Despite having many rugby league friends, I often find football is the more prevalent topic of conversation. It's the most watched in pubs when I play darts around the city in the Thursday (even European games). It's unprecedentedly more popular amongst young people from when I was teaching. There's just no question.
City get a higher combined attendance currently. Even if many are from out of town, think how many Leeds fans, Man City fans, Man Utd fans, Liverpool fans, Arsenal fans, Chelsea fans, etc. there are.
Football is just so much more inclusive due to how easy it is to play, how accessible it is follow, watch and play. You can't get away from it. It'll always be more widely followed here.