The soccer industry is booming: the top 20 clubs earned a record €12.4 billion
23 January 18:30
The world’s 20 richest soccer clubs earned a record €12.4 billion in the 2024–2025 season, an 11% increase from the previous year. This is according to the annual Football Money League 2026 report prepared by the consulting firm Deloitte, as reported by "Komersant Ukrainian".
For the third consecutive year , Real Madrid topped the Football Money League rankings with revenue of nearly €1.2 billion. Deloitte attributes this primarily to a 23% increase in commercial revenue, driven in particular by sales of club merchandise and the signing of new partnership agreements.
Barcelona (€975 million) moved up to second place, returning to the top three for the first time since the 2019/2020 season. The club’s revenue grew by 27%, which analysts attribute to the implementation of the Personal Seat Licenses (PSL) model amid the stadium’s renovation.
Bayern Munich took third place (€861 million).
Paris and Liverpool: The Role of On-Field Performance
Despite the growing role of business models, sporting success remains a key factor in the ranking, Deloitte emphasizes.
The 2024/2025 Champions League winner, Paris Saint-Germain, rose to fourth place (€837 million), while English Premier League champion Liverpool rounded out the top 5 (€836 million) following its return to the Champions League and a successful season in the Premier League.
For the third consecutive year, commercial revenue for Money League clubs remains the highest. In the 2024/2025 season, it totaled €5.3 billion, or 43% of total revenue.
Deloitte attributes this to a shift in infrastructure management: stadiums are increasingly operating as multifunctional spaces, and clubs are actively developing sponsorship programs and retail sales.
Matchday and TV rights: which is growing faster
Matchday revenue is growing the fastest— by 16% per season. It brought clubs €2.4 billion (19% of total revenue).
This growth is attributed to improvements in the fan experience, the development of premium services, and the sale of VIP seats under the PSL model.
Revenues from TV broadcasts also increased— by 10%, accounting for 38% of total revenue. A key factor was the expansion of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, in which 10 clubs from the Money League ranking participated.
The season’s underdogs
Not all of the big clubs managed to hold their ground. Manchester City (€829 million) dropped six spots due to weaker results in the Premier League and an early exit from the Champions League.
An even steeper drop was recorded by Manchester United, which fell from fourth to eighth place. The club’s broadcast revenue fell from €258 million to €206 million —primarily due to its absence from the Champions League and its 15th-place finish in the English Premier League.
