Arsenal Women Leads Revenue Growth in Women’s Football

Arsenal Women has achieved a remarkable milestone by topping the revenue list for the first time, generating €25.6 million ($29.6 million, £22.5 million). This accomplishment comes as the leading women’s football clubs collectively surpassed €150 million ($173.7 million, £130 million) in revenue, according to Deloitte Football Money League.

The analysis reveals that the top 15 revenue-generating women’s clubs worldwide experienced a significant cumulative revenue increase of 35%.

The composition of this year’s leading tier remains largely consistent with the previous year, with clubs from the Women’s Super League (WSL) continuing to dominate the rankings. Notably, data from leagues in Australia, Sweden, and the United States is not included in Deloitte’s analysis due to unavailability.

Arsenal’s remarkable performance includes a 43% revenue increase compared to last season, driven by impressive match attendance, with crowds exceeding 35,000 at the Emirates Stadium on five occasions during the 2024-25 season. This strong attendance contributed to Arsenal generating the highest matchday revenue among the analyzed clubs, totaling €7 million ($8.1 million, £6 million).

Chelsea follows closely behind, ranking second overall with a total revenue of €25.4 million ($29.4 million, £22 million). The club also excelled in commercial income, generating €19.1 million ($22.1 million, £16.5 million).

Barcelona secured the third position with revenue of €22 million ($25.4 million, £19 million), building on another successful domestic season.

Across the 15 clubs, average broadcast revenue witnessed a decline of 6% for the 2024-25 season. However, for the 13 clubs that also appeared in last year’s top 15, broadcast revenue saw a slight increase of 3%, attributed to long-term domestic television rights deals, many of which have several years remaining until expiration.

Despite an overall average matchday revenue increase of 15%, from €1.3 million ($1.5 million, £1.1 million) in 2023-24 to €1.5 million ($1.7 million, £1.5 million) in 2024-25, five WSL clubs reported a decrease compared to the record-breaking 2023-24 season.

Additionally, participation in European and international competitions has significantly contributed to revenue growth.

Manchester City, now ranked fourth with €12.9 million ($14.9 million, £11.2 million), experienced a remarkable revenue increase of 63% after advancing to the Women’s Champions League knockout stages for the first time since the 2020-21 season.

Bayern Munich, ranked eighth with €7.2 million ($8.3 million, £6.2 million), benefited from competing in the inaugural World Sevens Football tournament, reportedly earning around $2.5 million (£2 million) in prize money. This underscores the substantial financial impact of new competitions at this pivotal stage of women’s football.