Club soccer is that girl: The clout and star power of the NBA, the cultural chokehold of the NFL, the fashion and luxury of F1 and the local rootedness and passionate rivalries of college football (before conference realignment and NIL, that is).If you loved the World Cup, I can promise that club soccer writ large, and England’s Premier League specifically, can help fill the hole in your heart. But, admittedly, it’s a tough nut to crack. The league has a deep, complicated, messy history, and local fandoms are rich with lore and passion. What to make of it all? How do you find a club (team) that gives you skin in the game? We’re here to help you do just that. Here, we’re outlining each Premier League team for the 2026-27 season and helping you pick a club based on a (BRIEF) history, vibes, facts, wild generalizations and American-sports comparisons.
For each, we’ll include actual reported input from our club reporters about one of the most surprising or delightful facts about the club.
We also would love to make a discussion of this: Which U.S. team comparisons do you like for your Premier League club? (Put your answers in the comments)
Before we start … The first rule of joining Premier League fandom is: You’re entering a sacred space. Just as you wouldn’t walk into someone’s kitchen and start mucking about with their grandma’s china, when picking a club to support, it’s best to lead with curiosity, deference and a willingness to learn.With that important caveat, let’s dig into the 20 Premier League teams!AFC BournemouthA team with the smallest stadium in the Premier League that is absolutely outkicking its coverage. Bournemouth is a true underdog experiencing its greatest era in club history. Vibes all around. Also, it’s a nice beachside town to visit and has USMNT player Tyler Adams! Q: What is one surprising thing about the squad that newcomers wouldn’t know? Jacob Tanswell: New central defender signing Antonio Silva is a hugely intriguing arrival to the Premier League. A hulking center-back at 6-foot-2, Silva has long been linked with a move elsewhere in Europe, but after a decade in Portugal, Silva chose the Prem, successfully overcoming the homesickness he suffered when he first joined the academy. He later flourished and is likely to do the same on the south coast.USMNT star Adams plays for Bournemouth (Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)
