THE STRONGEST NATIONAL LEAGUE OF THE WORLD

Spanish Primera División is the Strongest National League of the World for the fourth time in a row

English Premier League get up to the second place again

The World ranking for the Strongest National Leagues has been determined annually by the IFFHS since 1991 on the basis of all national (championship, FA Cup) and (inter)continental (confederations & FIFA club competitions) results of the clubs. This principle has proved to be a very sensitive and an objective indicator.

The Spanish Primera División retains the first place thank to the extraordinary performance in the year, so in domestic competitions as continental cups, of their three best clubs, Real Madrid CF, Club Atlético de Madrid and FC Barcelona. It is the fourth time in a row since 2010. Previously the Spanish Primera División has been The Strongest National League of the World in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2004.

The English Premier League returns at his ancient position in 2011, moving off Brazilian Série A. His five best clubs are classified in the Club World Ranking in the top-26. It made that the difference between Primera División and Premier League was very close: The best English clubs got a better performance for continental competitions (524 points) than Spanish (469 points), but strongly they failed in the FA Cup (72 points), meanwhile La Copa del Rey semifinals were played by the four strongest Spanish teams (144 points).

German Bundesliga was third again, thanks to FC Bayern München, brilliant winner of the Club World Ranking. The UEFA Champion’s League was decisive with two German clubs in the Final to give the third place. Best German clubs got 518 points from intercontinental competitions, but they got very poor performance for the domestic cup (84 points). It puts  very close German Bundesliga from Primera División and Premier League.

Russian Premier Liga was so close to move French Ligue 1, and it would have had important consequences in the Club World Ranking 2014, because Russia could get the top level for leagues.

The Best South American league was the Brazilian Série A, ahead Argentina Primera División. Brazil got down from the second place to fifth. In the other hand, Colombian Primera A jumps up to place 9 and it is the third strongest league in South America, ahead of Paraguay, Chile and Ecuador.

For other football continents, Mexican Primera División is the best for CONCACAF area, ahead of Costa Rica and USA. In Asia, Republic of Korea league was better closely than Saudi Arabia and Japan was third. In Africa, Northern Countries were the three best: Tunisia, Egypt (thanks to the great continental results), and Maroc. New Zeland, since Australia was in AFC, is the winner for OFC.

Top 125
(1st January 2013 – 31st December 2013)

The title „The Strongest National League of the World“ is a subjective declaration, as various criteria can be used to evaluate the strength of a football league. Factors such as the quality of the players, the competitiveness of the league, financial power, global following, and the performance of clubs in international competitions can all influence perceptions of a league's strength.

As of my last update, debate on this topic often centers around several top European leagues, commonly referred to as the „Big Five,“ which are:

1. English Premier League (EPL) – The EPL is widely regarded for its competitive nature, financial muscle, global fanbase, and the presence of many of the world's top players and managers.
2. La Liga (Spain) – Home to some of the most successful clubs in European competition history, La Liga is known for technical and tactical excellence and has been the league of choice for many of the greatest players ever.
3. Bundesliga (Germany) – Renowned for its high average attendances, strong club infrastructure, and a focus on developing young talent through excellent youth systems.
4. Serie A (Italy) – Historically one of the strongest leagues with a rich history of tactical innovation and exceptional defensive play, though it has faced challenges in recent years.
5. Ligue 1 (France) – Not traditionally considered on the same level as the other four, but recent investments, particularly in Paris Saint-Germain, have raised the profile and competitiveness of the league.

Other notable leagues that have been on the rise and could be considered among the strongest include the Primeira Liga (Portugal), the Eredivisie (Netherlands), and to certain extents leagues from outside of Europe like the Argentine Primera División, Brazilian Serie A, and Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States and Canada.

Football leagues from other continents contribute greatly to the sport, but due to different factors like financial power and global influence, they might not be considered as strong as the European counterparts.

It is also worth noting that the definition of what makes a league strong can change over time as the global football landscape evolves due to changes in economic conditions, talent development, and other factors. International tournaments such as the UEFA Champions League and the FIFA Club World Cup provide opportunities for clubs from different leagues to compete against each other, although these are club-level competitions and not direct reflections of the respective strength of the leagues themselves.