UEFA, the governing body of soccer in Europe, has published its detailed financial report for 2023, which includes information on the revenues, sponsorships, debts, and merchandise sales of top European clubs. Manchester City, last season’s Treble-winners, announced a record turnover of £712.8 million ($900.4 million) in November but did not make it into UEFA’s top 10 list for jersey and merchandise sales. Despite their success on the field, it will take time for City to reach the popularity of teams like Liverpool, Manchester United, and Arsenal.
Let’s take a closer look at the 10 teams that earned the most money from jersey and merchandise sales in 2023:
In 10th place, we have Tottenham Hotspur, led by Ange Postecoglou. The club earned €74 million ($80.1 million) from jersey and merchandise sales in 2023. Tottenham finished eighth in the 2022-23 season, and the departure of their star player, Harry Kane, likely impacted their sales. However, they still have a chance to boost their earnings by securing a Champions League spot for the next season.
Juventus, despite a disappointing 2022-23 season, remained the most popular team in Italy, generating €74 million ($80.1 million) from jersey and merchandise sales. They are currently in second place in Serie A but face a significant gap behind Inter Milan in the title race.
Chelsea, despite a poor campaign in the 2022-23 season, earned an impressive €87 million ($94.1 million) from jersey and merchandise sales. Under Mauricio Pochettino, Chelsea has shown some improvement this season and is currently in 10th place in the Premier League.
Arsenal, an aspirant in the Premier League, secured €89 million ($96.3 million) from selling jerseys and merchandise in 2023. With popular players like Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, and Declan Rice, Arsenal has the potential to further increase their revenue by signing a top-tier striker in the upcoming transfer window.
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), the Ligue 1 holders, earned a respectable €97 million ($104.9 million) in jersey and merchandise sales, making them the most popular club in France. However, the departures of Lionel Messi and Neymar, along with the potential exit of Kylian Mbappe, might impact their sales in the future.
Manchester United, the most successful club in England, earned €130 million ($140.6 million) from jersey and merchandise sales. Despite not winning the Premier League since 2013, United remains one of the top-selling clubs. However, their current struggles on the field might affect their financial performance.
Liverpool narrowly surpassed Manchester United as the most popular club in England, earning €132 million ($142.8 million) from jersey and merchandise sales. Although they didn’t win major trophies last season, Liverpool is currently leading the Premier League and is expected to perform well in other competitions.
Bayern Munich, the dominant force in German football, earned €147 million ($158.9 million) from jersey and merchandise sales. Their signing of Harry Kane from Tottenham Hotspur likely contributed to their sales success.
Real Madrid, despite not winning La Liga or the UEFA Champions League in the 2022-23 season, generated €155 million ($167.6 million) from jersey and merchandise sales. Their global reach and the potential addition of Kylian Mbappe are expected to further boost their sales.
Barcelona, despite losing Lionel Messi in 2021, remains the most popular club in Europe in terms of jersey and merchandise sales. They earned €179 million ($193.6 million) in 2023, surpassing their arch-rivals Real Madrid. The recent success of winning La Liga might have positively impacted their merchandise sales.
It will be interesting to see how these clubs perform financially in the coming years, considering their on-field successes and potential signings.
According to the Source sportslens.com