UEFA report predicts rapidly growing club revenues to break €30bn mark

February 27 – European club football is on course to break through the €30 billion revenue barrier for the first time.

UEFA’s latest European Club Finance and Investment Landscape report projects 2025 revenues will surpass 2024’s record €28.6 billion, extending a surge that has added more than €13 billion to the industry since 2015.

The report points towards growth driven by expanded UEFA distributions, broadcast cycles, commercial deals and post-pandemic matchday recovery. Transfer income alone has increased by 211% over the same period.

On the surface, the numbers point to a thriving industry.

“This edition of the report is quite special,” said UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin. “After a decade that included one of the toughest periods our sport and society have faced, European football has come through in a strong position. Despite the noise, despite the pressure, European football’s future remains bright.”

Top-division clubs collectively returned to operating profit in 2024 for the first time in five years, largely due to revenue recovery and record transfer margins. That said, the system still registered €1.1 billion in pre-tax losses, with financing costs and debt servicing continuing to bite.

A brief look at the report will tell the story that costs are climbing almost as fast as revenues. Non-player wages have risen 42% since 2021 and are forecast to account for 36% of revenue in 2025. Player wage growth has slowed to 2-3% annually, reflecting UEFA’s squad cost rules, while improved contract management has reduced the volume of players leaving on free transfers.

Matchday income, meanwhile, is doing a lot of the heavy lifting – though it seems to be increasingly falling on supporters.

Among the Premier League’s six biggest earners – Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham – average ticket revenue rose 19% year-on-year in 2025. Fans are now paying an average of £74 per match across those clubs, with Arsenal generating £89 per fan per game. Liverpool posted the sharpest rise, up 27% to £120m in total ticket income. The figures include domestic and European fixtures and cover general admission and hospitality.

See UEFA club finance report charts unstoppable rise of club ticket prices

The report shows record revenues are not automatically translating into clean profitability. While top-division clubs collectively returned to operating profit in 2024 for the first time in five years – largely on the back of rebounding income and record transfer gains – the ecosystem still posted €1.1bn in pre-tax losses.

The finding here is that for UEFA, cost control is now the central theme. Non-player wages have risen 42% since 2021 and are forecast to account for 36% of revenue in 2025, a substantial shift as back-office expansion and commercialisation accelerate with a renewed importance.

The growth of player wages, by contrast, has slowed to 2-3% annually, largely due to UEFA’s squad cost regulations and tighter financial supervision. Clubs have also improved contract management, reducing the volume of players exiting for free – a previously chronic drain on balance sheets.

The report shows that investor confidence is still robust – 111 club investment deals were recorded in 2025 – with capital flowing into infrastructure, digital expansion and multi-club ownership models.

“We established the UEFA Intelligence Centre to help spot risks early and support sustainable decision-making,” said Čeferin.

“It is good to see that some of the concerns raised in previous reports are showcasing positive trends. At the same time, it is clear that there is no room for complacency. Some trends in rising operating costs, increasing staff numbers, and non-player wage growth will need our close attention.”

All in, breaking €30bn feels like a headline moment. Whether it signals sustainable prosperity – or simply a bigger, more expensive system – is the question.

Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1772195432labto1772195432ofdlr1772195432owedi1772195432sni@g1772195432niwe.1772195432yrrah1772195432