Abstract
<jats:p>Football, considered the king of sport, has around 3.5 billion fans worldwide and 250 million players in 200 countries around the world. The global football market size was valued at USD 4.04 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow to USD 5.65 billion by 2031. In the sport’s history, Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo holds the record for the most goals scored, with 879, followed by Argentinian star Lionel Messi with 832. The paper presents the main football events that attract millions of tourists: FIFA World Cup, UEFA European Championship, UEFA Champions League, and the five major European leagues. It also explores the best stadiums in the world, which attract millions of tourists. Finally, the paper provides recommendations for the development of football and football tourism in Armenia.</jats:p>