Real Madrid and Barcelona are the world’s most valuable football club brands, report

Real Madrid and Barcelona are the two most valuable and strongest football club brands in the world, according to a new report from Brand Finance, the global brand valuation consultancy.

Real Madrid’s brand value rose 14% to EUR1.9 billion, while Barcelona’s increased by 11% to EUR1.7 billion. Both clubs also received AAA+ ratings for brand strength and have the highest enterprise values, EUR6 billion and EUR4.4 billion, respectively.

Real Madrid and Barcelona account for 70% of the total brand value of all LALIGA clubs, underlining a stark concentration of brand value.

The Premier League is the world’s most valuable sports league in terms of brand value with its top ten brands values totalling EUR8.2 billion – more than a third (37%) of the total value of the world’s top 50 most valuable clubs. What makes the Premier League particularly unique is the distribution of this value across multiple clubs. Six teams – Manchester City (EUR1.4 billion), Liverpool (EUR1.4 billion), Manchester United (EUR1.2 billion), Arsenal (EUR1.2 billion), Chelsea (EUR961 million), and Tottenham Hotspur (798 million) – each hold substantial brand value.

Brand Finance’s research found that Premier League fans in the UK are among the most engaged, with 90% watching matches on TV, 51% buying merchandise, and 56% placing bets.

Hugo Hensley, Head of Sports Services, Brand Finance: “The combined value of the world’s top 50 football club brands has climbed to EUR21.9 billion in 2025. However, Brand Finance research reveals a growing imbalance across the game, as outside of the Premier League, brand value is increasingly concentrated among a handful of elite clubs in Europe’s top leagues. Brand is no longer a byproduct of performance but is now a defining driver of success. As the sport becomes increasingly competitive both on the pitch and commercially, clubs and leagues must manage their brands strategically to ensure they aren’t edged out of realising the benefits of a strong and valuable brand.”

Manchester City FC has dropped to third most valuable in the 2025, with its brand value falling 11% to EUR 1.4 billion. This follows five years of consistent brand value growth from 2020 to 2024. The decline coincides with a below-par 2024/25 season by the club’s high standards.

Paris Saint-Germain’s (PSG) is now among the global top five, following a brand value increase of 13% to EUR1.4 billion. The club’s historic treble in the 2024/25 season and major shift in strategy, moving away from reliance on superstar signings to a team-focused approach built around young, high-potential talent, has likely helped boost the brand’s value.

FC Bayern Munich (brand value up 1% to EUR1.3 billion) is Germany’s most valuable football club brand and ranks 6th globally. Brand Finance’s research found that 32% of respondents outside of Germany say they follow Bayern, the second highest for international fan following, behind only Manchester United.

Seven football club brands achieve elite AAA+ brand rating, including four from the Premier League: Real Madrid CF (94.9/100), FC Barcelona (94.2/100), Manchester United FC (93.2/100), Arsenal FC (92.8/100), Liverpool FC (92.8/100), FC Bayern Munich (92.3/100), and Chelsea FC (90.1/100).

What sets these clubs apart is their strong global perception, to support their domestic strength. While many clubs can rival their brand strength scores in their respective home markets, it is strong perceptions globally that takes a brand’s strength to the top level.

www.brandfinance.com

Follow Marketing Report on LinkedIn