The money in football keeps getting bigger and bigger. Deloitte just dropped their 29th Football Money League report, and the numbers are absolutely wild.
Real Madrid sit on top of the pile once again, raking in a staggering €1.36 billion in revenue. They're the only club to break the billion-euro barrier, and honestly, it's not even close. Their commercial revenue jumped 23% thanks to better merchandise sales and shiny new sponsorship deals.
Barcelona are back in the big time, climbing four spots to second place with €1.14 billion. That's a massive 27% increase from last season. The Camp Nou redevelopment and those Personal Seat License arrangements brought in over $80 million alone. If you're betting on Barça to maintain their financial momentum, their return to Camp Nou should keep the cash flowing nicely.
Bayern Munich round out the top three with €1.01 billion. The German giants jumped from fifth to third after a solid season that included Bundesliga success and a Champions League quarterfinal run. With Vincent Kompany's side cruising domestically and looking dangerous in Europe, expect Bayern to stay among the elite earners.
English Clubs Shuffle in the Rankings
Here's where it gets interesting for Premier League fans. Liverpool have made history by becoming England's highest-earning club for the first time ever in this report. They pulled in $978.3 million, up 17% from last season.
Winning the Premier League and returning to the Champions League did wonders for the Reds' bank account. Their broadcast revenue alone shot up 34%. But here's the catch - if Liverpool don't qualify for next season's Champions League, that progress could evaporate quickly. Something to consider when looking at their top-four odds.
Manchester City actually dropped from second to sixth despite earning $970.4 million. They're the only top-10 club to see revenue decrease. A trophyless season will do that to you, even for the Cityzens.
Manchester United? They've hit their lowest position ever in this ranking, sliding to eighth with $928 million. That's down from fourth just last year. No European football this season means things will likely get worse before they get better financially.
Surprise Packages and European Giants
Arsenal stayed put in seventh but enjoyed a 15% revenue bump to $961.5 million. With over $100 million more than the previous season, the Gunners are in rude financial health. They're still in the hunt for a quadruple this season, which would send their earnings through the roof.
Paris Saint-Germain fell to fourth despite winning the Champions League. Their commercial revenue hit its lowest point since 2020-21, probably because Neymar, Mbappé, and Messi all left in recent years. Turns out superstars sell shirts and sponsorships.
Some interesting names sneak into the top 20. West Ham sit at 20th with $322.8 million despite struggling on the pitch. VfB Stuttgart are back in the top 20 for the first time since 2009-10 thanks to Champions League football. Newcastle United ($466 million) and Aston Villa ($526.7 million) prove that Saudi investment and Champions League runs open the money taps.
Italian clubs lag behind with Inter leading the way in 11th ($628.9 million). Juventus and Milan also feature in the top 20, but no Italian side cracks the top 10. Borussia Dortmund sit 12th at $621.6 million, still miles behind Bayern but comfortably Germany's second-richest club.
