Forbes has ranked FC Barcelona as the most valuable football club in the world for the first time, overtaking Spanish rivals Real Madrid who have occupied top spot five times in the last 16years, while Juventus are not in the Top 10.
Bayern Munich at third is the highest ranked German team while Manchester United, who have occupied top spot 11 times in the last 16years at fourth is the highest ranked English team. PSG at 9th enters the top 10 for the first time as the highest ranked French team while there’s no Italian team in the top 10.
Barcelona’s rise comes as the club has been caught in a public fight with superstar Lionel Messi, the world’s highest-paid player, who threatened to leave last year before the final season under his contract. The months-long cliffhanger ended with Messi staying put and the team’s president resigning.
#1. Barcelona
Barcelona, Spain
Owner/Controlling Shareholder: Club members
Value: $4.76 billion
Two-Year Change: 18%
Revenue (2020): $792 million
Operating Income (2020): $62.2 million
Debt Value: 6%
#2. Real Madrid
Madrid, Spain
Owner/Controlling Shareholder: Club members
Value: $4.75 billion
Two-Year Change: 12%
Revenue (2020): $792 million
Operating Income (2020): $92 million
Debt Value: 6%
#3. Bayern Munich
Munich, Germany
Owner/Controlling Shareholder: Club members
Value: $4.215 billion
Two-Year Change: 39%
Revenue (2020): $703 million
Operating Income (2020): $49.2 million
Debt Value: 0%
#4. Manchester United
Manchester, England
Owner/Controlling Shareholder: Glazer family
Value: $4.2 billion
Two-Year Change: 10%
Revenue (2020): $643 million
Operating Income (2020): $166.6 million
Debt Value: 16%
#5. Liverpool
Liverpool, England
Owner/Controlling Shareholder: John Henry, Tom Werner
Value: $4.1 billion
Two-Year Change: 88%
Revenue (2020): $619 million
Operating Income (2020): $61.9 million
Debt Value: 2%
#6. Manchester City
Manchester, England
Owner/Controlling Shareholder: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Value: $4 billion
Two-Year Change: 49%
Revenue (2020): $609 million
Operating Income (2020): -$2 million
Debt Value: 0%
#7. Chelsea
London, England
Owner/Controlling Shareholder: Roman Abramovich
Value: $3.2 billion
Two-Year Change: 24%
Revenue (2020): $520 million
Operating Income (2020): $34.7 million
Debt Value: 0%
#8. Arsenal
London, England
Owner/Controlling Shareholder: E. Stanley Kroenke
Value: $2.8 billion
Two-Year Change: 23%
Revenue (2020): $430 million
Operating Income (2020): $47.3 million
Debt Value: 7%
#9. Paris Saint-Germain
Paris, France
Owner/Controlling Shareholder: Qatar Sports Investments
Value: $2.5 billion
Two-Year Change: 129%
Revenue (2020): $599 million
Operating Income (2020): -$4.5 million
Debt Value: 0%
#10. Tottenham Hotspur
London, England
Owner/Controlling Shareholder: Joseph Lewis, Daniel Levy
Value: $2.3 billion
Two-Year Change: 42%
Revenue (2020): $494 million
Operating Income: $134.2 million
Debt Value: 39%
The rest of the top 20
#11. Juventus (Italy) – $1.95 billion
#12. Borussia Dortmund (Germany) – $1.9 billion
#13. Atletico Madrid (Spain) – $1 billion
#14. Inter Milan (Italy) – $743 million
#15. Everton (England) $658 million
#16. AC Milan (Italy) – $559 million
#17. AS Roma (Italy) – $548 million
#18. West Ham United (England) – $508 million
#19. Leicester City (England) – $455 million
#20. Ajax (Netherlands) – $413 million
According to Forbes, the revenues and operating income listed are for the 2019-2020 season, converted to U.S. dollars based on average exchange rates during that season. Proceeds from lending players to other teams were excluded from revenue. Team values are enterprise values (equity plus net debt) and include the economics of the team’s stadium but exclude the value of the real estate. Operating income is earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, player trading and disposal of player registrations. Debt is interest-bearing borrowings (including stadium debt). “NR” indicates a team was not ranked two years ago.
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