
| 13. | Stamford Bridge | Chelsea | 98.5% |
| 14. | Villa Park | Aston Villa | 98.4% |
| 15. | Anfield | Liverpool | 98.3% |
| 16. | Craven Cottage | Fulham | 98.1% |
| 17. | King Power Stadium | Leicester City | 97.8% |
| 18. | Etihad Stadium | Manchester City | 97.3% |
| 19. | Molineux Stadium | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 97.3% |
| 20. | St Mary’s Stadium | Southhampton | 95.2% |
| Average | 98.8% | ||
Source: Premier League 2025/2025 Season Handbook
Number of Sold Matches in Season 2024/2025
Beyond utilization rates and capacity, the ultimate sign of high demand for a team is the number of fully sold out fixtures. In season 2024/2025, the Premier League saw a total of 42 sold out matches out of the 380 league games played. Fulham sits at the top of the list, as Craven Cottage recorded the highest number of 8 sold out matches. We attribute this to the ongoing renovation of the stadium’s Riverside Stand, which temporarily reduced the number of seats available for sale, effectively increasing the number of sold out matches.
Chelsea followed closely with 7 sold out games. Most teams, including Manchester United, Arsenal, and Everton, saw only one match reaching their stadium’s full capacity. This indicates that while their utilization rates are high, their significantly larger seating capacities make achieving a complete sell-out considerably more difficult.
| EPL Teams Ranked by Number of Sold Out Matches in 2024/2025 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Home Ground | Sold Out Matches | Total Matches |
| Fulham | Craven Cottage | 8 | 19 |
| Chelsea | Stamford Bridge | 7 | 19 |
| Liverpool | Anfield | 6 | 19 |
| Manchester City | Etihad Stadium | 6 | 19 |
| West Ham United | London Stadium | 5 | 19 |
| Aston Villa | Villa Park | 4 | 19 |
| Manchester United | Old Tafford | 1 | 19 |
| Arsenal | Emirates Stadium | 1 | 19 |
| Everton | Goodison Park | 1 | 19 |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | Molineux Stadium | 1 | 19 |
| Nottingham Forest | City Ground | 1 | 19 |
| Crystal Palace | Selhurst Park | 1 | 19 |
| Total | 42 out of 380 matches in 2024/2025 | ||
Source: Transfermarkt
Total Number of Attending Spectators per Team in 2024/2025
The total number of spectators attending home games is indicative of a club’s ability to draw large crowds across an entire season. Overall, Man United ranked first, hosting a massive total of more than 1.4 million spectators during the last full season. The Red Devils’ status as attendance leaders is directly tied to Old Trafford, the largest stadium in the Premier League, where consistently high utilization rates translate into the biggest crowds season after season.
Following closely are Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United, both surpassing the 1.1 million mark. Conversely, AFC Bournemouth finished at the bottom of the ranking with 214,434 spectators in total. The difference between the highest and lowest-ranked teams is nearly 1.19 million spectators.
Source: Premier League 2025/2026 Season Handbook
Average Attendance by Team in Season 2024/2025
Average attendance shows how consistently a club draws fans each week. Unsurprisingly, the Red Devils dominate this metric with an average attendance of 73,759 spectators per match. This makes sense considering Old Trafford is the largest home ground in the entire league. Its sheer size enables the Red Devils to capitalize fully on their global fan base and consistently achieve high utilization rates of over 99%.
The runners-up are also from the “big stadium” category. Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United round out the top three with 62,758 and 62,464 spectators on average. AFC Bournemouth and Brentford are the teams with the lowest average attendance rates. Their games were attended by 11,285 and 17,094 spectators on average. Then again, this is unsurprising considering the Cherries and the Bees play at the stadiums with the smallest capacity in the Premier League.
Source: Premier League 2025/2026 Season Handbook
Maximum Attendance by Team in Season 2024/2025
Maximum attendance represents the largest crowd a club drew for a single home match during the season. Leading the league is Manchester United, whose Old Trafford saw its highest turnout against Aston Villa, drawing 73,839 fans on May 25 2025 this year. This near-capacity crowd came out for the Red Devils’ final game of the campaign, during which they secured a 2-0 victory against the Lions.
