TOP 10 RICHEST FOOTBALL CLUBS IN THE WORLD

 1) Manchester City - £617.24 million

Manchester City might not be among the best supported clubs in the world, but they are certainly among the wealthiest on the planet. The way City have generated such revenues has been a topic of debate.

 

One thing that cannot be debated, though, is how the club has transformed since the current ownership took charge, and how dominant they have been under Pep Guardiola.

 

2) Real Madrid - £613.21 million

Led by Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema, Real Madrid had an historic 2022, claiming yet another Champions League in dramatic fashion and cruising to a La Liga title.

 

Carlo Ancelotti guided Los Blancos to even more hardware, even with a squad which looked to be set for a rebuild of sorts.

 

Where the club has often been guilty of prioritising reputation over suitability in the transfer market, they have recruited superbly in recent seasons, including the acquisitions of Antonio Rudiger and Aurelien Tchouameni in the 2022 summer transfer window.

3) Bayern Munich - £585.01 million

Bayern Munich won their 10th consecutive Bundesliga title in 2022. Their revenue was almost double that of Borussia Dortmund, and no other German club placed in the top 20.

 

Much like PSG, FC Hollywood’s are as far clear financially as they are when it comes to racking up wins.

 

There are signs of fragility in 2022-23, though, with pressure mounting on Julian Nagelsmann.

 

The sale of Robert Lewandowski has weakened Die Roten, though they remain among the favourites in Champions League outright odds.

4) Barcelona - £557.61 million

Despite being seemingly skint at points, and running into issues with registering players, Barcelona are still fourth on the revenue list for 2022.

 

A true superclub, it speaks to the grotesque mismanagement which took place to end up in such financial strife.

 

With Xavi at the helm and a healthy list of recent signings, Barcelona have reached something resembling stability of late. They are again a force to be reckoned with on the pitch.

5) Manchester United - £534.25 million

Manchester United were in a much better place at the end of 2022 than they were at the start. The second half of 2021-22 was a dysfunctional time for the club, and Cristiano Ronaldo asked to leave in the summer.

 

It speaks to the size of Manchester United as a business that they place fifth on this list even with their relative on-pitch struggles since Alex Ferguson retired.

 

By the start of 2023, the Red Devils were in their best position in years with Ronaldo gone and Erik ten Hag overseeing a strong run of form.

6) PSG - £532.63 million

In a different financial galaxy from the other Ligue 1 teams, it is no surprise PSG betting predictions so often expect a heavy victory for Christophe Galtier’s side.

 

Their financial backing and revenue sources are always going to be a controversial topic, such are the ties between the club and the Qatari state.

 

That wealth has transformed PSG into a superpower of European football, possessing arguably the greatest forward line of all-time.

 

It is yet to bring the prize they most crave, however, after an embarrassing Champions League last 16 exit in 2022.

7) Liverpool - £526.99 million

Liverpool pushed Manchester City all the way (again) in the 2021-22 Premier League season and reached another Champions League final.

 

The calendar year ended in less exciting circumstances for the club, however, with murmurs of an ownership change and some poor results.

 

It seems a transitional period is beginning with the squad requiring a refresh and uncertainty about Jurgen Klopp’s future.

 

After years competing on a domestic and continental level, Liverpool could be set for a few years out of the spotlight.

8) Chelsea - £472.20 million

The 2022-23 season has been a rough one in Chelsea predictions, but the Blues continue to generate sizeable revenue thanks to their involvement in the Champions League, hefty sponsorship deals and worldwide fanbase.

 

There was a period of chaos in 2022 with Roman Abramovich’s forced sale, but new owners were found, and Todd Boehly has led an ambitious, at times reckless, attempt to overhaul the club.

 

Chelsea are not having their best season on the pitch, but they are entertaining off it.

9) Juventus - £414.99 million

Juventus’ string of Scudetti ended in 2020. Since then, the Old Lady have fallen off the pace at the top of Italian football with consecutive fourth-place finishes.

 

They still had by far the largest revenue of any Serie A club in 2022, with only Inter and Milan placing in the top 20.

 

Matthijs de Ligt departed for a healthy fee to Bayern Munich, and Juve remained in the Champions League despite their struggles, which has helped to keep the revenue mark high.

 

In January 2023, the club were at the Centre of another scandal involving the valuation of players, which led to a sizeable points deduction, and could see their revenue tumble in 2023.

10) Tottenham - £389.20 million

Tottenham missed out on the Champions League in 2020-21 and 2021-22 amid a slight decline.

The club fended off interest in Harry Kane, however, and returned to Europe’s premier competition in 2022 thanks to the hiring of Antonio Conte.

Spurs lag behind the rest of the Premier League’s Big Six from a commercial standpoint, yet they still place above Arsenal in the 2022 revenue standings (the Gunners haven’t played Champions League football since 2016-17).

Healthy income figures have aided Spurs’ efforts to reinforce the squad over the last couple of windows, with Dejan Kulusevski, Richarlison, Yves Bissouma, Cristian Romero and Rodrigo Bentancur all arriving in 2022.