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Emily Keogh
Arsenal Women has made history by topping the revenue rankings for the first time, generating a total of €25.6 million ($29.6m, £22.5m). This achievement comes as leading women’s football clubs collectively surpassed €150 million ($173.7m, £130m) in revenue, according to the latest Deloitte Football Money League report.
Deloitte’s report reveals that the top 15 revenue-generating women’s clubs worldwide have experienced a remarkable 35% increase in cumulative revenue.
Most of the top tier remains consistent with the previous year, as clubs from the Women’s Super League (WSL) continue to dominate the standings. Notably, leagues from Australia, Sweden, and the United States were not part of Deloitte’s analysis due to insufficient data.
Arsenal’s revenue rose by 43% compared to last season, benefiting from significant attendance, with over 35,000 fans attending five matches at the Emirates Stadium during the 2024-25 season. This strong turnout contributed to Arsenal achieving the highest matchday revenue among analyzed clubs, totaling €7 million ($8.1m, £6m).
Chelsea secured the second spot overall, with a total revenue of €25.4 million ($29.4m, £22m). The club also led the way in commercial income, reporting €19.1 million ($22.1m, £16.5m).
Barcelona came in third with €22 million ($25.4m, £19m), following another strong season in domestic competition.
Despite an overall 6% decline in average broadcast revenue across the 15 clubs for the 2024-25 season, the 13 clubs that were also featured in last year’s top 15 experienced a slight 3% increase in broadcast revenue, primarily due to long-term domestic television rights agreements that will remain effective for several more years.
There was an overall increase in matchday revenue of 15%, rising from €1.3 million ($1.5m, £1.1m) in 2023-24 to €1.5 million ($1.7m, £1.5m) in 2024-25; however, five WSL clubs encountered revenue declines following a record-setting 2023-24 season.
Participation in European and international competitions has also played a crucial role in boosting revenues.
Manchester City ranked fourth with €12.9 million ($14.9m, £11.2m), seeing a remarkable 63% increase in revenue after advancing to the Women’s Champions League knockout stages for the first time since the 2020-21 season.
Bayern Munich, which ranked eighth with €7.2 million ($8.3m, £6.2m), benefited significantly from their participation in the inaugural World Sevens Football tournament, reportedly earning around $2.5 million (£2 million) in prize money, underscoring the financial impact of new competitions on the women’s game.