European soccer teams were some of the organizations hit hardest financially by the COVID-19 pandemic. But new figures from a season ago show most have recovered fully and are now seeing unprecedented growth.
During the 2022–23 soccer season, the first in which Europe’s top leagues all operated under no pandemic restrictions, the Big Five generated a record $20.93 billion, according to Deloitte’s 2024 Annual Review of Football Finance. That total was up $2.46 billion (14%) over the previous season.
Here’s how the leagues compared against one another:
- Premier League (U.K.): $7.43 billion
- Bundesliga (Germany): $4.09 billion
- LaLiga (Spain): $3.77 billion
- Serie A (Italy): $3.04 billion
- Ligue 1 (France): $2.53 billion
Broadcasting was the greatest source of revenue for each league, with sponsorship and commercial dollars coming in second, and match-day sales third.
Always Room for More
Despite the record growth, European soccer leaders are still exploring more ways to bring in additional revenue. LaLiga and the Premier League, in particular, appear to be keen on obtaining permission from their respective local authorities to play regular-season matches in the U.S.
On the media front, the Bundesliga flirted with bringing in private equity money, before backing down after fan pressure. Serie A completed new media-rights deals worth nearly $5 billion last year, while Ligue 1 is still searching for its next broadcasting contract.
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