20 Most Valuable Football Teams In The World

It is that time of the year when Forbes magazine reveals the top gainers of the past EPL season in terms of valuation. Generally, the average value of football clubs have continued to increase, thanks hugely to the substantial and ever-increasing payouts from television deals with the EPL. Kit deals, sponsorship as well as the raise in UEFA Champions league payout are all contributors to the skyrocketing values of football’s top sports teams. Richer team values also mean richer club owners and fatter paychecks for the players. Get to know who tops the Most Valuable Football Teams list at the moment.

Top 20 Most Valuable Football Teams in the World (Beginning with the Least Valuable).

20. Newcastle United – English Premier League

Value: $381 million

Revenue: $240 million

Operating Income: $79 million

Most Valuable Football Teams

It was quite a normal year for Newcastle who usually manages to catch one of the downward spots on Forbes’ 20 most valuable football teams except in 1999 when they ranked 5th. With a value of $381 million, the club recorded more bits of success than in the past season when it wasn’t able to make it to the top 20 list. In the current ranking, The Magpies made most of its cash from broadcasting ($259). It also recorded a match day revenue of $49 million as well as commercial income of $48 million.

19. Everton

Value: $476 million

Revenue: $254 million

Operating Income: -$11 million

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Since the inception of the English Football League, Everton FC has only missed four seasons, giving it a record 117-season top division competitions. Everton has taken home nine league titles, and holds the 12th position out of 20 EPL clubs. The past season was quite a good one for The Blues in terms of value since they were able to make it once again to the top 20 list after dropping off in 2009.

18. AC Milan – Serie A

Value: $583 million

Revenue: $248 million

Operating Income: -$27 million

Most Valuable Football Teams

Europe’s second most successful club have seen their performance wane in recent years, with no major title since the 2010/2011 season. This notwithstanding, the club’s value have soared, making it possible for it to make it (for the first time) to Forbes‘ top 20 most valuable football teams list. Per the magazine’s latest valuation, Milan is worth $583 million.

17. West Ham United – Premier League

Value: $616 million

Revenue: $236 million

Operating Income: $49 million

West Ham United

Forbes magazine’s latest ranking of the most valuable football teams places West Ham at #17, with a value of $616 million alongside an annual revenue of $236 million. The club also earned almost $400 million from broadcasting during the 2017-18 season. After parting ways with Alpari, The Hammers has since 2015, been in a lucrative multi-million-dollar kit deal with Betway.

16. AS Roma – Serie A

Value: $622 million

Revenue: $298 million

Operating Income: $25 million

AS Roma

Founded in 1927, AS Roma has missed only one season out of top-tier Italian football since its creation to date. Among its major titles are three Serie-A wins. The Wolves used to share the Stadio Olympico, the second largest stadium in Italy with rivals Lazio but that will soon change, come the completion of the club’s privately financed over 50,000 capacity stadium.

15. Inter Milan – Serie A

Value: $672 million

Revenue: $335 million

Operating Income: $73 million

Most Valuable Football Teams

Inter Milan’s revenues and value has continued to increase in the last few years, respectively standing at $335 million and $672 million as of 2019. In the 2017-2018 season, the team made $224 million from broadcasting and $283 million from commercials. Inter’s minority owner Internazionale recently expanded its business to the Asia-Pacific region (which already includes Inter Academy) by hiring American multinational investment banking firm Goldman Sachs.

14. Schalke 04 – Bundesliga

Value: $683 million

Revenue: $291 million

Operating Income: $13 million

Schalke 04

Founded in 1904, Schalke holds a record of 7 German Championship titles, among numerous other trophies. The 2019-20 season has however, been a bad one for The Miners in terms of match performances, having recorded 16 winless league games between January 25 and June 27, 2020. This notwithstanding, the Bundesliga club has remained lucrative, boasting an increased value of $683 million alongside annual revenue of $291 million.

13. Borussia Dortmund – Bundesliga

Value: $896 million

Revenue: $379 million

Operating Income: $14 million

Most Valuable Football Teams - Borrusia Dortmund

Forbes’ latest valuation saw Dortmund rank #13 on the World’s top 20 most valuable football teams, with a club value of $896 million. BVB’s home stadium Westfalenstadion is the largest in Germany with over 80,000 capacity. In 2006, local insurance company Signal Iduna signed a 10-year pact with the team to rename the stadium to Signal Iduna Park in order to reduce the club’s debts. In 2015, Signal Iduna signed another 10-year deal which will extend to 2026 for around $7 million a year.

See Also: 12 Most Expensive Homes Of Extravagant Footballers

12. Atletico de Madrid – La Liga

Value: $953 million

Revenue: $363 million

Operating Income: $38 million

Athletico de Madrid

Atletico holds the title of 3rd most successful football club in the Spanish League after Real Madrid and Barca. In early 2015 Chairman of the Dalian Wanda property group, and Asia’s Richest person, Chinese Wang Jianlin joined Miguel Angel Gil Marin as a co-owner of the club after buying 20% shares for €45 million-$54 million. The 2017-18 season saw the club rake in $170 million from match day, $475 million from broadcasting, and $224 million from commercials.

11. Paris Saint-Germain – Ligue 1

Value: $1.092 million

Revenue: $646 million

Operating Income: $53 million

Most Valuable Football Teams - Paris Saint-Germain

PSG became the richest club in France in 2012 after Qatar Sports Investment became its sole shareholder. They are among the teams who snapped up their league title for the 2015/2016 season long before it ended, winning the title back-to-back. The previous season saw them set a record as the first French team to win the Ligue 1, Coupe de France and Coupe de la Lique titles. As of 2020, Forbes values the club at a little over $1 billion, with an operating income of $53 million.

