Which Non-Bayern Munich Clubs Are You a Fan of, If Any — and Why?

Munich — Ask a Bayern Munich supporter to name their favorite club and the answer is automatic. Yet inside the same chest that beats Mia San Mia, there is often room for a second pulse. From the raucous terraces of Hamburg’s Millerntor to the misty banks of the Clyde, Bayern’s global fan base quietly cultivates side-affinities that have nothing to do with silverware and everything to do with stories, values, geography or family lore.

Inside Germany, the most cited soft spot is FC St. Pauli. The Kiez club’s anti-establishment ethos, left-leaning supporter scene and carnival-like match-day experience stand in deliberate contrast to Bayern’s corporate sheen. For many Munich loyalists, a weekend spent following St. Pauli is a deliberate detour into football’s romantic undergrowth, a place where league position matters less than the message on a well-worn flag.

Cross the Dutch border and Ajax Amsterdam emerges as another frequent answer. Supporters point to shared principles: a faith in youth academies, an obligation to play proactive football, and a European pedigree forged in the 1970s. The kinship is strong enough that some Bayern fans admit to cheering Ajax through group stages they would rather Bayern avoid.

Further west, Liverpool FC exerts a gravitational pull rooted in atmosphere rather than ideology. The goose-bump anthem of You’ll Never Walk Alone, the club’s emotional connection to its city, and the drama of European nights at Anfield resonate with supporters who know what it feels like to expect victory yet still crave the journey.

Athletic Club Bilbao’s policy of fielding predominantly Basque-born players earns admiration for its cultural stubbornness, while Celtic’s 60,000-strong choir at Parkhead offers a raw, unfiltered hit of football passion that even the Allianz Arena can seldom replicate. In Italy, AS Roma’s roller-coaster existence—equal parts heartbreak and euphoria—mirrors the emotional extremes that Bayern fans experience only in Champions League knock-outs.

For those who crave decibel levels that register on the Richter scale, Galatasaray’s Turk Telekom Arena provides the fix. The Istanbul side’s relentless home support is cited by Bayern followers as the closest thing to a European away-day survival course.

Stateside, proximity dictates preference. Bayern fans living in or visiting the United States frequently track LAFC or a local MLS franchise, trading global superstars for community tailgates and downtown stadium districts. The attachment is less about trophies and more about access: Saturday evening in Los Angeles can still end with a Sunday afternoon in Munich.

Then come the intimate choices impossible to legislate against: the village club a father once played for, the team selected in a vintage FIFA career mode, or the side linked to a grand-parent’s hometown. These loyalties do not compete with Bayern; they enlarge the map across which a fan travels.

The common thread is perspective. Bayern Munich will always occupy the summit, but the view is richer when you have hiked a few smaller hills along the way. In a sport that never sleeps, a second shirt keeps the heart awake during international breaks, cup weekends when Bayern rest, or European nights contested on the other side of the draw.

So the question stands, stripped of judgment: beyond the red of Bavaria, which colors quietly capture a corner of your football soul—and what is the story stitched into the fabric?

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