Football is not only a popular sport but also a huge industry. The popularity of the sport and the resulting enormous demand has led some of the world's largest football clubs to become true economic giants. It is no secret that football clubs earn huge sums of money, whether through sponsorship deals, TV rights, ticket sales or merchandise.
Forbes is a renowned American magazine that specializes in publishing business and financial information. The magazine is known for its annual rankings of the world's richest people as well as the most valuable companies and brands. Forbes has also published rankings of football clubs based on their business value and financial success.
These rankings are an important indicator of the significance and success of football clubs and allow for the comparison of the economic performance of the world's biggest clubs. By using data and information from various sources such as financial reports, interviews with industry experts and media reports, Forbes compiles a comprehensive list of the world's most valuable football clubs. The table also shows the revenues, operating results and debt/value ratio of the 20 most valuable football clubs in the world.
The use of data and information from various sources makes Forbes rankings an important tool for assessing the economic performance of football clubs.
Here is the Forbes list "The Business Of Soccer" of the 20 most valuable football clubs (as of May 2022, converted into euros):
Real Madrid - Value: €4.29 billion / 2-year change: +7% / Debt/Value ratio: 11% / Revenue: €640 million / Operating income: €76 million
FC Barcelona - Value: €4.23 billion / 2-year change: +5% / Debt/Value ratio: 15% / Revenue: €584 million / Operating income: -€14 million
Manchester United - Value: €3.88 billion / 2-year change: +10% / Debt/Value ratio: 13% / Revenue: €561 million / Operating income: €108 million
FC Liverpool - Value: €3.75 billion / 2-year change: +9% / Debt/Value ratio: 4% / Revenue: €550 million / Operating income: €88 million
FC Bayern München - Value: €3.60 billion / 2-year change: +1% / Debt/Value ratio: 0% / Revenue: €616 million / Operating income: €87 million
Manchester City - Value: €3.57 billion / 2-year change: +6% / Debt/Value ratio: 0% / Revenue: €657 million / Operating income: €134 million
Paris Saint-Germain - Value: €2.69 billion / 2-year change: +28% / Debt/Value ratio: 3% / Revenue: €550 million / Operating income: -€83 million
FC Chelsea - Value: €2.59 billion / 2-year change: -3% / Debt/Value ratio: 0% / Revenue: €493 million / Operating income: €40 million
Juventus Turin - Value: €2.06 billion / 2-year change: +26% / Debt/Value ratio: 11% / Revenue: €434 million / Operating income: €22 million
Tottenham Hotspur - Value: €1.97 billion / 2-year change: +2% / Debt/Value ratio: 45% / Revenue: €403 million / Operating income: €107 million
FC Arsenal - Value: €1.72 billion / 2-year change: -27% / Debt/Value ratio: 1% / Revenue: €365 million / Operating income: €45 million
Borussia Dortmund - Value: €1.514 billion / 2-year change: -5% / Debt/Value ratio: 0% / Revenue: €338 million / Operating income: €17 million
Atletico Madrid - Value: €1.27 billion / 2-year change: +50% / Debt/Value ratio: 11% / Revenue: €476 million / Operating income: €51 million
AC Milan - Value: €1.05 billion / 2-year change: +115% / Debt/Value ratio: 4% / Revenue: €219 million / Operating income: -€13 million
Inter Milan - Value: €870 million / 2-year change: +35% / Debt/Value ratio: 41% / Revenue: €332 million / Operating income: €3 million
FC Everton - Value: €825 million / 2-year change: +43% / Debt/Value ratio: 13% / Revenue: €226 million / Operating income: -€17 million
Leicester City - Value: €810 million / 2-year change: +103% / Debt/Value ratio: 9% / Revenue: €265 million / Operating income: €14 million
West Ham United - Value: 790 million euros / 2-year change: +77% / Debt/value ratio: 8% / Revenue: 226 million euros / Operating profit: 36 million euros
Leeds United - Value: 700 million euros / No 2-year data available / Debt/value ratio: 0% / Revenue: 200 million euros / Operating profit: 45 million euros
Aston Villa - Value: 655 million euros / No 2-year data available / Debt/value ratio: 0% / Revenue: 206 million euros / Operating profit: 10 million euros
he table provides insight into the size and success of the top football clubs in the world. The criteria by which Forbes evaluated the clubs include revenue, profit, value of stadium and training facilities, brand value, and debt. Due to the popularity of football and the associated enormous financial flows, the valuations of the clubs are typically very high.
The table shows that Real Madrid is currently the most valuable football club in the world, with an estimated value of €4.29 billion. This is not surprising, as Real Madrid has been one of the most successful and well-known football clubs in the world for many years. FC Barcelona follows in second place with an estimated value of €4.23 billion.
The table also shows that English clubs have a strong presence among the top 10. Manchester United is in third place with an estimated value of €3.88 billion (despite not winning an English title for a decade), followed by Liverpool in fourth place with a value of €3.75 billion, and Manchester City in sixth place with a value of €3.57 billion.
In the past two years, most clubs have increased in value. AC Milan and Leicester City have more than doubled their value. West Ham United (+77%), Atletico Madrid (+50%), and Everton (+43%) follow. Other clubs like FC Arsenal and FC Chelsea have experienced a decrease in their value. FC Arsenal had a decrease of 27%, Borussia Dortmund a decrease of 5%, and FC Chelsea a decrease of 3%.
In terms of finances, there are some interesting differences between the clubs. FC Liverpool has the lowest debt-to-value ratio at only 4%, while Tottenham Hotspur has the highest at 45%. Looking at revenues, Manchester City leads with €657 million, while Leeds United is at the bottom with €200 million. Four English Premier League clubs lead the list of best operating results among these 20 clubs. Manchester City is at the top with a result of €134 million, followed by city rivals Manchester United (€108 million), Tottenham (€107 million), and FC Liverpool (€88 million). Paris Saint-Germain is the negative leader in this list (-€83 million).
Overall, the data shows that the top football clubs in the world continue to be successful despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Another interesting aspect of the table is the fact that most of the clubs represented in the top 10 are also among the most successful clubs in the world. This shows that success on the field often goes hand in hand with financial strength, as successful clubs typically generate higher revenues.
However, it is important to note that the valuations of the clubs in the table are estimates and based on various factors. These can change over time and are not set in stone. Nonetheless, the table provides insight into current trends and developments in the football business, and shows which clubs are currently the most successful and financially strongest.