Real Madrid, Man City, PSG & the 100 richest football clubs in the world
The new footballing rich list for 2019 is here, with all the usual suspects still on top of the world when it comes to making their money count
The Soccerex Football Finance 100 for 2019 is out – and there may be one or two surprises floating around this year’s list.
Charting the strongest clubs around the globe in terms of monetary power with an analytical model utilising five variables to deliver a final calculation, the list allows fans to see who packs a punch when it comes to the big bucks.
Through utilising the values of playing assets, tangible assets such as stadiums, cash in the bank, owner potential investment and net debt, the Soccerex Football Finance 100 measures up the powerhouses of world football, ultimately awarding them a Football Finance Index (FFI) score based on the results.
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The results this year aren’t too unexpected, with many of the usual suspects rounding out the top 10 – but below, there may be a few more unforeseen teams jostling in the ranks.
Teams from 100-21 have been abbreviated, showing only their FFI scores, while a more detailed breakdown of the numbers is available for the top 20.
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No. 100-91
100. Tianjin Quanjian (China) – 0.09
99. Tijuana (Mexico) – 0.10
98. Sporting CP (Portugal) – 0.10
97. Cruzeiro (Brazil) – 0.11
96. Cardiff City (UK) – 0.11
95. Palmeiras (Brazil) – 0.12
94. Shandong Luneng (China) – 0.13
93. Sao Paulo (Brazil) – 0.13
92. Pachuca (Mexico) – 0.14
91. Cruz Azul (Mexico) – 0.14
CARL DE SOUZA/AFP/Getty Images
No. 90-81
90. River Plate (Argentina) – 0.16
89. Hebei China Fortune (China) – 0.16
88. Dynamo Kiev (Ukraine) – 0.16
87. Huddersfield Town (UK) – 0.17
86. Shanghai Shenhua (China) – 0.18
85. Flamengo (Brazil) – 0.19
84. Independiente (Argentina) – 0.20
83. Atletico Mineiro (Brazil) – 0.21
82. Queens Park Rangers (UK) – 0.21
81. Watford (UK) – 0.23
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No. 80-71
80. Bordeaux (France) – 0.23
79. Tigres (Mexico) – 0.23
78. Pumas (Mexico) – 0.24
77. Feyenoord (Netherlands) – 0.24
76. Corinthians (Brazil) – 0.24
75. Jiangsu Suning (China) – 0.25
74. Boca Juniors (Argentina) – 0.28
73. PSV (Netherlands) – 0.30
72. Atletico Paranaense (Brazil) – 0.30
71. Aston Villa (UK) – 0.30
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No. 70-61
70. Porto (Portugal) – 0.31
69. Beijing Guoan (China) – 0.32
68. Girona (Spain) – 0.33
67. Nice (France) – 0.34
66. Benfica (Portugal) – 0.34
65. Internacional (Brazil) – 0.35
64. Espanyol (Spain) – 0.35
63. Shanghai SIPG (China) – 0.36
62. Burnley (UK) – 0.39
61. Roma (Italy) – 0.39
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No. 60-51
60. Brighton & Hove Albion (UK) – 0.39
59. Club America (Mexico) – 0.40
58. Newcastle United (UK) – 0.41
57. Chicago Fire (USA) – 0.43
56. Portland Timbers (USA) – 0.43
55. Schalke (Germany) – 0.43
54. Houston Dynamo (USA) – 0.43
53. Rennes (France) – 0.44
52. Chivas (Mexico) – 0.45
51. Orlando City (USA) – 0.45
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No. 50-41
50. Atlanta United (USA) – 0.47
49. Sevilla (Spain) – 0.49
