The latest Deloitte Annual Review of Football Finance is now available and is well worth reading: https://www.deloitte.com/content/dam/assets-zone2/uk/en/docs/services/consulting/2026/deloitte-annual-review-of-football-finance-2026.pdf
It sounds a cautionary note about the state of the game and the growing gap between fans and wealthy owners, but then we live in a world in which billionaires are increasingly calling the shots in culture, sports and politics.
The report states: 'The 2024/25 season was one of transformation and expansion, with both UEFA and FIFA launching refreshed competitions for their flagship men’s club competitions. These saw more clubs compete for larger prize pots, with distributions to those participating bolstering otherwise plateauing broadcast revenues.
These changes underpinned a 6% strengthening of the European
football market, which surpassed €40 billion for the first time in 2024/25. The
‘big five’ leagues’ relative contribution to this total remained consistent
with the prior season, at 54% (€22 billion).
Football cannot rely on more of the same to deliver
sustainable growth, though. An increasingly saturated market is not good for
players nor fans, and the game is in danger of prioritising short-term gain
over longer-term prosperity.
The complex trajectory of media rights values, coupled with
the ongoing shift towards revenue-linked spending regulation, means it is more
important than ever that organic growth and innovation are prioritised by
rights holders, whether they be governing bodies, leagues or clubs. Build it and
they’ll come?
Aided by the increase
in UEFA club competition matches, matchday revenue saw higher relative growth
than any other revenue stream across Europe’s ‘big five’ leagues in 2024/25.
Premier League clubs reached a new milestone, with matchday revenues surpassing
a collective £1 billion for the first time.
But clubs across Europe and beyond now face a critical
juncture when planning for the future of stadia. Ticket pricing structures for
the 2026 FIFA World Cup, about to enter its Quarter Finals at the time of this
publication’s launch, have understandably raised questions about the
accessibility of the game. This is a heightened example of the theme of
premiumisation, which is playing out across the club game.
Whilst the appetite
for live entertainment and particularly sport is significant, the approach to
fan engagement needs serious consideration, particularly for those fans who
attend games week in, week out. Frustrations among this group at the top-end of
the game are building and in future many more may decide to vote with their
feet, and step away from the live game.
This year’s publication reviews clubs’ financial performance
during the 2024/25 season, as well as exploring future projections and emerging
trends shaping the industry. Having long sat at the helm of what is becoming an
increasingly competitive and constantly evolving sports market, football
rightsholders and club owners must now proactively consider the questions –
what next, and where do we sit within this future landscape?
The fans, their recurring loyalty and the atmosphere are
what make football the globally leading sport, and so clubs must strike a
balance between growing revenues and preserving the essence of the live
matchday experience. This may be a difficult equilibrium to find, and will
differ from club to club and at different levels of the game, but will involve
developing differentiated products that serve existing match goers whilst
simultaneously catering to those seeking more personalised, high-end experiences.'
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