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It's been a testing year for football teams in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Matchday revenue has plummeted and teams have been forced to rely on income from TV and broadcasting rights.
There are also various other non-matchday revenue streams including merchandising and advertising, and clubs have been forced to look for ways to maximize their profits in those aspects.
Forbes has released a list of the most valuable sports teams in the world. Nine football teams feature in Forbes' list that's dominated by NFL franchises. Football is the most widely followed sport in the world and top European clubs have fans across the world who tune in week in and week out to watch their favourite teams in action.
Six football teams feature in the 13 most valuable sports franchises in the world
Forbes has calculated the teams' values, which is equity + net debt, using ‘revenue and operating income adjusted for revenue sharing, and includes the economics of each team’s arena deal but not the value of the real estate itself’.
Here, we take a look at the top five football teams on the list.
#5 Liverpool - $4.1 billion
Liverpool's value has skyrocketed over the past two years as the club went from strength to strength under Jurgen Klopp. After winning the UEFA Champions League title in the 2018-19 season, Liverpool followed it up with a triumphant Premier League campaign in the 2019-20 season.
It's safe to say that Jurgen Klopp has not only transformed Liverpool on the pitch but away from it as well. The Merseysiders have been catapulted back into relevance over the past five years and although they have struggled in the 2020-21 season due to injury issues, there is no doubt that Klopp is the right man to take Liverpool forward.
Liverpool's value change has been clocked at +165% in the last five years.
#4 Manchester United - $4.2 billion
Over the past five years, Manchester United's value has progressed at a rate slower than any of the other football clubs on the list, registering a value change of +27% over the past five years. That makes sense given how the Red Devils have endured a difficult time in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era but they seem to finally be steadying their ship under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Manchester United are on course to finish inside the top four in consecutive seasons for the first time in eight years. But they have gone trophyless in the past three seasons and it has seen them fall from the top spot which they had maintained for 11 of the last 16 years. They were third in the rankings last year.
#3 Bayern Munich - $4.21 billion
Bayern Munich have been extremely dominant domestically and have now won nine Bundesliga titles on the trot. The Bavarians were a cut above the rest in the 2019-20 season when they made UEFA Champions League history by winning every single match on their way to lifting the title and winning the continental treble.
Bayern Munich have been one of the most successful football clubs of the 21st century and continue to house some of the finest players in the world. They have registered a value change of +57% over the past five years.
Bayern Munich have signed Julian Nagelsmann as their future manager and he will take over from the 1st of July, 2021. he Bundesliga giants are ready to usher in a new era under the young and promising manager.
#2 Real Madrid - $4.75 billion
Forbes state that Real Madrid are the 'kings' of commercial revenue in football, raking in $424 million in 2019-20 through advertising, sponsorship and kit deals. They also have the most valuable shirt deal and the most valuable kit deal in football which comes up to a combined $234.5 million and are tied to Adidas via a long-term deal which runs till 2030.
Under Florentino Perez, Real Madrid remain committed to the European Super League even though it has been met with outrage from fans and pundits alike. But they continue to be one of the most popular clubs in the world with incredible appeal and still house some of the best players in the world.
They have won four Champions League titles since 2014 and it has definitely helped them maintain their status as one of the most valuable teams in the world. Their value has improved by 30% over the last five years.
#1 Barcelona - $4.76 billion
Barcelona's debt has snowballed in recent years as their excessive expenditure in terms of transfer fees and wages has not translated to success on the pitch. But Barcelona are still the most valuable team in the world and they raced ahead of Real Madrid in terms of broadcasting revenue, raking in $275 million last year.
But they are in immediate need of freeing up their wage bill and are likely to offload quite a few players in the upcoming summer transfer window. They have had a value change of +34% over the last five years.