48. Monterrey (Mexico) – 0.49
47. San Jose Earthquakes (USA) – 0.50
46. Sporting Kansas City (USA) – 0.53
45. West Ham United (UK) – 0.53
44. Crystal Palace (UK) – 0.57
43. Bournemouth (UK) – 0.58
42. Spartak Moscow (Russia) – 0.59
41. Lazio (Italy) – 0.59
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No. 40-31
40. Toronto (Canada) – 0.60
39. Milan (Italy) – 0.61
38. New York City FC (USA) – 0.62
37. Stoke City (UK) – 0.62
36. Ajax (Netherlands) – 0.64
35. Marseille (France) – 0.65
34. Southampton (UK) – 0.65
33. Athletic Bilbao (Spain) – 0.66
32. New York Red Bulls (USA) – 0.72
31. Colorado Rapids (USA) – 0.73
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No. 30-21
30. New England Revolution (USA) – 0.75
29. Zenit Saint Petersburg (Russia) – 0.77
28. Wolverhampton Wanderers (UK) – 0.78
27. Everton (UK) – 0.81
26. Fulham (UK) – 0.85
25. Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine) – 0.86
24. Inter (Italy) – 0.95
23. Napoli (Italy) – 0.95
22. Monaco (France) – 0.96
21. Seattle Sounders (USA) – 0.97
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No. 20 – Valencia (Spain)
FFI Score: 1.02
Playing Assets: €424m (£372m/$485m)
Tangible Assets: €268m (£235m/$306m)
Cash in the Bank: €12m (£10.5m/$13.7m)
Owner Potential Investment: €58m (£51m/$66m)
Net Debt: €330m (£289m/$377m)
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No. 19 – Leicester City (UK)
FFI Score: 1.10
Playing Assets: €319m (£280m/$365m)
Tangible Assets: €61m (£53m/$70m)
Cash in the Bank: €59m (£52m/$67m)
Owner Potential Investment: €144m (£126m/$165m)
Net Debt: €17m (£15m/$19m)
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No. 18 – LA Galaxy (USA)
FFI Score: 1.19
Playing Assets: €28m (£25m/$32m)
Tangible Assets: €232m (£203m/$265m)
Cash in the Bank: N/A
Owner Potential Investment: €332m (£291m/$379m)
Net Debt: N/A
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No. 17 – Lyon (France)
FFI Score: 1.21
Playing Assets: €339m (£297m/$388m)
Tangible Assets: €415m (£363m/$475m)
Cash in the Bank: €19.7m (£17.2m/$22.5m)
Owner Potential Investment: €15m (£13m/$17m)
Net Debt: €213m (£187m/$244m)
Alexander Hassenstein
No. 16 – RB Leipzig (Germany)
FFI Score: 1.31
Playing Assets: €316m (£277m/$361m)
Tangible Assets: €15m (£13m/$17m)
Cash in the Bank: €0.7m (£0.6m/$0.8m)
Owner Potential Investment: €373m (£327m/$426m)
Net Debt: €91m (£80m/$104m)
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No. 15 – Borussia Dortmund (Germany)
FFI Score: 1.42
Playing Assets: €412m (£361m/$471m)
Tangible Assets: €188m (£165m/$215m)
Cash in the Bank: €45.4m (£39.8m/$51.9m)
Owner Potential Investment: €90m (£79m/$103m)
Net Debt: -€13m (-£11.4m/-$15m)
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No. 14 – Bayer Leverkusen (Germany)
FFI Score: 1.54
Playing Assets: €377m (£330m/$431m)
Tangible Assets: €87m (£76m/$99m)
Cash in the Bank: N/A
Owner Potential Investment: €308m (£270m/$352m)
Net Debt: N/A
Denis Doyle
No. 13 – Atletico Madrid (Spain)
FFI Score: 1.56
Playing Assets: €807m (£707m/$923m)
Tangible Assets: €299m (£262m/$342m)
Cash in the Bank: €47m (£41m/$54m)
Owner Potential Investment: €30m (£26m/$34m)
Net Debt: €521m (£457m/$596m)
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No. 12 – Guangzhou Evergrande (China)
