Manchester United have moved up to fourth place, with the La Liga powerhouse leading the Football Money League ahead of Manchester City and PSG.
Real Madrid became the first football club to surpass €1 billion in revenue in a single season, driven by the income generated by the renovated Santiago Bernabéu stadium, according to accountancy firm Deloitte.
The top clubs in Deloitte’s annual Football Money League remain unchanged, with Madrid receiving €1.05 billion (approximately $1.09 billion), followed by Premier League champions Manchester City (approximately $872 million). ) and Paris Saint-Germain (approximately $839 million) followed.
The difference between first and second place is $216 million, the largest ever recorded by Deloitte.
A dramatic renovation of Real Madrid’s home has doubled game revenue to $258 million for the 2023-24 season.
Madrid has taken out more than $1 billion in loans to renovate the Bernabéu since 2018, with the aim of turning it into a major source of income.
This state-of-the-art venue features a corrugated metal roof, shop, extended VIP area and retractable pitch.
Pop megastar Taylor Swift is one of the big names to perform at the stadium since it reopened, and the NFL’s first game in Spain is scheduled to be held there later this year. .
But Madrid’s aim to generate additional funds from the 80,000-capacity Bernabéu has been hit by complaints from residents over noise pollution, with the club temporarily suspending concerts. .
“Club stadiums are increasingly valued as more than just matchday assets, with many clubs turning their grounds into multi-purpose entertainment venues that attract new visitors, sponsorship and retail opportunities. ” said Tim Bridge, Lead Partner, Deloitte Sports Business Group.
“Football clubs are now realizing the value of becoming much more than a sports brand, with media and entertainment intertwined with the commercial possibilities they offer.”
Commercials were the largest source of revenue for the 20 Money League clubs for the second year in a row, accounting for 44% of total revenue, despite an 11% increase in matchday revenue.
Broadcast revenue stabilized at 4.4 billion euros ($4.6 billion) as the “big five” leagues – England, Spain, Italy, France and Germany – maintained the same domestic broadcast cycle as last season.
English clubs continue to dominate, supported by Premier League TV revenue, with six of the top 10 clubs and nine of the 20 Money League clubs in the rankings.
Manchester United moved into fourth place ahead of Bayern Munich ($796 million) thanks to their return to the Champions League ($802 million).
Barcelona slipped to sixth place after renovations to the Camp Nou stadium forced the Catalan giants to move to the smaller Montjuïc, site of the 1992 Olympics.
Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea finished in the top 10 last season, despite the latter three missing out on the Champions League.
Barcelona remains the top women’s team for the third consecutive year with $18.6 million in revenue, an increase of 26% from the 2022-23 season.
Arsenal Women ($17.9 million) came in second, followed by Chelsea ($13.9 million), Manchester United ($11.1 million) and Real Madrid ($10.9 million).