Whenever we attend Arsenal games at the Emirates, there are those of us who moan about the road traffic or unreliable train services, yet at least we are able to get there and support our favourite club in person. Spare a thought for those facing much longer journeys, travelling from other parts of the United Kingdom or even further afield, from other nations.
Considering it as a kind of football pilgrimage, some ardent fans of the Gunners will travel from distant corners of the globe, achieving what might be their once in a lifetime trip to see their favourite team. Just imagine what the experience must be like for them, taking in the wonderful stadium for the first time, listening to the roar of the crowd.
In the modern game, Arsenal has become a truly high ranking brand, while our fans from around the world are also amongst the most vocal, when commenting about news and results on social networks. And one of the biggest audiences for the Gunners is actually in Asia, where numerous official fan clubs have been established in various countries, including one that is typically more associated with cricket rather than football.
Following the Gunners in Mumbai
One thing that cannot be questioned is the passion for sports in India. These are people who are fiercely proud of their sporting culture, particularly when it comes to cricket, although times and trends are quickly changing. Football has risen to become the number two sport for many millions of Indian fans, and in the coming decades, could even overtake cricket in terms of TV audiences and overall popularity.
This has led to an ever growing demand for live broadcasts from the biggest competitions, and there is no domestic league bigger than the English Premier League, with millions of Indian fans tuning in to watch live games. Support for English clubs has also enjoyed a notable rise and in one city, the club of choice for many fans is Arsenal, despite the team playing thousands of miles away.
Thank you Gooners for an amazing screening once again! It’s a pleasure to have you all in the Family!
We Are The @Arsenal, Arsenal Mumbai! ♥️#AFC #Arsenal #ArsenalMumbai #AMSC #GoonerFamily #WeAreTheArsenal #GlobalGooners #COYG #UTA #NorthLondonForever #Mumbai #ARSLIV pic.twitter.com/ZpolGptqtz
— Arsenal Mumbai SC 🇮🇳 (@Arsenal_Mumbai) October 10, 2022
The Arsenal Mumbai Supporters Club (AMSC) started their journey back in May 2006, fuelled initially by a small but infectiously enthusiastic group of Gunners, although their efforts quickly began to gather pace and more widespread interest. Before too long, tens of people became hundreds and inevitably, they began to hold regular meetings and events. Some of those football meets have attracted almost a thousand people.
Screening live Arsenal games has become a key focus for the AMSC, gathering large numbers to watch the team in action, even attracting interest from the international media. Eventually receiving welcome recognition from the club itself, Arsenal granted affiliation as the Official Supporters Club of Arsenal in Mumbai. Furthermore, this group has gained many followers on social networks, eager to share their support for the Gunners to a much wider audience.
How do Indian fans back their favourite teams?
Within this boom for English football throughout the Asian continent, the biggest growth is inevitably within the populous nation of India, which is undoubtedly due to the significant historical and cultural ties between the two countries. Keen to seek an even greater level of direct participation, millions of supporters actively look to find the best football betting sites in India, eager to back their favourite Premier League sides.
This is why Asiabet consistently updates their list of bookies available to the Indian market, carefully reviewing and rating the leading sites, only recommending those who earn the strongest reputations for trust and safety. Likewise, there is an important emphasis on informing and educating bettors, highlighting the broad range of football betting markets available, along with covering where competitive odds and promotions can be located.
As one of the biggest growth areas for sports betting in the world, football is leading the way and especially so throughout India, where fans are increasingly becoming more passionate about the beautiful game. Online bookmakers are increasingly focusing their marketing efforts on the country, although this underlines why punters must also consider wagering responsibly, which starts by choosing where to bet with more care and attention.