2008 Report: 'Football Money League' - The world's Top 20

February 14 --- This information is excerpted from forthcoming Valentine's Day releases - including a podcast, which normally require site registration to view. --- I am providing the basics here, with link to the source site for those who want more details...

Manchester United has climbed two places to second in the latest Football Money League from business advisory firm Deloitte, which ranks the 20 biggest football clubs in the world based on revenue.  Real Madrid remains the world’s largest revenue generating club, completing a hat-trick of first place finishes.  Analysis in the Football Money League is based on the latest financial information for the 2006/07 season.

Manchester United is joined in the top five by Chelsea and Arsenal.  Chelsea has climbed two places to fourth;  Arsenal is the biggest climber in the 2007 Money League, rising four places to fifth this year.  Barcelona has dropped one place from second to third.

Real Madrid and Manchester United became the first football clubs to generate more than €300m in a season.  Real enjoyed an impressive 20% increase to take their total revenue to €351m (£236m); Manchester United’s revenue grew even more quickly to reach €315m (£212m). 

Football remains a growth sport, especially at the highest level.  The top 20 clubs’ collective revenues grew by 11% to €3.7 billion (£2.5 billion) in 2006/07, the highest rate of growth since 2002/03.  The top 20 clubs now generate more than three times the combined revenues of the clubs in the first Money League in 1996/97.

The global top 20 is entirely populated by European clubs.  Six English clubs feature in this year’s Money League, along with four clubs from each of Germany and Italy, three Spanish clubs, two French clubs and one from Scotland.  Post-World Cup there are more German clubs in the Money League than ever before. 

Information based on the Deloitte Football Money League, published in February 2008.  As explained more fully in the publication, the revenue figures are extracted from each club’s annual financial statements, or other direct sources, for the 2006/07 season.

The information contained in this press release is correct at the time of going to press. To review the full findings of the Deloitte Football Money League and hear Dan Jones on our podcast visit www.deloitte.co.uk/sportsbusinessgroup