The Sun: The Red Devils fall out of the top five in global club revenues

According to the latest report from The Sun, despite an increase in revenue of £40 million, Manchester United has fallen to its lowest-ever position on the football club revenue rankings.

Even more embarrassingly, they have been overtaken by Liverpool, losing their title as England’s highest-revenue football club.

Moreover, according to the latest figures compiled by football finance experts Deloitte, Manchester United also trails behind Manchester City and Arsenal in the Premier League revenue rankings, placing only fourth.

Manchester United’s total revenue from matchday tickets, broadcasting rights, and commercial partnerships actually rose from £653 million in the 2023–24 season to £692 million last season.

However, their 15th-place finish in the Premier League led to a £45 million reduction in broadcast income, and missing out on the Champions League was only partially offset by earnings from reaching the Europa League final.

With stronger revenue growth from both domestic and European rivals, Manchester United—previously ranked number one on the list ten times—slipped four places compared to last year.

This marks the first time in the 29-year history of the Deloitte Football Money League that Manchester United has fallen out of the top five.

Additionally, having exited both domestic cup competitions in the first round this season, Manchester United played only 20 home matches, which—combined with the absence of European competition—could result in a loss of up to £85 million in revenue.

Tim Bridge of Deloitte stated: “If you go back 10 to 15 years, Manchester United’s matchday revenue was the industry benchmark.”

“Their ability to generate commercial revenue used to be the standard against which all other clubs measured their marketing strategies. That is no longer the case.”

“Manchester United still has opportunities. They are arguably the biggest football club brand globally and can maximize that value in ways few other clubs can.”

“But to achieve this, they need appropriate facilities. The club must rethink how it engages with fans and how that relationship should function.”

In contrast, Liverpool, powered by their title-winning performance under Slot last season, saw revenue rise by £106 million to £729 million, climbing to fifth place.

Manchester City’s revenue slightly declined by £7 million to £723 million, causing them to drop from second place last season to sixth this year, due to finishing third in the Premier League and an underwhelming performance in the new Champions League format, where they were eliminated in the round of 16.

Arsenal climbed from 10th to 7th, with revenue increasing nearly 15% from £624 million to £717 million, thanks to reaching the Champions League semifinals and earning approximately £99 million in UEFA prize money.

Revenue figures for other Premier League clubs:

14th – Aston Villa, £393 million

17th – Newcastle, £347 million 

20th – West Ham United, £240 million

22nd – Brighton, £208 million 

23rd – Everton, £204 million

24th – Crystal Palace, £203 million 

25th – Bournemouth, £190 million

27th – Wolverhampton Wanderers, £180 million 

28th – Brentford, £179 million

Liverpool is the only Premier League team in the global top five. Real Madrid became the first club to surpass £1 billion in revenue, followed closely by Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Paris Saint-Germain. These four European giants, along with Manchester City and FIFA Club World Cup winners Chelsea, all participated in the FIFA Club World Cup, resulting in a collective 17% increase in television revenue for the European participants.

These figures also reflect the impact of last season’s revamped Champions League format and new broadcasting agreements. Tottenham remain in ninth place, with revenue rising by £52 million to £587 million; Chelsea, ranked tenth, saw revenue increase by £35 million to £510 million.

Bridge added: “On-field performance remains the primary driver for clubs to reach the top of the rankings.”

“Many clubs benefited from newly introduced and expanded European and international club competitions.” “Top clubs played more matches on average than last season, reflecting both the growth of competitions and improved sporting performance.”

“While this presents significant financial opportunities, a balance must be struck between maximizing revenue, protecting the value of the sporting product, and safeguarding player welfare amid an increasingly congested fixture calendar.”