KSI, Ian Wright, John Terry, Chloe Kelly and Dave are just some of the celebrity names who are set to become managers in the newly launched Baller League UK, but what is the league and how will it affect football in the UK?
The Baller League was established in Germany by entrepreneur Felix Starck, who was aided by former German internationals Mats Hummels and Lukas Podolski. The Baller League follows in the footsteps of the Kings League, a seven-a-side football league formed in 2022, which was headed by former Spain international Gerard Pique.
The Baller League is a six-a-side, 11-week league which aims to pander football towards a younger audience, with games being only half an hour each and are streamed live not only on Sky, but also YouTube and gaming live streaming site, Twitch.
Shorter matches, more goals and a massive online presence are all at the forefront of the league.
The massive online presence of the league comes in the form of each of the 12 teams managers, as listed below:
26ers – managed by former Chelsea Captain John Terry
Deportrio – managed by pundits and ex-players Alan Shearer, Micah Richards and Gary Lineker
FC Rules the World – managed by streetwear and fashion designer Clint 419
M7 FC – managed by YouTuber and Sidemen Miniminter
MVPs United – managed by Juventus winger Alisha Lehmann and presenter Maya Jama
N5 FC – managed by Arsenal invincibles Jens Lehmann, Robert Pires and Freddie Ljungberg
Santan FC – managed by rapper Dave
SDS FC – managed by YouTuber and Beta Squad member Sharky
Trebol FC – managed by Ballon d’Or winner Luis Figo
VZN FC – managed by Youtuber and Sidemen member Tobi Brown
Wembley Rangers – managed by Arsenal legend Ian Wright and on-loan Arsenal winger Chloe Kelly
Yanited – managed by YouTuber and Twitch streamer Angry Ginge
There is a clear method to these choices made in the management of the twelve teams, as seen in the list above. More traditional football fans will recognise the likes of John Terry, Alan Shearer and Luis Figo (amongst others) as stalwarts of football generations gone by. Alisha Lehmann and Chloe Kelly will stand out to audiences as the only active footballers in the league, heading Wembley Rangers and MVPs United respectively.
Younger audiences will be drawn to those in the content creation space, such as Angry Ginge, Miniminter and Tobi Brown. While adolescent audiences will recognise the likes of Maya Jama, Dave and Clint 419 who are each prevalent in the presenting, rap and fashion spaces.
The league aims to give grassroots and non-league players a space to shine, with some players being recognisable to football fans who hadn’t heard of the league until now. Jordan Ibe is perhaps the most notable: the former Liverpool and Bournemouth winger joins Michael Hector (formerly of Chelsea and Fulham), as well as Josh Harrop, who scored for Manchester United in 2017.
This doesn’t come without some controversy. The aforementioned Michael Hector signed for National League outfit Dagenham and Redbridge on 8 March. Two days later he had also joined Angry Ginge’s side – Yanited – in the Baller League. Questions surely will be asked around injury, commitment and motivations as players battle to keep up with the busy non-league schedule, as well as playing for 11 consecutive weeks in the Baller League.
The Baller League will be of great interest to the footballing world as it battles against the grain of what is the world's most popular form of entertainment. Football is inherently a simple game and the beauty of it comes in the form of the emotional attachment its fans hold to the stories which unfold and are then told from generation to generation, the game is tapestry in this sense. Felix Starck faces an uphill battle to win over purists, but one thing is certain, the world will at least share a glance at the Baller League.
Baller League begins on 24 March at Copper Box Arena in London.
