Richest Football Clubs: Football has dramatically evolved into a highly lucrative industry, benefiting not only the athletes but also club owners and administrators. The game’s global appeal, fueled by extensive TV and internet streaming, has led to massive revenue generation for football clubs. However, the flip side is that fans now pay premium prices to actively support their favorite teams, a testament to the commercial explosion of the sport.
The world’s biggest football clubs now function like financial powerhouses, generating income from various streams such as kit sponsorships, merchandise sales, TV rights, and matchday ticket sales. This financial prowess has transformed these clubs into franchises, raking in hundreds of millions of pounds annually. According to Forbes, the average value of the world’s richest football clubs reached $2.3 billion in 2024, contributing to a total combined value of over $45.7 billion—a 5.1% increase from the previous year.
This article explores the ten richest football clubs globally, based on Forbes’ latest rankings.
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10. Arsenal – $2.6 billion
Arsenal experienced a 15% rise in value over the last year, reaching $2.6 billion. The club, owned by Stanley Kroenke, had an operating income of $140 million. Under Mikel Arteta’s leadership, Arsenal’s young squad has shown significant progress, positioning the club as a strong contender for the Premier League title in recent seasons.
9. Chelsea – $3.1 billion
Chelsea’s value grew by 1%, now standing at $3.1 billion. Owned by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, the club had a slight operating loss of $400,000. Since Boehly’s takeover in May 2022, Chelsea’s finances have been under close scrutiny, with the club’s kit sponsorship deals being a focal point. The introduction of Infinite Athlete as the main shirt sponsor in the 2023-24 season is a notable example.
8. Tottenham – $3.2 billion
Tottenham Hotspur, one of the Richest Football Clubs saw a significant 14% increase in value, bringing its current valuation to $3.2 billion. Owned by the Joseph Lewis Family Trust and Daniel Levy, the club generated an operating income of $161 million. Tottenham’s state-of-the-art stadium has significantly boosted their matchday revenue, which now accounts for almost 20% of their total income.
7. Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) – $4.4 billion
Despite recording an operating loss of $126 million for the third consecutive year, PSG, oje of theRichest Football Clubs remains a highly valuable club under Qatar Sports Investments’ ownership, with a valuation of $4.4 billion—a 4% increase. The club has seen a significant turnover of key players, with Messi, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappé all departing in the past 18 months.
6. Bayern Munich – $5 billion
Bayern Munich, one of the Richest Football Clubs, owned by its members, is valued at $5 billion, a 3% rise from the previous year. The club generated an operating income of $84 million. The 2022-23 season saw Bayern Munich achieve the highest commercial revenue in world football, bolstered by their long-standing partnership with T-Mobile, which was extended at approximately £40 million per year.
5. Manchester City – $5.1 billion
Manchester City’s remarkable treble-winning season in 2022-23 significantly boosted their financial standing, with the club now valued at $5.1 billion. Owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the club saw a 2% increase in value and generated an operating income of $148 million.
4. Liverpool – $5.37 billion
Liverpool’s value grew by 2% to $5.37 billion, driven by new sponsorship deals with brands like UPS, Google, and Peloton. The club, owned by John Henry and Tom Werner, had an operating income of $102 million. Extensions with long-standing sponsors AXA and Carlsberg also contributed to the club’s growing revenue.
3. Barcelona – $5.6 billion
Valued at $5.6 billion, Barcelona one of the Richest Football Clubs saw a 2% increase in value over the past year despite an operating loss of $145 million. The club has faced well-documented financial challenges in recent seasons, leading to the departure of Lionel Messi. However, the ongoing renovation of Camp Nou, the largest football stadium in Europe, is set to become a major asset for the club.
2. Manchester United – $6.55 billion
Manchester United, one of the Richest Football Clubs is valued at $6.55 billion, making it the second most valuable football club in the world. Earlier this year, Sir Jim Ratcliffe acquired a 27.7% stake in the club at an enterprise value of $6.5 billion. Despite fan dissatisfaction with the Glazer family’s ownership and the team’s inconsistent performance, Manchester United remains a financial giant in the football world. The club generated an operating income of $187 million in the past year.
1. Real Madrid – $6.6 billion
Real Madrid continues to lead the rankings of the richest football clubs, valued at $6.6 billion. This marks the third consecutive year and the eighth time in the past 11 years that Real Madrid has topped the list. The club generated the highest revenue among the top 30 teams, with $873 million, driven by their exceptional on-field performance.
Real Madrid’s commercial revenue received a significant boost from a lucrative deal with HP, valued at tens of millions annually. The club’s revenue in the 2022-23 season was 8% higher than the previous year, ensuring they retained the top spot on the Forbes Rich List for a third successive year.
