Real Madrid have dethroned Manchester City and claimed the top spot in the Deloitte Football Money League, becoming the world’s most lucrative club in the 2022 to 2023 season. The Spanish giants raked in a whopping 831 million euros (S$1.2 billion) in total revenue, edging out City (826 million euros) and Paris St Germain (802 million euros).
The Money League ranks the clubs based on their income from various sources, such as broadcasting, commercial deals, and matchday tickets. For the first time since 2015 to 2016, excluding the Covid-19 affected 2019 to 2020 season, commercial revenue was the biggest contributor to the clubs’ coffers, as broadcast revenue grew by a modest five per cent.
Real Madrid, who last topped the Money League in 2017 to 2018, saw their revenue soar by 118 million euros over the previous year, thanks to their strong retail performance, higher stadium attendance and recovery of sponsorship income.
City, who had been the Money League champions for the last two years, did not go down without a fight. The club reported its highest ever revenue for a season, boosted by their treble-winning campaign which enhanced their broadcast and commercial revenues.
Tim Bridge, lead partner in Deloitte’s Sports Business Group, said: “A high demand for live sport is pointing towards further growth for commercial and matchday revenues, in particular. As clubs appear to no longer be able to rely on exponential broadcast revenue growth, creating a more commercially focused business model will support them to achieve greater control over their financial stability.”
The Money League also witnessed some dramatic shifts in the rankings. Barcelona climbed from seventh last year to fourth this year, generating 800 million euros in revenue. Manchester United slipped one place to fifth, making 746 million euros.
Liverpool, who had been the biggest movers in last year’s edition, rising from seventh to third, suffered the greatest fall in year-on-year rankings this year, dropping to seventh. They were one of three clubs to report a decline in revenue, along with Atletico Madrid and West Ham United.
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Premier League sides now make up eight of the top 20, down from 11 last year, with Leicester City, Leeds United and Everton replaced by Eintracht Frankfurt, Napoli and Olympique Marseille.
The Money League clubs collectively generated a record 10.5 billion euros in revenue in 2022 to 2023, a 14 per cent increase over the previous year and surpassing pre-pandemic levels (9.2 billion euros in both 2021 to 2022 and 2018 to 2019).
World of Women’s football
Deloitte’s Football Money League also reported on the revenues generated from women’s teams for the second time, with Barcelona retaining the top spot, making 13.4 million euros, a 74 per cent increase on last year.
Manchester United remained second with revenue of eight million euros, followed by Real Madrid (7.4 million euros), City (5.3 million euros) and Arsenal (5.3 million euros).
Amy Clarke, women’s sport lead in Deloitte’s Sports Business Group, said: “Significant levels of financial growth were recorded in the 2022 to 2023 season across the top-tiers of European women’s football. A rise in the number of women’s matches playing at clubs’ main stadia boosted matchday revenues, while increased viewership and individual partnerships helped to accelerate the commercialisation of the game.”
