Most Profitable Soccer Clubs of 2020

Sport is big business, and therefore the biggest teams constantly find themselves in a heated contest for dominance both in their respective fields and in the board room.

Soccer is no exception to this, with some of the most profitable organizations around the globe vying for some form of affiliation or sponsorship rights with teams. This shows the potential of the industry and its ability to continue growing as the popularity of the sport expands further.

With so much money being paid for players, merchandise, and marketing strategies around the globe, football teams can be hugely successful and profitable. However, just like any business there is competition; some clubs ultimately have stronger financial backing and can craft teams from the crème de la crème of football players world-wide, whereas others don’t have that luxury. There's money to be made for fans too but remember that it’s always best to first look to experts and analysts for tips and predictions if you decide to place a bet on football; the reason for this is that, through the experts’ hard work, fans are able to get the best potential return on their wagers from trustworthy sources in the industry.

There is opportunity for fans to fill their boots using experts’ tips and predictions

Manchester United
Manchester United are one of the most well-known teams in the world. ‘The Red Devils’, as they are commonly known, have global impact and influence. They have partnerships with businesses from all over the world, for example: sportswear giant Adidas is the official kit supplier for the team, Chevrolet is a principal partner and the airline AEROFLOT are the official carrier for the team.

In the last fiscal year, they recorded a total revenue of £719.5 million ($796.4m) and posted profit figures of over £18.88 million ($24.68m).

Factoring in their previous success, current marketing strategies and global influence, the team owned by the famous Glazer family has a total value of £3.441 billion ($3.808 b).

Barcelona
The Catalan team has a rich history of success and high value players, coaches and staff passing through the organization. Nike are currently the official technical partners of FC Barcelona; Gatorade are their official sports nutrition partner; and Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten are the official innovation and entertainment partners.

In the last fiscal year, the club recorded the highest revenue in its history, a total revenue of €990 million ($1.089 billion), of which €17 million (US$18.8m) was profit the organization made. This is a downturn from their growth rate in previous years, but making some investments in new players has increased the squad’s expenditure to a level where it is now negatively affecting the profit margin, despite their high revenue figures.

The club is owned by its members who act as a governing body for the organization. The team is currently worth €3.410 billion ($4.021b).

Bayern Munich
German behemoths Bayern Munich have long dominated their domestic competitions and are growing in popularity globally. The organization has affiliations globally and they are partnered with industry leaders such as: Adidas, T-Mobile, Audi, and Allianz.

In the previous fiscal year, Bayern made a turnover of €750.4 million ($884.6m), of which €29.5 million ($34.7m) was profit made by the organization.

25% of the company is controlled by the stakeholders who are also partners in the club, and the remaining 75% is controlled by a spin-off company, FC Bayern München AG. Deemed to be one of the most financially responsible clubs in the world, FC Bayern Munich has a total value of €2.565 billion ($3.024b).

Manchester City
Rivals to the ‘Red Devils’, Manchester City has grown into a juggernaut organization on and off the field. The club has achieved a string of successes in competitions that has seen them rise to a popularity that now challenges Manchester United for dominance. They have partnerships with industry contenders such as: Puma, Etihad Airways, Nissan, and Gatorade.

In the last fiscal year, they recorded a total revenue of £535 million ($697m) and posted profit figures of over £10.1 million ($11.9m).

The club has a total value: £2.429 billion ($2.688 b) which places them behind Manchester United, but the club is still growing and may one day surpass their rivals.

Most Valuable Club – Real Madrid
One of the world’s most famous teams, Real Madrid have dominated their competition in every form. As one of the most prestigious teams in the world, they have managed to secure sponsorship from industry titans such as: Adidas, Emirates, Coca-Cola, and Hugo Boss.

In the last fiscal year, they recorded a total revenue of €757.3 million ($892.7m) and posted profit figures of over €38.4 million ($45.2m)

Former politician Florentino Perez is the current president of the club and has guided them to the point where their value has reached €3.595 billion ($4.239b). This is a growth of 4% on the previous financial year and secures Real Madrid their spot as the most valuable team in the world.

The Real Madrid FC flag signifies the team’s ties to King Alfonso XIII