Manchester City has been named the most valuable football club brand in the world
The report out today by Brand Finance Football details a 34% positive growth in City’s brand value since the COVID-19 pandemic, with the Premier League champions overtaking Real Madrid for the top position. This is the first time an English club has held the number one spot in six years.
A decade of dominance on the pitch and the highest revenue of any of club in the report were outlined as key drivers for City’s rise in the rankings.
The rise meant they overtook Real Madrid, who saw their brand value drop to £1.26 billion, ending their four-year stint at the top of the standings.
Barcelona were ranked third after a five per cent increase took their brand value to £1.185 billion.Meanwhile, Manchester United overtook Liverpool into fourth spot. The Red Devils’ brand value is £1.174 billion, compared to Liverpool’s £1.173 billion.
Paris Saint Germain and Bayern Munich were ranked sixth and seventh respectively, with Premier League sides Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea completing the top 10.
This comes at the climax of a remarkable season for Manchester City both on and off the pitch. On Saturday, City lifted the FA Cup to complete a domestic double after winning a third successive Premier League last month. The Club will be looking to add more silverware to this historic season as it competes in the UEFA Champions League Final this weekend.
This season the Club has also topped the Deloitte Money League for the second successive year after announcing a record revenue of £613 million and profits of £41.7 million, the latter being more than double the previous Club record. It has also been a strong year for City’s commercial portfolio with a number of new partners and long-term renewals announced across the season. City’s retail operation has also continued to break records with incredible demand for the 2022/23 season kits and the most recent kit launch seeing a new shirt sold every 12 seconds on the first day of sales.
Roel de Vries, Chief Operating Officer at City Football Group, said: “Being recognised as the world’s most valuable football club brand reflects the phenomenal growth story that Manchester City has had in recent years. This achievement recognises the evolution of not just the brand, but the Club as a whole. The Club has been performing consistently and has broken records on and off the pitch this season, whilst operating in a way that promotes financial sustainability.
“As we look to the future, we want to keep investing in the right things – our football talent, the city of Manchester and our local community, infrastructure and fan experience. We have a proven track record of innovation and are excited for the next chapter in this Club’s great history.”
