Matchday revenue for Europe’s 20 biggest-earning clubs surpassed two billion euros for the first time last season amid fan protests over ticket pricing.
Data published by Deloitte on Thursday showed the top 20 clubs in its Football Money League earned 2.1 billion euros (£1.8bn) from matchdays in 2023-24, making it their fastest-growing revenue area – up 11 per cent compared to the previous season.
Matchday revenue also accounted for a greater share of clubs’ total revenue – 18 per cent – than it had since the 2014-15 season, Deloitte found.
That comes at a time when fans in England – home to nine of the top 20 teams in the Deloitte standings – continue to call on clubs to stop exploiting supporters’ loyalty, in particular what they see as an attack on concessionary pricing for the young and old.
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For all but one of the nine – Tottenham – matchday revenue increased in 2023-24 compared to the previous season.
Ticket pricing is only one factor of course – increasing ground capacity is another way clubs can generate more income, plus longer runs in domestic and European competitions.
Prices are on the rise, though, with Premier League data from November last year showing the average ticket price in the top flight was now £38 across season tickets and general sale, up 18.75 per cent from where prices were prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Football Supporters’ Association said in a statement to the PA news agency: “Looking back to Covid when stadiums were closed to fans, we often heard that ‘football was nothing without fans’ thanks to the noise and atmosphere we generate. Football in an empty stadium isn’t the same.
“Almost five years later it does feel like that lesson has been forgotten as almost every top-flight club bumped up prices last season, concessions for young and old fans are under attack, and the Premier League’s own data shows prices have jumped 19 per cent since 2020.”
Real Madrid were the only club to see a sharper rise in matchday income than England’s top-20 representatives, and that can be attributed to the completion of renovation work at the Bernabeu stadium.
The next four biggest percentage increases after that were seen at English clubs.
Matchday revenues could be expected to rise sharply again for the current campaign, the first since the expansion of UEFA’s men’s club competitions.
Tim Bridge, the lead partner in the Deloitte Sports Business Group, said: “As competitions expand and create more broadcast and matchday opportunities, these can further increase the earning potential for clubs.
Real Madrid were the highest-earning club in world football in the 2023-24 season, with revenue of over one billion euros (Bernat Armangue/AP)
“At a time where there is more demand than ever for a greater number of matchdays, this must be balanced with player welfare, as they ultimately bring the on-field success that can earn clubs many further rewards off-field.”
Real Madrid remain top of the Money League and became the first club to top one billion euros in revenue for a single season.
Manchester City stayed second, with Manchester United up one place to fourth. Arsenal are seventh, Liverpool eighth, Tottenham ninth, Chelsea 10th, Newcastle 15th, West Ham 17th and new entrants Aston Villa 18th.