After the professionalization of football by the Football Association in 1885, William McGregor, the director of Aston Villa, organized meetings that led to the creation of the Football League in 1888. Preston North End made history by becoming the first team to win the league title at the end of the 1888-1889 season, remaining undefeated throughout their campaign.
Every club that has ever won a top-flight title is still active today, competing across the top four divisions of the English Football League. Sheffield Wednesday, which won the title four times, is unique for changing its name after a title win. The club, known as The Wednesday, altered its name in 1929.
Manchester United holds the record for the most top-division titles, with 20, including Premier League and English First Division titles. Their rivals, Liverpool, rank second with 19 titles. Under the leadership of Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United enjoyed dominance in the 1990s and 2000s, securing 11 league titles between 1993 and 2009, while Liverpool were the kings of English football in the 1970s and 1980s, winning 11 league titles between 1973 and 1990.
Arsenal ranks third with 13 league titles, having been a dominant force during the 1930s with five Premier League wins between 1931 and 1938. Manchester City, with four league titles, follows closely behind.
In the 2023-24 season, Manchester City made history by securing a fourth consecutive Premier League title with a win over West Ham United, becoming the first team to achieve this remarkable feat.
List of all English League winners (1888-1992)
| Season | Winner | Title Number |
|---|---|---|
| 1888-89 | Preston North End | 1 |
| 1889-90 | Preston North End | 2 |
| 1890-91 | Everton | 1 |
| 1891-92 | Sunderland | 1 |
| 1892-93 | Sunderland | 2 |
| 1893-94 | Aston Villa | 1 |
| 1894-95 | Sunderland | 3 |
| 1895-96 | Aston Villa | 2 |
| 1896-97 | Aston Villa | 3 |
| 1897-98 | Sheffield United | 1 |
| 1898-99 | Aston Villa | 4 |
| 1899-1900 | Aston Villa | 5 |
| 1900-01 | Liverpool | 1 |
| 1901-02 | Sunderland | 4 |
| 1902-03 | The Wednesday | 1 |
| 1903-04 | The Wednesday | 2 |
| 1904-05 | Newcastle United | 1 |
| 1905-06 | Liverpool | 2 |
| 1906-07 | Newcastle United | 2 |
| 1907-08 | Manchester United | 1 |
| 1908-09 | Newcastle United | 3 |
| 1909-10 | Aston Villa | 6 |
| 1910-11 | Manchester United | 2 |
| 1911-12 | Blackburn Rovers | 1 |
| 1912-13 | Sunderland | 5 |
| 1913-14 | Blackburn Rovers | 2 |
| 1914-15 | Everton | 2 |
| 1915-16 to 1918-19 | League suspended due to the First World War | – |
| 1919-20 | West Bromwich Albion | 1 |
| 1920-21 | Burnley | 1 |
| 1921-22 | Liverpool | 3 |
| 1922-23 | Liverpool | 4 |
| 1923-24 | Huddersfield Town | 1 |
| 1924-25 | Huddersfield Town | 2 |
| 1925-26 | Huddersfield Town | 3 |
| 1926-27 | Newcastle United | 4 |
| 1927-28 | Everton | 3 |
| 1928-29 | The Wednesday | 3 |
| 1929-30 | Sheffield Wednesday | 4 |
| 1930-31 | Arsenal | 1 |
| 1931-32 | Everton | 4 |
| 1932-33 | Arsenal | 2 |
| 1933-34 | Arsenal | 3 |
| 1934-35 | Arsenal | 4 |
| 1935-36 | Sunderland | 6 |
| 1936-37 | Manchester City | 1 |
| 1937-38 | Arsenal | 5 |
| 1938-39 | Everton | 5 |
| 1939-40 to 1945-46 | League suspended due to the Second World War | – |
| 1946-47 | Liverpool | 5 |
| 1947-48 | Arsenal | 6 |
| 1948-49 | Portsmouth | 1 |
| 1949-50 | Portsmouth | 2 |
| 1950-51 | Tottenham Hotspur | 1 |
| 1951-52 | Manchester United | 3 |
| 1952-53 | Arsenal | 7 |
| 1953-54 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1 |
| 1954-55 | Chelsea | 1 |
| 1955-56 | Manchester United | 4 |
| 1956-57 | Manchester United | 5 |
| 1957-58 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2 |
| 1958-59 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 3 |
| 1959-60 | Burnley | 2 |
| 1960-61 | Tottenham Hotspur | 2 |
| 1961-62 | Ipswich Town | 1 |
| 1962-63 | Everton | 6 |
| 1963-64 | Liverpool | 6 |
| 1964-65 | Manchester United | 6 |
| 1965-66 | Liverpool | 7 |
| 1966-67 | Manchester United | 7 |
| 1967-68 | Manchester City | 2 |
| 1968-69 | Leeds United | 1 |
| 1969-70 | Everton | 7 |
| 1970-71 | Arsenal | 8 |
| 1971-72 | Derby County | 1 |
| 1972-73 | Liverpool | 8 |
| 1973-74 | Leeds United | 2 |
| 1974-75 | Derby County | 2 |
| 1975-76 | Liverpool | 9 |
| 1976-77 | Liverpool | 10 |
| 1977-78 | Nottingham Forest | 1 |
| 1978-79 | Liverpool | 11 |
| 1979-80 | Liverpool | 12 |
| 1980-81 | Aston Villa | 7 |
| 1981-82 | Liverpool | 13 |
| 1982-83 | Liverpool | 14 |
| 1983-84 | Liverpool | 15 |
| 1984-85 | Everton | 8 |
| 1985-86 | Liverpool | 16 |
| 1986-87 | Everton | 9 |
| 1987-88 | Liverpool | 17 |
| 1988-89 | Arsenal | 9 |
| 1989-90 | Liverpool | 18 |
| 1990-91 | Arsenal | 10 |
| 1991-92 | Leeds United | 3 |
Premier League (1992–present)
| Season | Winner | Title Number |
|---|---|---|
| 1992–93 | Manchester United | 8 |
| 1993–94 | Manchester United | 9 |
| 1994–95 | Blackburn Rovers | 3 |
| 1995–96 | Manchester United | 10 |
| 1996–97 | Manchester United | 11 |
| 1997–98 | Arsenal | 11 |
| 1998–99 | Manchester United | 12 |
| 1999–2000 | Manchester United | 13 |
| 2000–01 | Manchester United | 14 |
| 2001–02 | Arsenal | 12 |
| 2002–03 | Manchester United | 15 |
| 2003–04 | Arsenal | 13 |
| 2004–05 | Chelsea | 2 |
| 2005–06 | Chelsea | 3 |
| 2006–07 | Manchester United | 16 |
| 2007–08 | Manchester United | 17 |
| 2008–09 | Manchester United | 18 |
| 2009–10 | Chelsea | 4 |
| 2010–11 | Manchester United | 19 |
| 2011–12 | Manchester City | 3 |
| 2012–13 | Manchester United | 20 |
| 2013–14 | Manchester City | 4 |
| 2014–15 | Chelsea | 5 |
| 2015–16 | Leicester City | 1 |
| 2016–17 | Chelsea | 6 |
| 2017–18 | Manchester City | 5 |
| 2018–19 | Manchester City | 6 |
| 2019–20 | Liverpool | 19 |
| 2020–21 | Manchester City | 7 |
| 2021–22 | Manchester City | 8 |
| 2022–23 | Manchester City | 9 |
| 2023–24 | Manchester City | 10 |
| 2024–25 | Liverpool | 20 |
