A new analysis has found that creators such as Chunkz, Niko Omilana and Angry Ginge are playing a major role in shaping how younger fans engage with football and World Cup culture.
The first-ever UA92 Influence Index has produced a starting XI of the most impactful football voices aged 30 and under.
The Index reflects a wider change in football media, where match reaction, tactical debate, fan culture and behind-the-scenes entertainment is diversifying across platforms rather than solely through traditional media.
Ahead of the 2026 World Cup, academics at UA92 developed the Index to track the growing influence of young football content creators and personalities.
Those selected for the Index’s Starting XI command a combined social audience of 63.5 million followers, almost the size of the UK population.
The Index also measures audience reach, engagement, video views and cultural impact, or what researchers call ‘Heat’.
‘Heat’ accounted for 30 per cent of the final score and measured how much fans talk about, share and emotionally connect with a personality.
Spencer Fearn, once the youngest owner of a British football club and now a lecturer and course leader at UA92, said the selected personalities have built audiences that would have been unthinkable in football media a decade ago. He added that modern fans increasingly consume football through creators, streamers and social platforms before, during and after matches.
He also noted that understanding audience behaviour now plays a major role across football clubs, supporting roles from marketing and data science through to coaching, production and broadcasting.
The findings come as UA92 launches its new Football Broadcast and Journalism degree, designed to equip students with the skills needed to succeed in modern football media, following the launch of its Business of Football degree last year.
Developed by industry professionals with experience at BBC Sport, ITV, Channel 4 and CNN, the course combines practical training with real-world insight, alongside placement opportunities with partners including Salford City FC, Manchester United and Lancashire Cricket Club.
The research highlights how football media is evolving rapidly, which the UA92 Influence Index aims to reflect.
Chunkz leads the rankings after building a 14.2 million audience through football content, interviews and viral entertainment.
Niko Omilana follows closely with a large audience built through football-related content and viral stunts.
Angry Ginge places third after a rapid rise driven by creator matches and mainstream appearances.
Despite not having the largest following, his cultural impact score is among the highest due to strong audience engagement.
Thogden ranks fourth thanks to stadium-based fan coverage and high engagement levels.
W2S and Behzinga, both part of The Sidemen, also feature due to their viral football content and charity matches.
ChrisMD appears for his football challenges and collaborations with professional players.
The study also highlights the growing visibility of women’s football, with England internationals Leah Williamson and Alessia Russo included in the list.
- Cultural Impact (“Heat”) – 30%
- Followers / Reach – 20%
- Engagement Rate – 15%
- Video Views – 15%
- Average Interactions – 10%
- Likes – 5%
- Comments – 5%
Chunkz. 14,238,614 4.13
Niko Omilana 12,586,000 4.02
Angry Ginge. 7,302,501 3.71
Thogden 3,887,292 3.37
ChrisMD 9,216,395 3.21
Harry Lewis (W2S) 3,900,000 3.20
Ethan Payne (Behzinga) 3,137,000 2.97
Danny Aarons 3,968,000 2.63
Leah Williamson 1,260,672 2.17
Sharky 2,880,000 1.92
Alessia Russo 1,129,521 1.87
