TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - While players on the pitch battle for cups and championships, the suit-and-ties of the football world compete for another kind of prestige: the value of their brands and enterprises.
According to a recent Brand Finance Football 50 2026 report, as quoted by beIN SPORTS, the business of football has proven to be highly lucrative, with the top 50 clubs worth over €23.9 billion in brand value and a whopping €79.7 billion enterprise value.
These figures mark 2026 as the strongest year of growth for football, led by archrivals Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, which both retained their spots at first and second in the ranking, respectively.
Beyond these two clubs, let's take a look into some of the most valuable football clubs in 2026, citing multiple sources.
How to Define Brand Value and Enterprise Value
Brand Finance defines brand value as the value of the trademark and associated marketing IP within any market-related intangible assets of a business. The report analyzes football clubs' ability to generate revenue, attract global supporters, secure commercial deals, and turn sporting prestige into an international brand.
Meanwhile, enterprise value is defined as the value of a brand's core business to all investors, regardless of how the company itself is financed. To this end, Football Benchmark analyzes the latest financial, sporting, operational, and market trends to highlight the continued expansion of the football industry.
While this year records the strongest growth in over a decade and a half, the report by Brand Finance indicates that the football business is increasingly concentrated among the European elites.
Over 60 percent of the total brand value represented in the report, amounting to over €14.9 billion, is shared among the top 10 clubs, with combined growth of 250 percent since 2012.
Most Valuable Football Clubs by Brand Value
According to Brand Finance, here are the top 10 football clubs with the most valuable brands in 2026:
1. Real Madrid — €2.4 billion
2. FC Barcelona — €2.0 billion
3. Arsenal — €1.5 billion
4. Bayern Munich — €1.5 billion
5. Paris Saint-Germain — €1.5 billion
6. Manchester City — €1.5 billion
7. Liverpool — €1.5 billion
8. Manchester United — €1.4 billion
9. Chelsea — €955 million
10. Borussia Dortmund — €664 million
While La Liga clubs remain comfortably at the top with values crossing €2 billion, the Premier League proves to dominate as a commercial powerhouse, with five clubs included in the top 10: Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea.
Real Madrid has endured a second consecutive year without a domestic trophy, after finishing second behind Barcelona during the last La Liga season. But the completion of the Santiago Bernabéu stadium renovation bolstered its commercial position, with its brand value growing 25 percent this year.
Meanwhile, Barcelona recorded 15 percent brand value growth thanks to its back-to-back La Liga titles and the club's return to Spotify Camp Nou.
The biggest jump this year comes from Arsenal, which climbed to its highest position ever after recording 28 percent brand value growth. Brand Finance also noted that The Gunners have overtaken Manchester United to become the strongest Premier League brand, ranking fourth globally.
Most Valuable Football Clubs by Enterprise Value
The top 10 most valuable football clubs according to enterprise value are as follows, citing figures displayed by Visual Capitalist:
1. Real Madrid — €8.1 billion
2. FC Barcelona — €6.7 billion
3. Bayern Munich — €6.0 billion
4. Arsenal — €6.0 billion
5. Liverpool — €5.1 billion
6. Manchester United — €4.7 billion
7. Manchester City — €4.5 billion
8. Paris Saint-Germain — €4.2 billion
9. Chelsea — €3.7 billion
10. Tottenham Hotspur — €2.3 billion
Real Madrid, home to Golden Boot winner Kylian Mbappe, once again dominates alongside Barcelona, with the next-highest Spanish team being Atletico Madrid, ranked 11th, with €2.2 billion. Visual Capitalist attributed the enterprise values of the two La Liga giants to their global fan base, commercial reach, and longtime victories.
Much like their brand value, Premier League also accounts for most clubs in the top 10 most valuable enterprises, placing 6 institutions: Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, and Tottenham Hotspur.
Beyond La Liga and the Premier League, the top 10 most valuable clubs also feature Germany's Bayern Munich and France's Paris Saint-Germain.
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