FFI Score: 1.72
Playing Assets: €91m (£80m/$104m)
Tangible Assets: €116m (£102m/$133m)
Cash in the Bank: €8.4m (£7.4m/$9.6m)
Owner Potential Investment: €625m (£548m/$715m)
Net Debt: N/A
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No. 11 – Liverpool (UK)
FFI Score: 1.83
Playing Assets: €876m (£768m/$1002m)
Tangible Assets: €194m (£170m/$222m)
Cash in the Bank: €5m (£4.4m/$5.7m)
Owner Potential Investment: €76m (£67m/$87m)
Net Debt: €296m (£259m/$338m)
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No. 10 – Chelsea (UK)
FFI Score: 1.89
Playing Assets: €852m (£747m/$974m)
Tangible Assets: €167m (£146m/$191m)
Cash in the Bank: N/A
Owner Potential Investment: €332m (£291m/$380m)
Net Debt: €576m (£505m/$659m)
Marco Bertorello
No. 9 – Juventus (Italy)
FFI Score: 1.96
Playing Assets: €768m (£673m/$878m)
Tangible Assets: €164m (£144m/$188m)
Cash in the Bank: €140m (£123m/$160m)
Owner Potential Investment: €253m (£226m/$289m)
Net Debt: €437m (£383m/$438m)
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No. 8 – Manchester United (UK)
FFI Score: 1.99
Playing Assets: €855m (£749m/$856m)
Tangible Assets: €279m (£245m/$319m)
Cash in the Bank: €331m (£290m/$378m)
Owner Potential Investment: €138m (£121m/$158m)
Net Debt: €751m (£658m/$752m)
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No. 7 – Barcelona (Spain)
FFI Score: 2.05
Playing Assets: €1143m (£1102m/$1307m)
Tangible Assets: €146m (£127m/$167m)
Cash in the Bank: €93m (£82m/$106m)
Owner Potential Investment: N/A
Net Debt: €435m (£381m/$497m)
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No. 6 – Real Madrid (Spain)
FFI Score: 2.38
Playing Assets: €969m (£849m/$1108m)
Tangible Assets: €333m (£291m/$381m)
Cash in the Bank: €178m (£156m/$204m)
Owner Potential Investment: N/A
Net Debt: €294m (£258m/$336m)
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No. 5 – Arsenal (UK)
FFI Score: 2.43
Playing Assets: €554m (£486m/$633m)
Tangible Assets: €492m (£431m/$563m)
Cash in the Bank: €206m (£181m/$236m)
Owner Potential Investment: €243m (£213m/$278)
Net Debt: €291m (£255m/$333m)
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No. 4 – Tottenham Hotspur (UK)
FFI Score: 2.66
Playing Assets: €830m (£727m/$949m)
Tangible Assets: €543m (£475m/$621m)
Cash in the Bank: €228m (£200m/$261m)
Owner Potential Investment: €115m (£101m/$131m)
Net Debt: €421m (£369m/$481m)
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No. 3 – Bayern Munich (Germany)
FFI Score: 2.67
Playing Assets: €828m (£725m/$947m)
Tangible Assets: €252m (£221m/$288m)
Cash in the Bank: €151.9m (£133m/$174m)
Owner Potential Investment: €118m (£103m/$135m)
Net Debt: -€85m (-£75m/-$97m)
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No. 2 – Paris Saint-Germain (France)
FFI Score: 3.84
Playing Assets: €820m (£719m/$948m)
Tangible Assets: €99m (£87m/$113m)
Cash in the Bank: €88.1m (£77m/$101m)
Owner Potential Investment: €941m (£825m/$1076m)
Net Debt: €37m (£32m/$42m)
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No. 1 – Manchester City (England)
FFI Score: 4.21
Playing Assets: €1058m (£927m/$1210m)
Tangible Assets: €471m (£413m/$539m)
Cash in the Bank: €21m (£18m/$24m)
Owner Potential Investment: €647m (£567m/$739m)
Net Debt: €80m (£70m/$91m)