Football is the most followed sport on the planet; there are literally hundreds of professional football clubs from all around the world that compete in top club competitions all across the globe. Every continent has its own major leagues and continental competitions; from the England Premier League to Serie A to the UEFA Champions League, there are countless competitions with which spectators and fans can bet on. However, there is more to global football than just these professional leagues and top-tier competitions.
Non-league football has seen a rise in popularity in recent years, with the fan bases of local teams increasing from just their hometowns to other countries. Because of social media, non-league clubs have also developed a massive following; people have started taking interest in the ins and outs of non-league football clubs. However, with the popularity of gambling in the higher leagues, some fans want non-league football betting to become more accessible.
Within Europe, there are hundreds of non-league football teams, and their support has been on the rise for years now. Below, we look at some of the most popular non-league football teams within Europe that do not play in any major club competition but have still amassed millions of followers.
- Stockport County Football Club
Playing in the Vanarama National League, Stockport County Football Club is one of the non-league football teams on the rise. Founded in 1883, the club has risen to the National League in the past few seasons after winning the Vanarama National League North title. The home ground of Stockport County F.C is Edgeley Park, with a capacity of over 10,000, making it one of the biggest non-league stadiums. The team has one of the most loyal fan bases in non-league football and is one of the clubs that might make it to League Two in the upcoming years.
- FC Halifax Town
Based in West Yorkshire, FC Halifax Town is a non-league football team that was founded only 14 years ago, in 2008. The club has seen a meteoric rise in both its popularity and advance through the lower leagues in a very small period of time. Having won the FA Trophy in 2015-16, FC Halifax is among some of the most accomplished clubs playing in the Vanarama National League. Given the way the club has performed, it won’t be surprising to see them in the top leagues within a few decades.
- York City Football Club
York City Football Club, founded in 1922, is another famous non-league football team in Europe. They play in the York Community Stadium, which can accommodate over 8,000 fans. The club hasn’t always been a non-league team; York City F.C. had Football League status during the 20th century and went as far up as the Second Division in the 1970s. However, ever since the start of the 2000s, the club has been in and out of league football, with its last appearance in League Two coming during the 2015-16 season. The club won the FA Trophy in 2016-17 but hasn’t been able to make it back to the top leagues.
- Prussia Munster
Playing in the Regionalliga West, Prussia Munster (SC Preussen Munster in German) is a non-league football team in Germany. The club was founded in 1906 and is among the most famous non-league teams in Germany. They were one of the founding members of the Bundesliga and stayed there for a season in 1963, eventually being relegated in their first season. They were relegated from the 3. Liga, the third tier of German professional leagues last year, but look set to make it back into league football within one or two seasons.
- Pontevedra CF
A non-league team based in Spain, the Pontevedra Club de Futbol was founded in 1941 and currently plays in the Segunda División RFEF, which is a newly created semi-professional tier that sits below the Segunda division. The club played in La Liga during the 1960s; their last appearance in league football was in the 2004-05 season when they were relegated from the Segunda division.
- Sestao River Club
Sestao River Club is another no-league team in Spain. The club was founded in 1996 and plays at the Las Llanas stadium in the autonomous region of Basque country, with a capacity of nearly 9,000 spectators. The club has steadily risen through the ranks of Spanish football in the past two decades and currently plays in the Segunda Division RFEF. Sestao River Club is the successor of Sestao Sport Club, which spent nearly 17 seasons in the Segunda Division. With the way they are currently playing, Sestao River Club can make it to league football within a year or two.
