The Indian Premier League is one of the richest and most famous sporting leagues in the world. Its value is largely attributed to the passionate fans who support it.
Fans play a vital role in shaping a team, league, or player into superstars, and this is certainly the case with IPL. The league’s entertaining brand of cricket, and the presence of cricketing superstars from around the world, helped it amass a massive fan base.
All the franchises in the league have massive fan bases from around the world, which is largely dependent upon the team’s performance, player roster, and core beliefs of the team. Factors including successful and consistent team performance and the presence of star players can attract and retain fans.
Today, in this article, we will explore the most fan-following teams in the IPL and try to put some sense into what it is all about and why they command such a fan base.
So, without further ado, let’s get started.
There is a lot to consider when it comes to determining which team has the strongest fan base. Factors such as social media following, social media engagement, ground attendance, merchandising, and star power need to be taken into account.
So, sit back and relax. We’ll do the work for you.
Have a look at the top IPL teams with the most fan following post IPL auction 2025.
Just like their name suggests, Chennai Super Kings truly are the kings of the IPL, and all thanks to a man named MS Dhoni.
One of the biggest reasons for their high ranking in this list is their consistency. Since the inception of the IPL, their performance has never dipped, except for a year or two.
Under the able leadership of MS “Thala” Dhoni, Chennai has conquered five IPL trophies. There is no comparison to what Dhoni means to Chennai fans.
His mere presence fills up entire stadiums, even during practice sessions. That is the kind of stardom he enjoys down there. Apart from Dhoni, there are other stars on the team as well, including Ravindra Jadeja, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and more.
Chennai Super Kings Social Media Accounts
Also Read: List of Most Dangerous Bowlers in IPL History – Top 10
Second on the list is Mumbai Indians, a franchise owned by the richest man in India, Mukesh Ambani.
However, their massive fan base is not solely because of Ambani’s ownership. They owe much of their popularity to their star player, Rohit “Hitman” Sharma, who is somewhat of an icon for their fans and is looked up to by many.
He is also one of the best captains in the IPL. You can tell that by looking at the trophy cabinet of Mumbai. They have five IPL trophies.
Mumbai Indians fans turn up in large numbers wherever the team plays, whether it’s their home ground or away.
Mumbai also has the added advantage of having the biggest cricket icon from India, Sachin Tendulkar, associated with the team. Tendulkar played for Mumbai for many years and is now involved with the team as a support staff member.
Mumbai Indians Social Media Accounts
Royal Challengers Bangalore comes in at number three on the list with a massive fan following, despite not having won the IPL yet. This is largely due to the association of Virat “King” Kohli with the team since its inception.
Apart from Kohli, RCB has also had some of the most destructive batsmen in the world, including AB De Villiers (Mr. 360) and Chris Gayle (Universe Boss).
Although both of these batsmen have retired from all forms of the game recently, they are still a big part of the RCB fabric. Kohli, along with other star players like rajat patidar, Devdutt Padikkal, and Josh Hazlewood, is taking the team forward.
RCB supporters, also known as the Red Army and who they call themselves fondly, travel along with the team wherever they are playing to support their beloved team.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Social Media Accounts
Coming in at number four on the list is Kolkata Knight Riders, a team with a strong fan base thanks to its owners, Shah Rukh Khan (King Khan) and Juhi Chawla (Bollywood Actress).
Although they do not possess a single star player like the other three teams discussed above, KKR’s regular performances over the years have contributed to their fan base. They have won three trophies till date, in 2012, 2014, and 2024, with Gautam Gambhir as captain in the first two and Shreyas Iyer for the third title win.
With the celebrity status of their owners and other accompanying factors, KKR has a huge following that continues to rally behind the team in times of triumph and adversity.
Kolkata Knight Riders Social Media Accounts
Sunrisers Hyderabad was founded in 2012 and won its first title in 2016, which helped its brand presence in Andhra. David Warner was one of the key factors behind Hyderabad’s success, playing some spectacular seasons for the team and leading them to victory in the 2016 IPL.
Sunrisers Hyderabad fans, known as the Orange Army, are known for their loyalty and passion for the team and continue to support them wholeheartedly. The team’s success has also led to support from fans around the world.
Even though they do not possess the same caliber of star power as some of the other franchises, Sunrisers Hyderabad has been able to create a robust fan base based on their solid performances on the field and the steadfast support of their fans.
Sunrisers Hyderabad Social Media Accounts
| Team | YouTube | ||
| CSK | 10.8M | 17.1M | 4.01M |
| MI | 8.3M | 15.6M | 6.5M |
| RCB | 7.3M | 16.5M | 4.61M |
| KKR | 5.3M | 6.8M | 2.29M |
| SRH | 3.3M | 4.6M | 1.23M |
| DC | 2.6M | 4.1M | 1.61M |
| RR | 2.9M | 4.6M | 1.27M |
| PBKS | 3M | 3.4M | 565K |
| GT | 612K | 4.3M | 822K |
| LSG | 810K | 3.3M | 313K |
[Updated till March 2025]
Note: This table contains the top 10 fan-following IPL teams as of the time of writing. These may change in the future, and we may or may not update them. If we do update them, we will make sure to mention it.
Star power plays quite a significant role in determining the fan base a team boasts. And that is why, the top three teams, who have the best following in the IPL, have an Indian star player that enjoys success in the game.
Team’s performances also play an important role in building a sense of community and trust with its fans. This feeling of a community and trust can translate into unwavering support from the fans.
To conclude, the Indian Premier League is a cricketing sensation with a massive fan following around the world. And the popularity it enjoys is largely attributed to the loyal, honest, and passionate fans that support every aspect of it.
So, this is it, then; we’ve offered a list of IPL franchises based on the massive fan bases they enjoy. However, it is difficult to always say which team has the most fans in the IPL. But the certainty is that the top three teams on the list (Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, and Royal Challengers Bangalore) have consistently had the largest and most passionate fan bases in IPL history.
In the future, the league and its respective franchises will continue to strive to attract more fans and give them an exciting, entertaining, and thrilling brand of cricket to keep them engaged.
So, what do you think about this, do tell us in the comments.
Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed this.
Ans: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) has been the most popular franchise on various social media platforms for many years now.
Ans: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) is the most followed team on Instagram and boasts a massive 17.1M following.
Ans: RCB is ranked among the top five most popular sports teams in the world on Instagram in terms of engagement.
