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Manchester United the most popular Premier League club on the planet, new research reveals
- Manchester United is the most popular Premier League club in the world.
- Red Devils get top billing in 37.2% of all nations, 6.46% more than their closest rivals Liverpool.
- One of the Red Devils (93), or Reds (87), account for being the most popular in 72% of all countries.
- Collective efforts of Chelsa, Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham can account for just 39.78% of United’s global popularity.
Manchester United will begin the 30th Premier League season as the most popular Premier League club in the world, new research has confirmed.
While the Old Trafford club may have fallen away from challenging for trophies in recent years, they have maintained their grip as the Premier League’s most popular export, headlining in 93 of the 250 countries worldwide.
Hot on their heels, though, and closing fast is Merseyside outfit Liverpool, fuelled by their successes in 2019 and 2020, where they won both the Champions League and Premier League, the latter their first title triumph in 30 years. These on-field triumphs appear to have made all the difference, with the Anfield side now trailing by just 6.46%, or six countries to be precise!
The Liverpool-Manchester megalopolis – the two cities some 35 miles apart – is famed for its historic rivalry in sporting and other senses, and the pair lay unanimous claim to the lionshare of attention from a combined 180 nations, a colossal 72% of the planet.
For context, the combined global clout of Chelsea (19), Manchester City (9), Arsenal (8) and Tottenham (1) only musters 39.78% of Manchester United’s geographical wins on the international stage.
The True Colours of Football study, conducted by William Hill, crunched a range of search volume data for each top-flight club in hundreds of key towns and cities across the UK, as well as accurately mapping online popularity in almost every country across the globe.
Indicative of the beautiful game’s gravitas in Africa is Uganda, South Sudan and Kenya leading the way in interest in the Premier League’s elite, the UK, home to the game’s origins, fourth – just above Sierra Leone.
Big numbers in China and India spend their time following the travails of Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s United side, but it is a much more closely-fought affair in the U.S. and Canada, where they narrowly edge out Liverpool.
Liverpool red, though, washes over much of Europe, the Middle East and Russia, with unparalleled dominance in the northernmost region of the African continent, claiming four of the seven countries. And while West Africa appears to be very much a Chelsea stronghold, United enjoy the freedom of the continent’s south, dominating swathes of territory from Tanzania’s capital Dodoma to Cape Town in South Africa.
Six different clubs add colour to the vibrant palette of football that is South America, with the footballing powerhouses of Mexico and Brazil most compelled to follow Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side, while the EPL’s only Mexican player Raúl Jiménez elevates Wolverhampton into second spot in that particular nation, the Midlands club outscoring the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City.The of Columbian poster boy James Rodriguez instantly elevated Everton to El Maximo – the biggest thing there is, Miguel Almirón ensures Newcastle enjoys plenty of Paraguayan affection and Marcelo Bielsa, the enigmatic Argentine who ended Leeds’ 16-year wait for Premier League football, has won the hearts and minds of his countrymen and women back home.
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Asia
S8UL signs Team Question Mark roster for PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS ahead of EWC 2026
The CIS-based EMEA lineup brings past EWC experience and titles including PUBG Global Series 8 as S8UL targets Riyadh qualification.
S8UL has signed the Team Question Mark (QM) roster to represent the organisation in PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS on PC ahead of the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026. The deal was announced April 16 from Mumbai as S8UL prepares for the tournament in Riyadh, scheduled for July 21 to 26.
The CIS-based EMEA lineup includes:
- captain Roman Zinovev (ADOUZ1E),
- Andrey Ionov (Bestoloch),
- Mansur Tsimpaev (f1lfirst),
- Nikita Odobesku (Molodoct),
- and coach Yermek Torebekov (Ermaak).
S8UL said the roster will compete through the qualification pathway for a place in the 24-team event, which has a $2 million prize pool.
S8UL is adding a roster with a proven record in top-tier PUBG competition, including wins at PUBG Continental Series 7 Europe 2022 and PUBG Global Series 8 in 2025. The team has also posted a Top 3 finish at PUBG Global Series 2 in 2023 and a Top 7 finish at PUBG Global Championship 2022. The organisation said the roster has competed at both previous editions of the EWC in 2024 and 2025 and has amassed approximately $713,000 in total prize winnings.
Commenting on the move, Naman Mathur, Co-founder, S8UL said, “Signing the QM roster is a significant step for us as we continue to strengthen our presence in global esports. PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS is one of the most competitive titles in the world, and this team has consistently proven itself against the very best. At a broader level, this move reflects the direction S8UL is heading in. Over the past year, we have focused on building depth across our rosters and competing consistently at the highest level. As we prepare for the Esports World Cup 2026, we are committed to providing the team with the right support and resources as they aim to make a strong impact in the qualifiers as well as on the global stage.”
