Football creators including Chunkz, Niko Omilana and Angry Ginge are emerging as key figures in how younger audiences consume and interact with the sport, according to new research.
The UA92 Influence Index has compiled a first-of-its-kind starting XI ranking the most influential football personalities under 30.
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, lecturer and course leader at UA92 and former youngest owner of a British football club, said the results show how dramatically football media consumption has changed, with creators now sitting alongside traditional broadcasters in shaping opinion.
He added that interpreting audience behaviour has become a major industry skill, influencing careers across clubs in marketing, analytics, production and coaching.
The findings come as UA92 launches its Football Broadcast and Journalism degree, following the success of its Business of Football programme.
The course is built with professionals from BBC Sport, ITV, Channel 4 and CNN, combining classroom learning with placements at clubs and organisations including Salford City FC, Manchester United and Lancashire Cricket Club.
The research highlights how modern football media is evolving, which the UA92 Index seeks to measure.
Chunkz ranks first with a 14.2 million audience built through football and entertainment content.
Niko Omilana follows in second place with viral football-related videos and mainstream entertainment reach.
Angry Ginge is third after a rapid rise driven by viral clips, creator matches and television exposure.
His strong cultural impact score reflects high engagement beyond simple follower counts.
Thogden places fourth thanks to consistent stadium coverage and strong audience interaction.
W2S and Behzinga, part of The Sidemen, feature due to their football content and large-scale charity matches.
ChrisMD is included for football skills content and collaborations with professional players.
England stars Leah Williamson and Alessia Russo also appear, reflecting the rise of women’s football influence
For more information on the Football Broadcast and Journalism BA (Hons) Degree, visit: https://ua92.ac.uk/study-with-us/undergraduate/courses/football-broadcast-journalism-ba-hons/
Starting XI in The UA92 World Cup Influence Index
The ranking combined seven weighted metrics:
- Cultural Impact (“Heat”) – 30%
- Followers / Reach – 20%
- Engagement Rate – 15%
- Video Views – 15%
- Average Interactions – 10%
- Likes – 5%
- Comments – 5%
The UA92 World Cup Influence Index:
Name Total followers UA92’s influence score/ Five
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
