What began in 2022 with the Kings League has developed into a real small-field showdown in 2025: Icon League, Baller League and Kings League are in a duel for reach, viewer loyalty - and ultimately relevance. But who is currently ahead? And which league will prevail in the long term?

What is the Icon League?

The Icon League was launched at the end of 2023 by Elias Nerlich and Toni Kroos and brings together professional football, the creator world and entertainment on a 45x22 metre artificial pitch. The game is played 5-a-side, surrounded by boards - fast, intense, modern.

What makes this format special:

• No offside, unlimited substitutions

• Random special rules per game (e.g. golden goal, joker goals, double points)

• In the event of a draw: straight into the golden goal or penalty shoot-out

• Season structure: 13 match days + play-ins + final tournament

14 teams compete, many led by prominent names such as David Alaba, Antonio Rüdiger or influencers like Luciano. The league runs on Twitch and Pluto TV, combines sport and streaming and achieved 1.3 billion social impressions in its first season alone as well as up to 229,000 live viewers at the final tournament.

The Icon League is not a gimmick, but an ambitious sports entertainment project - with a clear positioning in the small field cosmos.

The Facts: Reach in Numbers

The Icon League, founded in 2024, positioned itself early on as a serious player in the social sports market. With 1.3 billion social impressions, strong Twitch figures and a final event in Munich's SAP Garden, the league shows that it understands entertainment - and reach.

In contrast, the Kings League has extreme individual power: Influencer Younes Zarou alone has 101.6 million followers across all channels. His presence catapults the Kings League to first place in some rankings - even if the content focus of his fanbase is not necessarily on football.

The Baller League, fuelled by streamer power à la MontanaBlack, Trymacs and Papaplatte, is particularly impressive on Twitch: 3.5 million views per match day, some of them live on TV. And yet: In the overall ranking (followers + team reach), it lags behind Icon and Kings League.

Comparison of figures (total followers):

• Kings League: 150.1 million

• Icon League: 104.1 million

• Baller League: 74.9 million.

But without Younes Zarou (Kings League) and Toni Kroos (Icon League), the picture suddenly looks different - and it shows: The race is more open than you might think.

What Makes the Icon League Special

The Icon League focuses on combination instead of hype:

• Toni Kroos with over 73 million followers on social media

• 14 teams with strong brand integration (e.g. Alaba, Rüdiger, OneFootball, L'Oréal, Skechers)

• A Clear Advantage: The teams are allowed to market their jerseys individually - many secure six-figure sponsorship contracts. That shows: There is a real business model behind the show.

Growth ≠ Sustainability?

All three formats currently thrive on euphoria, influencers and rapid growth. But the question remains:

Will all three leagues last in the long term? Or will one format prevail - perhaps in a different sport?

CoachingArea sees this as a blueprint for the entire amateur sector:

• New tournament formats

• Entertainment elements such as special rules

• Digital experiences with live adverts, social media clips & voting features

Conclusion: Who's staying, who's going, who's coming?

What counts in the end is not just the reach, but the impact: brand loyalty, sponsorship, viewer loyalty. And who knows: maybe the next step will soon be small-court basketball, a padel league or even a digital multi-sport format. The stage is set.

Source

https://omr.com/de/daily/baller-league-icon-league-kings-league-reichweiten-check