Roman Zinovev aka ADOUZ1E added, “Becoming part of S8UL is a big opportunity for us as a team. As a team, we’ve always believed in our ability to compete with the best in the world, and having the backing of a global organisation allows us to push even further. With the Esports World Cup coming up, we’re focused on working through the qualifiers and making sure we deliver performances that match our potential.,”
S8UL said the announcement follows its selection as a Club Partner by the Esports Foundation (EF), placing it among 40 global organisations. The organisation has also listed 13 titles it plans to enter for EWC 2026, including PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, Apex Legends, Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), Call of Duty: Warzone, Chess, EA Sports FC, FATAL Fury, Fortnite, Honor of Kings, MOBA Legends 5V5, Street Fighter 6, TEKKEN 8, and Trackmania.
Relevant data as follows:
- S8UL Esports: https://s8ul.gg/ Official organisation site for roster and announcement verification.
- PUBG Esports (PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS competitive updates): https://pubgesports.com/ Authoritative source for PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS esports circuits, event results, and qualifiers.
- Esports World Cup (official site): https://esportsworldcup.com/ Event organiser site for EWC 2026 schedule, formats, and prize pool confirmation.
The post S8UL signs Team Question Mark roster for PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS ahead of EWC 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
AI
Former German Air Force officer launches Sparky Space AI platform for iGaming teams
Nils Ristau and Daniel Schmitz debut a work enablement platform aimed at day-to-day execution across product, retention and AI adoption.
Sparky Space, a new AI-powered work enablement platform founded by former German Air Force officer Nils Ristau and tech leader Daniel Schmitz, has launched and is now available globally for iGaming operators and suppliers.
The founders are positioning the product around execution support inside daily workflows as teams face tighter regulatory demands, faster product cycles and higher player expectations. The company cited industry research suggesting only 10-20% of learning is consistently applied in day-to-day work, creating a gap between training and on-the-job outcomes.
“In military operations, performance depends on clarity, structure, and disciplined execution in changing environments,” said Ristau. “The iGaming industry operates under similar pressure.
“Competitive advantage does not come from knowledge alone – it comes from how effectively teams apply it every day.”
Sparky Space said its platform supports areas including product development, player retention and AI adoption, with use cases spanning customer-centric experimentation, agile product and game development, decision-making and prioritisation, practical generative AI prompting, and cross-functional collaboration. The company said the tools are intended to help teams launch features, respond to regulatory change, and optimise marketing and support processes.
While initially focused on iGaming, Sparky Space said it has been built for broader use in other fast-moving, technology-driven industries.
Relevant data as follows:
- Sparky Space: https://www.sparkyspace.com Official company site for product and launch details.
- UK Gambling Commission: https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk Regulatory context referenced in the article’s discussion of increasing compliance pressure.
- Malta Gaming Authority: https://www.mga.org.mt Key European regulator relevant to operators and suppliers navigating shifting regulation.
The post Former German Air Force officer launches Sparky Space AI platform for iGaming teams appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Gambling in the USA
GGPoker sets $300m guarantee for 2026 GG World Festival series
Online poker festival runs May 3 to June 9 and includes a $3m leaderboard plus three $10m guaranteed flagship events.
GGPoker has announced the return of its GG World Festival tournament series, set to run from May 3 through June 9, 2026. The operator said the schedule will offer $300,000,000 in guaranteed prizes across the series, up from the $250m guarantee it offered last year.
The festival is split into four buy-in tiers: Low ($3–$25), Medium ($26–$150), High ($151–$1,050) and Super ($1,051+). GGPoker said the series will include hundreds of tournaments over five weeks.
GGPoker is also bringing back its festival leaderboard with $3,000,000 in additional prizes across the four tiers: $300K (Low), $700K (Medium), $1M (High) and $1M (Super).
Three events will anchor the schedule, each with a $10,000,000 guarantee: the $525 World Bounty Festival (Day 2) on May 18, the $10,000 GGMillion$ Main Event (Day 2) on May 25, and the $1,500 GG World Championship (Day 2) on June 1.
“Last year we set the bar at $250 million, and the community response was legendary,” said Daniel Negreanu, GGPoker Global Ambassador. “But at GGPoker, we don’t just want to meet expectations; we want to smash them over and over again. This year, we’re going to $300 million. Whether you’re playing a $3 Low Tier tournament or the $10K GGMillion$ Main Event, you’re part of the biggest thing to ever happen in online poker. This is the stage where legends are made.”
Relevant data as follows:
- GG World Festival page on GGPoker: https://ggpoker.com/tournaments/ggpoker-world-festival Primary source for dates, schedule structure and guarantees referenced in the article.
- GGPoker tournaments hub: https://ggpoker.com/tournaments/ Supporting context on GGPoker’s tournament offerings and satellite qualifiers mentioned in the release.
- GGPoker homepage: https://ggpoker.com/ Company reference link for readers seeking broader operator information.
The post GGPoker sets $300m guarantee for 2026 GG World Festival series appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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