The richest clubs in the world
If you are involved in sports betting, you probably know that the richest soccer teams have become fashion symbols in many areas of life, and their popularity extends to every corner of the globe. Not surprisingly, their values are actively tracked by many experts around the world, and the lists of the richest football clubs are compiled yearly.Forbes, known primarily for its annual list of billionaires, likes not only to count the money in the pockets of the richest people but also to identify the wealthiest football clubs in the world. The leading global media compiles the rankings every spring when all clubs unveil their financial statements for the previous season. Traditionally, the richest teams in the world are the ones from Europe, where soccer is the most popular and profitable. The evaluation is made on the basis of several indicators: expenditures and revenues, the volume of assets, extent of the debt, the quality of performances in tournaments, and rumors, with the final figure displaying the approximate total value of the club as a business project. However, sponsorship money is still the best part of it. So, what are the richest football teams in 2021, according to data collected by Forbes analysts? Which is the richest club in the world right now? Here are the answers!
The world’s richest clubs: Top-10
This year, the most shocking news for online football betting enthusiasts is that Real Madrid’s and Manchester United’s reign is over – “Barça” for the first time in the history of the Forbes rating topped the list. It is surprising that the rise of Barcelona was caused by a public fight with Lionel Messi, the world’s highest-paid player, who was about to leave the club.
Barcelona is going through rough times now, but it has managed to maintain its leading position with a total value of $4.76 billion. Despite an unsuccessful attempt to win the league title in the 2019-20 season, changes in commercial and marketing strategies have helped the Catalan team top the list. Also, the Catalans are beyond the competition in terms of profits from television broadcasts – 275 million dollars for the previous season is the best figure in the world. However, a loss in the 2021 Champions League playoffs and Messi’s departure are likely to make things worse. In any case, “Blaugranas” need changes to retain first place.
Real Madrid, with an estimated value of $4.75 billion, comes in a close second in the ranking of the most expensive teams. The game strategy of the best club is built by Florentino Perez. The main target audience of fans is concentrated in Asia, which is considered the most competitive market, actively rendering profits (the sales of tickets and sports paraphernalia of Real). Real Madrid remains the king of soccer in terms of commercial revenue. In the previous season, “Los Galácticos” received $424 million from advertising, sponsorship, and merchandising. Also, the contract with Emirates is unrivaled here, bringing the Royal Club $82.5 million a year.
Bayern Munich gets a bronze medal on the richest football club list. The team, with an estimated net worth of $4,215 million, is not only among the three wealthiest representatives but also one of the most titled. Unlike all the previous giants that focus on profits from international markets, the Bavarians center on their own one. The athletes are in great shape, and the financial performance of the club is decent. The team has no debts, consistently generates profits, and transfers players only at its own expense. Add to all this the successful results in the UEFA Champions League that help the Bavarians generate good sales revenue and current sponsorship contract with Deutsche Telekom, and their strong financial position is guaranteed.
If you’re a fan of bets on the Premier League, you’ll be glad to see that the English clubs are predominant in the top-10. Although Manchester United ($4.2 billion), the former winner of Forbes rankings, slid down to the 4th position due to poor on-field performance, lucrative TeamViewer sponsorship, profitable advertising deals with such major brands as Adidas and Chevrolet ensure its status as one of the most expensive teams.
Another EPL star, Liverpool, rounds out the top five richest clubs in the world. “The Reds” became one of the most popular teams in the EPL in 2021. The club achieved a significant increase of almost €90 million compared to the previous season thanks to income from match-day ticket sales, a revised broadcast rights deal, Standard Chartered and New Balance sponsorships. All this boosted their total value up to $4.1 billion.
The next position goes to the Premier League reigning champ – Manchester City ($4 billion). The Citizens’ continuing inability to make an impact in the Champions League combined with a decline in merchandise revenues caused a one-position drop. What’s more, “the Sky Blues” failed to make good progress in transfers. However, there is an upside – in addition to the existing Etihad Airways sponsorship, Man City signed a favorable long-term kit deal with Puma.
Chelsea ($3.2 billion) lowered to 7th place, perhaps, due to big spending on transfers. However, commercial revenue (Three, Nike) continues to help the club maintain its position. Moreover, Abramovich’s “pocket” is also always ready to lend financial support!
Arsenal, with a total worth of $2,800M, showed a decrease in income compared to the previous season. The club performs too inconsistently, which affects ticket revenues. So, Emirates and Adidas remain the main contributors to this year’s revenue growth.
Naturally, when the most expensive soccer clubs are mentioned, it’s impossible to leave Paris Saint-Germain ($2.5 billion) aside. One has only to think about the Parisians’ star lineup – Mbappe, Neymar, Di Maria, Icardi! If you add impressive growth in total revenue and commercial earnings from Accor to this, you’ll see that “Les Rouge-et-Bleu” have a great opportunity to reach a higher level!
The bottom place is given to Tottenham Hotspur ($2.3B). The Lilywhites’ reaching the Champions League finals had a significant impact on their income, which will contribute to further commercial growth in the coming seasons. Beyond that, current deals with AIA and Nike only facilitate their earnings.
Although Newcastle isn’t included in the top ten richest clubs in the world, it has all the potential. The fortune of the new Newcastle’s owner today reaches $434 billion. Do you think this amount would be enough to rank “The Magpies” first on the list of the richest soccer clubs in the world? Of course, it’s his personal funds, to be exact, his state’s funds. In any case, “the Black’n’White” will get a powerful financial boost. Even now, it’s safe to say that the team won’t be in need of money. At this point, it is not clear what portion of capital the club will have, but the new owner has hard-driving ambitions!
