The UK general election is upon us, and although football and politics generally don’t mix, it’s intriguing to see which side the next prime minister of the nation may support.

As England and Gareth Southgate embark on Germany in the hopes of trying to bring football home for the country – the UK may have changed drastically in regards to a political stance on their return.

Thursday the 4th of July 2024. A day when UK citizens head to polling stations all across the nation, only to wait with bated breath as to who may be the next ruler of the nation.

But beyond the endless debates and campaign trails, there’s a lighter side to the political arena – the football teams that the leading candidates support.

From Rishi Sunak to Nigel Farage – here at the club sides that every main party leader supports ahead of the general election 2024.

• Name: Rishi Sunak
• Party: Conservative
• Football Club: Southampton

Current prime minister Sunak is a Saint! Despite being a true blue in the political sense, the colours the 44-year-old dons are the white and red of Southampton. It’s said that Sunak’s favourite player of all time is the legendary Matt Le Tissier.

At a hustings event taking place in Exeter in 2022, Sunak was asked what line of work he would have been interested in if he hadn’t entered the world of politics, and it turns out he’d try his hat as owner at St Mary’s.

Sunak stated: ‘‘I’m a massive football fan, I’m from Southampton and if I would get to be able to run Southampton [I would do that].”

• Name: Keir Starmer
• Party: Labour
• Football Club: Arsenal

Labour and Sunak’s biggest competition is the Conservative Party’s Keir Starmer, who is an avid supporter of Arsenal.

Starmer was a Gunner from birth, and he now has a season ticket at the Emirates Stadium, where he can often be seen on matchday with his family supporting Mikel Arteta and his squad.

The 61-year-old was also a keen player himself in his youth, having played for amateur side Homerton Academicals of North London.

• Name: Nigel Farage
• Party: Reform
• Football Club: Crystal Palace

A man who takes pride in being the disruptor in British politics, Nigel Farage in a football sense supports Premier League side, Crystal Palace.

Farage may be one of the happiest political candidates in regard to how his side have performed in recent times, Oliver Glasner has transformed the Eagles.

However, the 60-year-old has been a loyal supporter for some time, as he revealed to Le Tissier on Gettr in 2022.

“My earliest memories of football are being taken, I suppose 1969 or 1970, to watch Crystal Palace play.

“Malcolm Allison, with the big fedoras, who’d come from Man City, was the manager. Don Rogers, the star player for Swindon, had come to Palace as centre forward, and my grandfather and grandmother used to go and watch Palace.”

He continued: “My father and uncles used to go and watch Palace, my son is a season ticket holder at Palace, I follow Palace closely every week. Football is not my No.1 sport, but I follow it.

“I probably actually, in terms of listening to football, reading about football, I probably spend a few hours a week of football. So, football is part of my life, but cricket is a little bit bigger.”

• Name: Edward Davey
• Party: Liberal Democrats
• Football Club: Liverpool

Edward Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats supports Liverpool.

He confirmed this via a Tweet in 2020, which had him stating he was ‘proud’ to be a Kopite after Jurgen Klopp and his Liverpool squad took the knee for the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement following George Floyd’s death.

He’ll be hoping for some of the recent successes Liverpool have had in recent years when the votes are counted on Thursday evening.

• Name: John Swinner
• Party: SNP
• Football Club: Unknown/Scottish National Team

It is unknown as to what football team John Swinney supports – although he is a keen follower of the national side, even spotted in Germany at Euro 2024.

Swinney became the SNP’s third leader in just over a year in May, so will be used to the frequent changes that go on in the managerial role for the Scottish national side.

What about the Green party?

Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay are co-leaders of the Green party – but it is unknown as to what club the duo support.

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