In the realm of football, the distinction between open and closed leagues lies at the heart of the sportโs competitive ethos. Open leagues, also known as promotion/relegation leagues, are typified by the likes of Englandโs Premier League. They embrace promotion and relegation, allowing clubs to ascend or descend based on their performance each season. This fosters a dynamic landscape where ambition and meritocracy reign supreme, ensuring that even the smallest clubs can dream of glory. Conversely, closed leagues, exemplified by Major League Soccer in the United States, operate under a franchise model, where teams are often secured in a fixed hierarchy. Here, participation is typically determined by ownership and investment rather than athletic achievement. This enables regulations that lead to greater parity between teams and thus less predictable winners. The tension between these two systems reflects broader philosophical questions about access, equity, competitiveness, and the very spirit of the beautiful game.
Below, you will find a list exclusively compiled by Athlelytics ยฎ of countries that tend to favor open (promotion/relegation) or closed (franchise) systems in the most recent season.
| Open | Closed |
England | United States |
Spain | Mexico |
Italy | China * |
Germany | Canada |
France | Australia |
Brazil | New Zealand |
Portugal | India |
Netherlands | Liechtenstein ** |
Saudi Arabia | |
Turkey | |
Argentina | |
Belgium | |
Russia | |
Greece | |
Austria | |
Ukraine | |
Switzerland | |
UAE | |
Qatar | |
Czech Republic | |
Denmark | |
Scotland | |
Japan | |
Sweden | |
Serbia | |
Norway | |
Poland | |
Colombia | |
Croatia | |
Romania | |
Monaco | |
Bulgaria | |
Uruguay | |
South Africa | |
Ecuador | |
Hungary | |
Cyprus | |
South Korea | |
Egypt | |
Peru | |
Israel | |
Wales | |
Paraguay | |
Morocco | |
Bolivia | |
Algeria |
*Promotion was present but not relegation.
**Liechtenstein has no national league. Clubs play in the swiss league. However, the cup competition that decides european places is closed.