The runners-up were Tottenham Hotspur with a crowd of 62,850 fans and West Ham United with a maximum spectatorship of 62,476 people. AFC Bournemouth finished with the lowest maximum attendance during a match against Aston Villa in May this year.
| Maximum Attendance per Team (2024/2025) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Team | Maximum Attendance | Opponent |
| Manchester United | 73,839 | Vs. Aston Villa |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 62,850 | Vs. Brighton & Hove Albion |
| West Ham United | 62,476 | Vs. Liverpool |
| Liverpool | 60,448 | Vs. Newcastle United |
| Arsenal | 60,383 | Vs. Liverpool |
| Manchester City | 53,282 | Vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers |
| Newcastle United | 52,252 | Vs. Manchester United |
| Aston Villa | 42,740 | Vs. Nottingham Forest |
| Chelsea | 39,852 | Vs. Tottenham Hotspur |
| Everton | 39,395 | Vs. Leicester City |
| Leicester City | 32,058 | Vs. Liverpool |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 31,715 | Vs. Manchester City |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 31,518 | Vs. Leicester City |
| Southampton | 31,278 | Vs. Liverpool |
| Nottingham Forest | 30,263 | Vs. Chelsea |
| Ipswich Town | 30,017 | Vs. Manchester United |
| Fulham | 27,770 | Vs. Liverpool |
| Crystal Palace | 25,186 | Vs. AFC Bournemouth |
| Brentford | 17,215 | Vs. Liverpool |
| AFC Bournemouth | 11,286 | Vs. Aston Villa |
Source: Premier League 2025/2026 Season Handbook
EPL Teams’ Attendance Records in Away Matches (2024/2025)
Away attendance records offer a different view of fan loyalty, although they are shaped by strict league rules. In stadiums with more than 30,000 seats, clubs must provide at least 3,000 tickets for visiting supporters, while smaller grounds are required to allocate at least 10% of their capacity to away fans.
AFC Bournemouth’s away matches drew a record crowd of 41,671 people in 2024/2025 as a result of the large stadiums they visited, including Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Anfield. Although only a small share of those spectators were travelling fans, the team’s fixtures still ranked among the most attended in the league. Giants like Manchester United, West Ham, and Tottenham posted lower away records because they frequently played at smaller or mid-sized grounds.
| Team Attendance Records at Away Games (2024/2025) | |
|---|---|
| Team | Away Attendance Record |
| AFC Bournemouth | 41,671 |
| Brentford | 41,395 |
| Ipswich Town | 41,228 |
| Southampton | 41,120 |
| Fulham | 41,051 |
| Leicester City | 40,979 |
| Nottingham Forest | 40,969 |
| Crystal Palace | 40,926 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 40,914 |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 40,798 |
| Chelsea | 40,763 |
| Everton | 40,698 |
| Aston Villa | 40,291 |
| Manchester City | 39,927 |
| Newcastle United | 39,865 |
| Arsenal | 39,630 |
| Liverpool | 39,498 |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 39,409 |
| West Ham United | 39,290 |
| Manchester United | 39,068 |
Source: Transfermarkt.com
How Attendance Has Changed over the Last 10 Seasons
Looking at data from the past decade, we see that the Premier League has been witnessing consistent growth in attendance, with the pandemic-affected 2020/2021 season being a clear exception. The total number of spectators reached 15.4 million in season 2024/2025, marking a significant increase of approximately 11% from the 13.9 million recorded nine seasons earlier. Growth is primarily driven by stadium expansions, most notably at London Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur, and consistently high utilization rates across the league.
Sources: Premier League Season Handbooks, ESPN
Respectively, the average attendance per match also peaked in 2024/2025 with 40,459 spectators. Compared to the 36,451 average in season 2015/2016, this represents a healthy increase of around 11%. The consistently increasing attendance averages over the last decade are indicative of the Premier League’s status as a top global sporting attraction, suggesting that the demand for live football remains as strong as ever.
Sources: Premier League Season Handbooks, ESPN