Global competitive balance mapped out 

Competitive balance is an important concept in sport. After all, a competition is of little interest if the result feels like a foregone conclusion.  

The FIFA 2020 Global Competitive Balance Report breaks down the state of competitiveness in men’s domestic football competitions worldwide, as reflected in two key indicators: the number of recent champions and points differences in the final standings. The report also covers the foundation years of clubs and national associations to provide additional context. While it is not a measure of competitiveness per se, the pace of football development may have an indirect effect on overall competitiveness. 

Confederation by confederation, nation by nation 

The 2020 Global Competitive Balance Report details the competition structures in each of FIFA’s 211 member associations (MAs), grouped by confederation, and gives a data-driven account of how domestic competitions have developed in recent years.  

This is reflected in two key indicators: the number of recent champions and the points differences in the final standings. The report also provides the foundation years of clubs and MAs to provide additional context. 

Recent champions and winning streaks  

Taken over the past five seasons, on average, domestic competitions have had three different winners. At the most competitive end of the spectrum, three competitions (1%) have had different champions every season, while, at the other end, 23 competitions (11%) have been won by the same club over five consecutive campaigns.  

Looking longer-term at the past 15 seasons, the average number of different winners of domestic competitions is five, with a high of 11 and a low of just two different clubs taking the honours. When you consider all domestic competitions, the average longest streak is four consecutive titles; however, the most common scenario is a run of two straight titles, which has occurred 62 times (30%). 

Formats and point differences 

In the last five seasons, the average gap between winners and runners-up has been six points, with the difference between winners and third-placed teams 11 points and five points separating second and third place. The largest average gap between first and second in a given competition is 16 points. 

In domestic competitions featuring a regular season followed by a knockout play-off format, the regular-season table-toppers have reached the final in 75% of cases.  

For domestic competitions followed by another format, the proportion of post-season titles won according to regular-season league position is as follows:  

This shows that domestic champions tend to build up momentum in their winning performances over the regular season that carries into any subsequent competition format. In other words, success breeds success. 

Founding of member associations and clubs 

Of all the clubs surveyed, the average foundation year was 1967, with the oldest club formed in 1869 and the newest established in 2020, the baseline year for the report. The decade that saw the creation of the highest number of clubs was the 2000s (346 clubs, or 13% of the sample), with a peak in 2009 (49 clubs created).  

Cumulatively speaking, 25% of the clubs had been created by the end of the 1930s, while 58% existed by 1979 and 99.8% by 2019. Meanwhile, the average formation year of FIFA MAs is 1943, with the oldest founded in 1863 and the newest in 2011, a difference of 148 years. The fact that this average predates the average club foundation year by two decades suggests that clubs are more likely to be formed with an established national association in place. This is also reflected by the fact that, cumulatively speaking, half of MAs had been created by 1939 (49.8%), while this figure stood at 99.1% at the turn of the 21st century. 

Looking back to move forward 

Reflecting on the past 15 seasons, and not counting those truncated by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, 164 (78%) of FIFA’s 211 MAs have run their main competitions uninterrupted, season after season. Over the past five seasons, the figure is as high as 180 (85%). What this shows is that leagues and other regular-season competitions are well established and are a fixture in organised sport almost everywhere in the world.

Introducing the report, FIFA President Gianni Infantino explains the rationale behind this unprecedented study: “Only by looking back can we know how to move forward, and this report provides a comprehensive overview of the recent history of domestic competitions across the globe, painting a picture of where competitiveness is thriving, on the right track or in need of stimulus.”

Sharing insight to make the game truly global

There is a common impact achieved here. The aim of these reports, the Professional Football Department, and FIFA as an organisation, is to help the game grow and make it truly global, by sharing best practice across the professional football industry.  

The Professional Football Department will continue to unearth insight in new territories, divisions and industry segments not always covered by the conventional football industry media, building a smarter, better-informed and connected global football community.   

You can read more of the department’s publications, and explore its academic programmes and member association services here.