Football is the most popular sport in the world and it expectedly generates millions in revenue annually. As with just about everything else in the world, the Covid-19 pandemic caused a disruption in the sport which impacted broadcast and matchday revenue, as well as increased commercial venue.
With no fans in stadiums for over a year, the full scale of the pandemic’s impact on finances can now be revealed and it’s the first time every single club has made a financial loss. As it is one of the best sites for football betting, Overlyzer provided us with data on which we were able to compile the list of richest clubs in the world.
Keep your eye out for Newcastle United next year as a long-awaited takeover of the club was completed following a £305m deal by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), making them the wealthiest football club owners in the world.
Barcelona – €715.1m
The Catalans are officially the richest football club in the world in 2021 according to the Deloitte rankings despite having a revenue fall in the 2019/20 season. However, Barcelona are clearly a club in turmoil with underperformance on the pitch being papered over by the fact they continue to generate hefty revenue.
Outrageous wages to unworthy players has decimated the club’s finances and things came to a head in 2021. Josep Maria Bartomeu’s disastrous tenure as club president was prematurely ended and it became clear the club was essentially operating on credit and their salary structure was too large for their income.
This led to the exit of the club’s greatest-ever player, Lionel Messi, among a host of other stars as current players had to take considerable salary cuts. Therefore, Barcelona’s status as the richest club in the world was overshadowed by their €1.2billion debt.
The Blaugrana were also found to be in a total debt of €126 million in transfer fees to other clubs and they are expected to considerably fall in the next annual financial analysis.
Real Madrid – €714.9 million
The 13-time European champions are one of the most popular sporting institutions in the world and lost only €39million more than in 2019.
This superclub benefits from a sizable share of La Liga TV revenue which characterizes their global appeal that they uphold with the presence of some of the biggest names in world football.
Real Madrid are regular candidates to top the world football revenue charts as they are the most followed club on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram which helps keep revenue buoyant.
Having won the league title in 2019/20, they are on course to do it again in the ongoing season and could well be the richest club by next year.
Bayern Munich – €634.1m
The most successful club in German football history aren’t associated with flashy signings as much as the aforementioned duo, but they heavily invest in the development of their squad and their players are well paid.
Where Real Madrid, Manchester United and Barcelona often appear chaotic in the transfer market, the Bavarians get on with their transfer business with the help of careful scouting of the best talents in Germany.
Bayern Munich were also the biggest winners during the pandemic as their treble success contributed to a boom in merchandise sales. Although their revenue fell by €26million in 2019/20 the Bavarian side were relatively able to balance their books and remain one of the world’s richest clubs.
Winning the Bundesliga remains a constant, and continental honours in 2022 would surely see them rise.
Manchester United – €580.4m
Despite no league title since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, the Red Devils have been in and out of the Champions League, yet, they are the highest placed English club. In 2020 they lost 19% in total income from the previous year amounting to €135million.
Thanks to Chief Executive Ed Woodward, the club remains a successful business which is the source of immense frustration for fans who wish to see more transmitted on the pitch.
Manchester United are a money making machine that continues to pull in big sponsorship deals, however, compared to their poor on-pitch performances, the decision-makers are clearly more concerned about the green arrows in the boardroom.
For supporters with high expectations of a sleeping giant, things came to a head during the protests against the proposed European Super League. That has been pacified by the return of club legend Cristiano Ronaldo which is more of a commercial decision than a footballing one.
Nevertheless, United will remain one of the world’s richest clubs for the foreseeable future.
Liverpool – €558.6m
A sixth Champions League crown as well as second place finish in the Premier League gave Liverpool a massive revenue boost in 2019. They followed that up by winning the Premier League for the first time in 30 years in 2020.
The Reds are back on their perch dominating the top competitions and in turn rewarding their generations of loyal fans. Despite a revenue fall by €46million in 2019/20, Liverpool continue to rise on the money league and further success will only increase their appeal as a modern-day giant.
Needless to say, the club finances have come a long way in the last few years and their upward climb might not be over just yet.
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