The Deloitte Football Money League 2026 is out, and it paints a clear picture of the financial powerhouses dominating world football for the 2024-25 season. The top 20 clubs collectively shattered records by generating over €12.4 billion in revenue—an impressive 11% increase from the previous year. This growth was fueled by surging commercial deals, expanded broadcasting rights (including benefits from the Club World Cup), and stronger matchday income as stadiums returned to full capacity and beyond.
At the top of the list stands Real Madrid, reclaiming their throne with a staggering £975 million (approximately €1.16 billion) in total revenue. Their dominance is largely driven by an exceptional commercial arm, which alone would place them among the top 10 clubs overall. This highlights how Madrid’s global brand, sponsorships, and merchandising continue to set new benchmarks.
Right behind them is Barcelona in second place with £819 million. Despite ongoing stadium renovation challenges (playing away from a fully renovated Camp Nou), their commercial revenue proved resilient, pushing them back into the top tier.
The rest of the top 10 features a familiar mix of European giants:
- Bayern Munich (£723 million) in third, benefiting from consistent Bundesliga success and strong commercial partnerships.
- Paris Saint-Germain (£703 million) in fourth, powered by high-profile sponsorships and broadcast deals.
- Liverpool (£702 million) in fifth—marking the first time a Premier League club has been the highest-earning English side in this ranking.
- Manchester City (£697 million) and Arsenal (£690 million) close behind, showing the Premier League’s depth.
- Manchester United (£666 million) slipped further, reaching their lowest position in the Money League’s history.
- Tottenham Hotspur (£565 million) rounded out the top 10.
Lower down the list, clubs like Chelsea (£491 million), Inter Milan (£452 million), and Borussia Dortmund (£446 million) demonstrate solid performances, while emerging names such as Aston Villa (£378 million) cracked the top 20 thanks to strong Premier League broadcast shares and recent on-pitch progress.
The breakdown by revenue stream—matchday (blue), broadcast (green), and commercial (orange)—reveals interesting patterns. Clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona lean heavily on commercial income, reflecting powerful global brands and sponsorship ecosystems. In contrast, several Premier League sides (including Aston Villa and West Ham) derive more than half their revenue from broadcasting, underscoring the league’s lucrative TV deals.
This edition of the Money League emphasizes a growing divide: the elite clubs at the top are pulling away financially through diversified income streams, while others rely more heavily on league distributions. Commercial revenue became the first stream to surpass €5 billion across the top 20, signaling a shift toward stadium utilization, retail, and global partnerships as key growth drivers.
As football’s financial landscape evolves—with new competitions, sponsorship trends, and infrastructure investments—the gap between the haves and have-nots appears to widen. Real Madrid’s continued reign shows that on-field success combined with off-field commercial mastery remains the ultimate formula for financial supremacy.
(Source: Deloitte Football Money League 2026, with figures converted from EUR to GBP as presented.)
