Wealthy football clubs are getting wealthier every season. Despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the money circulating, on the ‘richest club in the world’ list, is still staggering. This can be seen by the amount of money these clubs are willing to dish out in the transfer window to acquire the best players.
Before the start of the 2021/22 season, Manchester City broke the British transfer record when it signed Jack Grealish for £100 million from Aston Villa. So, where does this money come from?
Wealthy owners, broadcast revenue, sponsorship deals and prize money, amongst other factors, propagate these clubs’ riches. We use the latest report from Deloitte’s Football Money League to tell you which is the richest club in the world in 2022 – Read on!
Richest Football Club in the World
10. Tottenham Hotspur – $482 million
Tottenham Hotspur is the 10th richest club in the world. The clubs’ status has recently been elevated with their impressive run in the Champions League. The Premier League’s television deal and the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium have boosted the club’s financial status.
Club chairman Daniel Levy is not the biggest spender, and with Antonio Conte at the helm, he might be forced to fork out more to get the team to compete with the big boys.
9. Juventus – $457 million
Juventus is one of the top 10 richest club in the world and the only Italian club to feature on this list. The Bianconerri have dominated Italian football for the better part of the decade, having lifted nine Scudettos between 2011 and 2019.
This means that the club benefited from the lucrative Champions League and the possibility of signing the best players. However, their domestic dominance hasn’t always translated to continental success. They last reached the Champions League final in 2017 but lost to Real Madrid.
The team has once more hired the services of Massimiliano Allegri after they let go of club icon Andrea Pirlo whose tenure saw the club finish fourth.
8. Chelsea FC – $520 million
Todd Boehly is the new owner of Chelsea FC. He bought the club for 2.5 billion pounds from Russian tycoon Roman Abramovich. Boehly is not new in sports management as he partly owns American sports teams, Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Boehly has his work cut out as Chelsea is set to finish in the top four.
The club will be allowed to participate in the summer transfer window after the successful sale, and they’ll need more reinforcement with Antonio Rudiger and Cesar Azpilicueta set to leave. Abramovich was a generous spender in the transfer market, so will that change with the new owners?
7. Liverpool – $581.6 million
The arrival of the German coach Jurgen Klopp injected excitement back at Anfield. Klopp is admired for his metallic football, and the Reds fans always look forward to the next game.
Liverpool is the 7th richest club in the world, and that can be seen by how Club owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG) have supported Klopp in the transfer market. It has resulted in a team that has since won the Premier League and the Champions League.
Jurgen Klopp will stay after he extended the contract to see him remain at the club until 2026. Will this inspire some of its stars – Sadio Mane and Mohammed Salah – to stay on?
6. Paris Saint Germain – $587.6 million
What’s the one thing that comes to mind when you hear or watch PSG? Money! It’s the sixth world’s richest football club, with a revenue of $587.6 million. The club possesses some of the priciest and most fancied players.
Their forward lineup consists of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe. However, they need more than that to win the Champions League, the one trophy the club yearns to win. PSG came closest in 2020 but lost to Bayern Munich.
5. Manchester United – $589.4 million
Since Manchester United retired from Manchester United in 2013, the club is yet to win a major title. That notwithstanding, the Red Devils are still commercially viable and one of the world’s richest football clubs.
Their on-the-pitch problems mean they lose out on the lucrative Champions League, but it has yet to impact their general revenue as the allure of the United brand remains.
Whether it’s players wanting to join the club or brand partnerships, United is still making money, which is the one thing that irritates its fanbase, who, despite their lost glory, still have high expectations of their players.
4. FC Barcelona – $613.5 million
Barcelona has missed out on the La Liga title yet again, but the team seems more settled than it was at the beginning of the season.
Barca has put the dramatic exit of star man Lionel Messi behind them and has brought in Xavi as the head coach, and if he plays his cards well, the possibility of returning to the top is likely.
Despite all the chaos, Barcelona remains one of the world’s richest clubs.
3. Bayern Munich – $644.7 million
The Bavarians lifted a tenth consecutive Bundesliga title. The German club has proven their dominance beyond the borders, with their last Champions League victory coming in 2019/2020.
Bayern is one of the world’s richest clubs, but it’s not a flashy side. Its transfer business, in fact, rarely results in dramatic news headlines.
They go about their duties quietly and let their success on the pitch and the financials market do the talking.
2. Real Madrid – $675.4 million
Everything is a big deal at the Santiago Bernabeu. How they operate, the players they buy, how they win or lose games, the calibre of the manager and many other facets explain why Los Blancos is one of the most revered clubs in the world.
Real Madrid is the most successful and the second world’s richest football club. They have the chance to win a record-extending 14th Champions League title on May 28 at the Stade de France in Paris.
They go in as La Liga champions after clinching their 35th title, which will only add to their ever-growing revenue.
1. Manchester City – $679.3 million
Manchester City is the richest club in the world. The arrival of Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has seen City’s revenue balloon over the years. This led to the signing of one of the best football coaches Pep Guardiola which has resulted in the clubs’ success, at least in domestic football.
Since Pep took over in 2016, Manchester City has won three league titles – on course to win a fourth – and has set records in the league – most goals, most points and most wins in a season.
The clubs spending on the transfer market keep going up and having missed out on the Champions League title yet again, they might pay more money as they seek to solve the Champions League puzzle.