The World’s Richest Football Clubs for 2017
Earlier this year, Deloitte released the 20th edition of the Football Money Leauge, which ranks the world’s highest earning football clubs.
Overall, there wasn’t a significant shake-up in the rankings. But for the first time in 12 years, another name is on top of the heap after a record-breaking performance that saw one club ( the new number one ) breach the £500 million in revenues for the first time since the inception of the Football Money League in 1997.
Manchester United - £515.3 million
Manchester United returns to the top of the mountain for the first time since 2003-2004, ending Real Madrid’s 11 year stranglehold of first place in the Deloitte Football Money Club list.
Despite the Red Devils’ struggles in the field, particularly in the European competitions, they have regained their status as the richest football club in the planet. Much of the club’s financial success can be attributed to their colossal sponsorship deals with Chevrolet and Adidas plus the fact that they topped the list in match day revenues after returning to the Champions League.
Manchester United’s £515.3 million revenue marks the highest ever by a football club in the 20-year history of the Deloitte FML.
FC Barcelona - £463.8 million
The use of the Catalonian Camp Nou for two shows of Bruce Springsteen’s ‘The River Tour’, coupled by the hosting of the Rugby’s Top 14 finals earned the Catalans an unlikely €8 million alone. On the bigger picture however, FC Barcelona increased its match day revenue to a fourth best €121 and got some new and improved commercial deals. With more growth expected this year, look for Barcelona to challenge for the top spot in 2018.
Real Madrid - £463.8 million
Despite winning the Champions League, a growth of 7% in overall income and earning more match day revenues than anybody else last season, Real Madrid has been evicted from the top spot after 11 years. Despite falling from grace this year, a lucrative deal with Adidas is set to push Los Blancos back to the top spot in 2018.
Bayern Munich - £442.7 million
It was another successful year on the field for Bayern Munich as they won their 25th Bundesliga title and DFB-Pokal title. Financially, the Bavarians experienced a huge 25% increase in overall profit. The increase was largely due to their increased share of Bundesliga TV money and the renegotiation of some existing commercial contracts. The Germans also placed fifth in match day revenue and moved one spot up to number four this year in the Football Money League.
Manchester City - £392.6 million
For the first time ever, the City broke into the Top 5 of the Football Money League. The Abu-Dhabi owned club had their best Champions League run last season, reaching the semi-finals where they lost to eventual champions Real Madrid.
Paris St-Germain - £389.6 million
An increase in ticket prices and the expansion of hospitality seats increased PSG’s match day revenues and their overall income by 8%. Those however did not prevent the French champions from falling outside of the Money League’s Top 5 for the first time since its famous sale to the Qatar Sports Investment group in 2011. On the field, the rise of Monaco and Nice no longer guarantees PSG’s Champions League qualification.
Arsenal - £350.4 million
A season ticket holder pays £1014 to watch Wenger’s side. That’s the main reason why Arsenal finished second to Manchester United in match day revenues last year. The perennial Champions League qualifiers also ranked 5th in broadcast revenues but must need to improve their commercial deals in order to move higher on this list.
Chelsea - £334.6 million
Despite their dismal defense of the Premier League title, Chelsea’s run to the Champion’s League last 16 kept them afloat in the Football Money League standings. But because they failed to qualify for this season’s tournament, Liverpool may have a shot at overtaking them in the Deloitte rankings. However, the expansion of Stamford Bridge is set to improve their match day revenues.
Liverpool — £302 million
Liverpool held on to the 9th spot for the third consecutive year despite their absence from the Champions League. The Reds’ impressive run to the Europa League finals certainly helped keep them among the Football Money League elites. The renovation of the Main Stand at Anfield forced them to operate at a reduced capacity but with that done with and broadcast incomes set to increase due to a huge Premier League rights deal, Liverpool is poised to make waves next year.
Juventus - £255.1 million
Juventus experienced a decrease in match day and broadcast revenues last year primarily because of their failure to even last season’s run to the Champions League final. But after landing a lucrative kit deal with Adidas and its continued sponsorship deal with Jeep, the Old Lady kept the final slot at the Deloitte Top 10. Considering the Bianconeri are on course for a sixth successive Scudetto, they should remain in the Top 10 next year.
Borussia Dortmund - £212.3 million
Loyal fans kept Borussia Dortmund above water but their failure to qualify for the 2015-16 Champions League saw Dortmund gaining only a minor increase in overall revenues. BVB’s stock is expected to increase because of their return to Europe’s premier competition however, a richer Premier League could boot them out of their position next year.
Tottenham - £209.2 million
Despite a disappointing end to their Premier League title bid last year, Tottenham’s potentials, both on and off the field, continues to grow and it may only be a matter of time before they barge into the Top 10 of the Football Money League. The third place finish in the Premier League was the best ever in club history and their run to the Europa League Top 16 boosted match day revenues. The North London club temporarily moves their home to Wembley before White Hart Lane is fully renovated to a 61,000 seater in 2018.
Atletico Madrid - £171 million
Goals from the productive Antoine Griezmann helped Madrid’s second biggest club to reach the Champions League for the second time in three years. But while that certainly helped, it was La Liga’s brand new centralized TV rights deal that pushed Diego Simeone’s squad three spots higher than the previous year. With a new stadium under construction, Atletico could finally barge in the Top 10 very soon.
Schalke - £167.9 million
Despite missing the Champions League last year, the Gelsenkirchen based club is making its 14th Football Money League appearance because of their fantastic. An average crowd of 61,076 gave them a match day revenue which nearly doubled Milan and Inter. But in order to make it to the Top 10 next year, Schalke needs a good showing in the Europa League.
AS Roma - £163.2 million
A good run to the Champions League Top 16 enabled the Italian capital’s side to rank higher than Serie A rivals AC Milan for the first time in the Football Money League history.
A brand new stadium is in the works and if they can get a lucrative kit deal ( they currently don’t have a shirt sponsorship deal ), there is potential for growth here.