For the longest time, football teams had a big advantage at home. Familiar scenery, no traveling and of course the big crowds in the back drastically favored the home teams. However, recently the Premier League sees more and more away wins and the home advantage is declining. In this article we will explore two compelling visuals, break down the long-term trends and consider the factors behind the decline in home wins, especially in the Premier League.
The Early Dominance of Home Teams
In the first decades of English league football, home teams won over 60 percent of matches. In that era the rigours of travel were intense. Away sides endured long rail journeys with little rest time and few tactical resources. Stadiums varied dramatically in pitch conditions and pitch dimensions so playing on unfamiliar turf was a significant handicap back in the day. As a result, home wins hovered around 60 to 65 percent, while home losses rarely exceeded 25 percent.
By the middle of the 20th century the first cracks began to appear in home dominance. Home win percentages dropped below 60 percent and draws became more common. From the seventies onward home win rates gradually sank to around 50 percent. By the twenty-first century home teams were winning less than 45 percent of their matches in the English Football League as a whole.
League by League Insights on Home Wins
When we focus specifically on home win percentages in each English football league a similar story unfolds. In what is now the Premier League home sides won close to 65 percent of matches in its early years. Championship and League One clubs experienced comparable advantages. Even in League Two home wins were above 60 percent in the late thirties and again in the postwar years.
What stands out is the convergence of home win rates across all four divisions. By the 2020s Premier League sides win under 45 percent at home. Championship and League One clubs are in a similar range. Rather than enjoying a commanding home edge, teams in every division now operate in a more balanced environment.
Pitch Sizes in the Premier League
As mentioned above, the pitch sizes massively varied in the early days of football. Uneven, muddy pitches with holes and rocks were the standard. In 1863, the FA stated, that football pitches were 50–100 yards (46–91 m) wide x 100–200 yards (91–183 m) long, so there was a lot of room for some crazy pitch sizes. However, even nowadays pitch sizes vary in dimensions. The City Ground of Nottingham Forest is the biggest pitch in the Premier League with an area of 7,455m², while Fulham’s Craven Cottage is only 6,500m² in size. Also Anfield Road and Stamford Bridge are under average in pitch size compared to other Premier League clubs.
| Team | Strength |
|---|---|
 Paris S-GPSGPSG | 89.3 |
 BarcelonaBarcelonaBarcelona | 89.0 |
 ArsenalArsenalArsenal | 88.5 |
 LiverpoolLiverpoolLiverpool | 87.6 |
 Bayern MunichBayern MünchenBayern München | 86.9 |
 Manchester CityManchester CityManchester City | 86.3 |
 Real MadridReal MadridReal Madrid | 84.4 |
 Atletico MadridAtlético MadridAtlético Madrid | 84.2 |
 InterInterInter | 83.7 |
 Newcastle UtdNewcastle UnitedNewcastle United | 83.2 |
The Covid Outbreak and the 2020/21 Season
The 2020/21 season represents an extreme low point for home advantage. With supporters banned from stadiums due to pandemic restrictions, home teams lost the support that comes from a chanting crowd. In that campaign home win percentages in the Premier League fell below 40 percent for the first time on record, to a staggering 37.89%. Also, the home loss percentage rose to 35.07% in the English football leagues, which is by far the highest value in the history. Analysts attribute this collapse purely to the sterile atmosphere behind closed doors.
Factors Behind the Decrease of Home Advantage
Several developments have undermined the traditional home advantage. Modern transportation has reduced travel fatigue to a small inconvenience. Clubs hire flights and use sports science to optimize recovery, meaning away teams arrive in peak condition. Improved scouting networks provide detailed reports on opposition playing styles and set pieces giving visitors the tools to adapt quickly to any venue.
Technological advances in officiating have also played a part. Video assistant referees and goal-line technology eliminate many of the subjective decisions that once favoured home teams. Referees receive more training and professional support reducing unconscious bias.
Pitch standardization is another key element. Many lower league grounds now use under-pitch heating or hybrid turf to ensure consistent playing surfaces across all stadiums. This removes the unique quirks that previously helped smaller clubs frustrate visiting sides.
What began as a refuge for home sides has become neutral ground for many teams. By examining over 135 years of data we see that home advantage is no longer a certainty but one of many factors influencing match outcomes. As the Premier League evolves, we can expect this trend to continue and maybe soon, we don’t have the advantage at all anymore.
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