Real Madrid Lead Global Football’s Billion-Euro Boom As Deloitte Money League Hits Record High – Arise News

By Reporter Ben On Jan 22, 2026

Real Madrid have reclaimed their position at the summit of world football’s financial elite, topping the latest Deloitte Football Money League after becoming the first club to generate more than €1 billion in annual revenue.

The Spanish giants posted a record €1.2 billion ($1.4 billion) in revenue, leading a top 20 that collectively earned €12.4 billion ($14.5 billion) — the highest combined total in the history of the rankings and an 11 per cent increase on the previous season.

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Madrid were joined in the top four by Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, marking the first time no English club has featured in the Money League’s top quartet. The shift reflects the growing financial impact of deep runs in the newly expanded UEFA Champions League and the FIFA Club World Cup, both of which boosted broadcasting income for participating clubs.

Barcelona climbed to second place, up from fifth last year, with Bayern Munich finishing third and PSG fourth. Liverpool emerged as the highest-earning English club, placing fifth overall, aided by their return to the Champions League in the 2024–25 season.

Among revenue streams, commercial income remained the dominant source, accounting for 43 per cent of total earnings across the top 20. However, matchday revenue was the fastest-growing category, rising 16 per cent year-on-year and now representing 19 per cent of overall income. Broadcasting rights made up the remaining 38 per cent, growing by 10 per cent, with clubs involved in last summer’s Club World Cup seeing an average 17 per cent increase in broadcast revenue.

Two new clubs entered the top 20 this year. Stuttgart ranked 18th after generating €296.3 million ($345 million), while Benfica finished 19th with €283.4 million ($330 million) in revenue.

Speaking on the evolving financial landscape of elite football, Tim Bridge, Sports Business Group Leader at Deloitte, said the clubs at the top were increasingly those that combine global brand power with year-round fan engagement.

“The clubs with the biggest football club brands and position in the market have an opportunity to broaden their reach and offer more to fans on a matchday, offer more to fans on a non-matchday, and become a more 365-days-a-year touch point,” Bridge told the Press Association.

“The trick to staying [in the top five] is maintaining both of those. It used to be you only had to maintain one of them. Now, in 2026, we’re at a point where the highest revenue-generating clubs are probably broader than football.”

The dominance of Spain, Germany and France at the top underlined a transitional period for English clubs, despite the Premier League placing nine teams in the top 20 overall. Alongside Liverpool, Manchester City (sixth) and Arsenal (seventh) completed a strong English showing just outside the top five.

Bridge noted that future editions of the Money League could see Premier League clubs regain ground once the league’s new broadcast deal, which runs until 2029, is fully reflected in the figures. However, he stressed that on-field success alone would no longer be enough.

“The best-performing clubs will continue to be those who match success on the pitch with diversification off it,” he said.

While English teams remain heavily represented, the 2026 rankings underline a clear message from Deloitte’s latest report: financial leadership in modern football increasingly belongs to clubs that combine global appeal, elite performance and sophisticated commercial strategy — both on and off the pitch.

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