10. Juventus – Serie A

Value: $1.512 billion

Revenue: $480 million

Operating Income: $47 million

Juventus

Juventus is the most successful club in Italian football with a record of 32 Serie A titles. The Old Lady’s impressive successes on the pitch is reflected in its increased value which has grown from $656 million to $1.512 million in the last decade. In the 2017-18 season, the club made most of its income from broadcasting which raked in an impressive revenue of $721 million.

9. Tottenham Hotspur – Premier League

Value: $1.624 billion

Revenue: $511 million

Operating Income: $212 million

Most Valuable Football Teams - Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham had high hopes of lifting the 2018/19 EUFA Champions League cup but were left the second place by Liverpool who beat them 2-0 in the final game. In 2017, the club closed a kit deal with Nike which is said to be worth more than $45 million per year. With a current operating income of $212 million, Spur’s trading income has more than tripled since the 2013-14 season.

8. Liverpool – Premier League

Value: $2.183 billion

Revenue: $613 million

Operating Income: $128 million

Liverpool

Liverpool has one of the widest fan support across the globe. The club has seemed relentless since the arrival of former Dortmund coach, Jürgen Klopp. Under his management, the team made it to their first European finals since their 2004/2005 Champions league win. With a current value of $2.183, Liverpool maintained its eighth position on the most valuable football teams list. To add to its fortunes, the club in August 2020, penned EPL’s biggest kit deal with the world’s most marketable sports brand, Nike.

7. Arsenal – Premier League

Value: $2.268 billion

Revenue: $520 million

Operating Income: $102 million

Most Valuable Football Teams - Arsenal

Arsenal made a massive $557 million matchday revenue during the 2017/18 season, alongside an expensive per game ticket of $126. Despite the club’s longtime coaching woes, it still managed to move a step up from Forbes’ previous ranking of the most valuable football teams, having recorded a %1 value increase in the past season.

6. Chelsea – Premier League

Value: $2.576 billion

Revenue: $597 million

Operating Income: $127 million

Chelsea

This year, Chelsea moved a step up the most valuable football teams ranking. The EPL club holds the record of most player sales profit in the English soccer league, with a 5-year player sales revenue of $438 million. Moreover, the club’s £40 million per year shirt deal with Yokohama is the second most expensive in the PL.

5. Manchester City – Premier League

Value: $2.688 billion

Revenue: $678 million

Operating Income: $168 million

Most Valuable Football Teams - Manchester City

Manchester City owner since 2008, Abu Dhabi United Group in late 2015 sold 13% of its shares to China Media Capital which brought the private equity company to $3 billion value. Following this, the club hired Pep Guardiola as coach and it has since been huge successes. Alongside its league earnings, ManCity’s 10-year kit deal with Puma rakes in an average per season revenue of $86 million.

4. Bayern Munich – Bundesliga

Value: $3.024 billion

Revenue: $759 million

Operating Income: $129 million

Bayern Munich

Bayern are by far the most valuable football club in Germany. The club has a kit deal with Adidas worth $986 million that will extend till 2030. For over two decades, FCB has consecutively made it to the champions’ league.

3. Manchester United

Value: $3.808 billion

Revenue: $795 million

Operating Income: $238 million

Most Valuable Football Teams - Manchester United

Manchester United remains the most valuable football club in England despite recoding a negative value change of -7% from last year. With an operating income of $238 million, The Red Devils are also the most profitable team in the world. Their kit deal with Adidas is the most lucrative, reportedly churning out $130 million each year. The entire 10-year deal is worth $1.1 billion.

2. Barcelona

Value: $4.021 billion

Revenue: $824 million

Operating Income: $-37 million

20 Most Valuable football teams 2016

Despite its value change of -1% in the past year, Barcelona maintained its second position on the world’s most valuable football teams. Its home ground Camp Nou which is already the largest stadium in Europe with a seating capacity of 99,354 is currently undergoing a $400 million worth of renovations to be completed by 2021. Barca set a record in 2015 when they won the UCL, La Liga and Spanish cup treble for the second time. They had earlier accomplished this feat for the first time in the 2008-09 season.

1. Real Madrid

Value: $4.239 billion

Revenue: $896 million

Operating Income: $112 million

most valuable football teams 2020

Real Madrid comes first among the most valuable football teams in the world for the eighth consecutive year, with the club’s value enjoying a 4% hike in the past year. For over a decade now, The Whites generated more revenue than any of the world’s football teams. Among other factors, R. Madrid’s value is undoubtedly bolstered by their continuous champions league play.

Here’s a quick look at the World’s Top 20 Most Valuable Football Clubs:

  1. Real Madrid – $4.239 Billion
  2. Barcelona – $4.021 Billion
  3. Manchester United – $3.808 Billion
  4. Bayern Munich – $3.024 Billion
  5. Manchester City – $2.688 Billion
  6. Chelsea – $2.576 Billion
  7. Arsenal – $2.268 Billion
  8. Liverpool – $2.183 Billion
  9. Tottenham Hotspur – $1.624 Billion
  10. Juventus – $1.512 Billion
  11. Paris Saint-Germain – $1.092 Billion
  12. Atletico de Madrid – $953 Million
  13. Borussia Dortmund – $896 Million
  14. Schalke 04 – $683 Million
  15. Inter Milan – $672 Million
  16. AS Roma – $622 Million
  17. West Ham – United $616 Million
  18. AC Milan – $583 Million
  19. Everton – $476 Million
  20. Newcastle United – $381 Million

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