NFL vs NHL:Which is searched more?
In September 2026, NFL had more branded searches than NHL among sports leagues worldwide. NFL had about 101 million branded searches, while NHL had 5 million. NFL made up 40.2% of all sports league searches we track, and NHL accounted for 2%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
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Is NFL or NHL more popular in search?
Compare the sports leagues people choose between. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of searches by month for NFL, NHL. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | NFL | Premier League | MLB | AFL | NBA | NHL | MLS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 28.4% | 19.1% | 28.4% | 0.34% | 19.1% | 4.7% | 0.1% |
| Nov 2025 | 36.2% | 24.3% | 4.8% | 0.2% | 29.5% | 4.8% | 0.09% |
| Dec 2025 | 33.5% | 33.5% | 1.1% | 0.12% | 27.3% | 4.5% | 0.03% |
| Jan 2026 | 40% | 26.8% | 0.89% | 0.12% | 26.8% | 5.4% | 0.01% |
| Feb 2026 | 7.8% | 47.3% | 1.9% | 0.47% | 38.9% | 3.5% | 0.04% |
| Mar 2026 | 3.2% | 36% | 7.2% | 2.6% | 43.7% | 7.2% | 0.06% |
| Apr 2026 | 1.5% | 29.7% | 13.4% | 2.2% | 44.3% | 8.9% | 0.04% |
| May 2026 | 0.92% | 27.8% | 10.2% | 2% | 50.7% | 8.3% | 0.05% |
| Jun 2026 | 2.4% | 3% | 22.3% | 3.7% | 60.5% | 8.1% | 0.04% |
| Jul 2026 | 4.8% | 8.8% | 53.3% | 10.7% | 19.5% | 2.6% | 0.29% |
| Aug 2026 | 17.3% | 38.6% | 31.6% | 6.3% | 5.2% | 0.85% | 0.17% |
| Sep 2026 | 40.2% | 33.1% | 18.1% | 3.6% | 3% | 2% | 0.08% |
How has the NFL and NHL comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- The lead changed hands 2 times in the 12 months ending September 2026: NHL took it in March 2026, NFL took it in July 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, NFL’s share of searches among sports leagues worldwide moved from 28.4% to 40.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 101M.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, NHL’s share of searches among sports leagues worldwide moved from 4.7% to 2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 16.6M to 5M.
How did search popularity change for sports leagues worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, NFL overtook Premier League and MLB to become the leader among sports leagues worldwide, with 40.2% of the searches.
In September 2026, NHL gained share of searches among sports leagues worldwide, from 0.85% to 2%.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using NFL’s and NHL’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Other head-to-heads among sports leagues
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