Women’s soccer has experienced significant growth in recent years. And this isn’t just an increase in viewership, but in revenue as well. There have been an increasing number of instances where large sums of money have been spent or clubs sold for a substantial price. Let’s take a look at which women’s soccer clubs have benefited the most from this financial growth.
FC Barcelona Femení
FC Barcelona Femení isn’t just one of the best clubs in terms of results, but it is also one of the most financially successful clubs. If we were to list the best women’s soccer teams that bring in revenue, FC Barcelona Femení would take first place. During the 2023/2024 season, the club managed to generate €17.9 million in revenue.
They have been in the top position of women’s football teams in Europe, earning the most for the third consecutive year. Such an achievement couldn’t have come without fan support and the right marketing tactics. The club also has partnerships with Nike and Spotify, which are definitely helpful. Finally, their match day revenues help them financially.
Arsenal
Another top women’s soccer club in terms of revenue is Arsenal. This might be shocking to some, but Arsenal actually matched Barcelona’s €17.9 million in revenue during the 2023/2024 season. This only highlights the rise of the Women’s Super League (WSL). It also indicates that Arsenal has made strong commercial partnerships, which have helped them reach this position.
Chelsea
Chelsea is also one of the women’s soccer teams that bring in the most money. For the same seasons as Barcelona and Arsenal, they brought in a revenue of over €13.4 million. This can be understood in the way that Chelsea invests in top-tier talents such as Naomi Girma. Along with this, the club’s consistent performance in WSL and international competitions has undoubtedly helped them financially.
Manchester United
Coming in fourth position, Manchester United had brought in $10.7 million in revenue during the 2023/2024 season. The club’s commercial partnerships have surely helped them reach this milestone. Things will only get better if they manage to find their footing in the WSL and win more games. This, in return, will bring in more fans, which means more revenue.
So far, however, match day attendance has helped Manchester United financially, along with sponsorship deals. In the 2022/2023 season, the club earned a £7 million revenue. This means that they surpassed the average men’s professional team in League Two. Their commercial revenue has also contributed greatly to the position they are in. It accounts for about 74% of their income.
Real Madrid Femenino
Real Madrid Femenino has managed to bring in €10.5 million in revenue during the 2023/2024 season. This marks a new record for them, as the club has witnessed an increase from previous years. The growth definitely reflects the rise of Real Madrid Femenino in the world of women’s soccer.
Their revenue mainly comes from commercial deals, which equals three-quarters of their income. It helps that the name of Real Madrid is a global powerhouse, which helps them secure great sponsorship deals. In return, these deals contribute to the club’s revenue. The numbers of each club’s revenue have been reported by Deloitte, which provided a comprehensive report.
Angel City FC
Deloitte’s report primarily focused on European clubs, rather than examining the NWSL. One of the NWSL’s women’s soccer teams that deserves a mention is Angel City FC. In July 2024, the club was valued at a jaw-dropping $250 million. This came after a takeover by Willow Bay and Bob Iger, who are committed to investing $50 million to help with Angel City’s growth. With their strategic investments and sponsorship deals, Angel City is one of the best NWSL women’s soccer teams that bring in a lot of revenue.
According to Sports Business Journal, Angel City averaged more than 19,000 fans per game. This led them to lead the league in attendance in two out of the three seasons they have spent in the NWSL so far. Sources close to the club also revealed that their revenue in 2023 reached $33 million. Their revenue in 2024 reached $35.4 million. If this is the truth, then Angel City has surpassed all European clubs mentioned in the Deloitte report.
This Is Just the Beginning
The numbers brought in by women’s soccer teams are just the beginning. Women’s soccer will continue to grow as the years pass, which will help attract more players and improve facilities. The report provided by Deloitte also hinted that for the first time, the collective revenue of 15 clubs they analyzed has passed €100 million. This marks a 35% increase from the previous year. It’s numbers and statistics like these that show us this is just the beginning for women’s soccer teams.
Image via @fcbfemeni
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