Sport
Top Domestic leagues that span multiple countries
When you think of a domestic league, you think of a competition where the best teams from one country battle it out for top honours. However, some domestic leagues actually cover multiple countries at once. Some do this in a bid to support smaller nations who can’t support their own competitions. Others do it as a way to present a united competition that benefits teams in two partner nations. The end result is a competition that delivers on the pitch and adds a bit more flavour to those making the journey to an opposition stadium. So which top leagues venture into international territory?
(Note, we are classing countries as sovereign nations therefore the Premier League is excluded from this list as England and Wales are technically part of the United Kingdom)
Ligue 1
People tend to forget that the French top flight actually covers two separate countries. Whilst Ligue 1 is made up of teams from throughout France, it also covers the tiny nation of Monaco. The sole representative of the principality – AS Monaco – are a well-known team and have had considerable success in Ligue 1 winning it 8 times. The club is directly supported by the principality with the nation’s royal family owning one third of the club. All this makes it a real experience to play at the Stade Louis II and gives the league an added edge that others might not have.
MLS
In North America, it’s extremely common to find major competitions including sides from both the USA and Canada. Football is no exception with the MLS sporting 3 teams from Canada. The MLS didn’t expand north of the border until the 2000s when Toronto FC joined the league in 2007. From there, the drive for further teams in Canada expanded with both CF Montreal and the Vancouver Whitecaps joining in the early 2010s. This has led to furious rivalries developing between cross-border teams adding even more appeal to the competition across the continent. It has made for the MLS to become one of the Big Five sporting competitions in the region and a place in millions of hearts at the same time.
Swiss Super League
It may not be the biggest league in Europe but the Swiss Super League is very much an international competition. This comes as it does also involve teams from neighbouring Liechtenstein. The most usual visitor in the Super League is FC Vaduz who have made recurring appearances since their first inclusion in 2008. In an ironic twist however, Vaduz aren’t allowed to represent Switzerland in European competition. Instead, they are expected to represent Liechtenstein through the national Liechtenstein Football Cup. This hasn’t been a problem for Vaduz who have won this a staggering 48 times meaning that the club looks to always secure trophies in two countries at the same time.
A-League
It’s not often you find a league that not only crosses nations but continental federations too. This is indeed the case in Australia’s A-League. The top football league in Australia achieves this thanks to issuing a spot to New Zealand’s Wellington Phoenix. The league has always looked to have at least one side from New Zealand but it hasn’t been without struggles. The initial spot was offered to Auckland-based New Zealand Knights in 2005 who folded shortly afterwards in 2007. The Phoenix have maintained a steady presence in the A-League even if they have yet to win a trophy. It does lead to some big journeys though with trips to face Perth Glory in Western Australia which is a one-way trip of over 3,200mi (5200km)!. With Phoenix also unable to qualify for AFC competitions, it means that the OFC side are very much a unique entity in world football.
Singapore Premier League
How do you solve bringing more fans to league games? For the masterminds behind the Singapore Premier League, their solution was to invite sides from overseas to play competitively. This tactic in the mid-2000s has since seen sides from up to 4 nations at once competing in a top-flight domestic competition. The league has supported sides from Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan and Brunei at one time with many either finding temporary homes in Singapore or hosting games overseas to cope with the demands. Out of the many sides that visited, only Japan’s Albirex Niigata remain as an overseas entity in the Singapore Premier League although they are very much based in Singapore for all their matches. Still, it’s a ploy that worked and has made the competition one of Asia’s most cosmopolitan domestic leagues.
