Manchester City has been named the most valuable football club brand in the world, topping the Brand Finance Football 50 2023 Report for the first time. Following a successful season of winning the Premier League, alongside an FA Cup final win, Manchester City has made its mark once again as this is the first time an English club has held the number one spot in this report in six years.
The report, which rivals Manchester United have previously topped, details a 34% positive growth in City’s brand value since the COVID-19 pandemic, rising to more than £1.3 billion, with the Premier League champions overtaking Real Madrid for the top position. A decade of dominance on the pitch and the highest revenue of any of club in the report were outlined as key drivers for City’s rise in the rankings.
The news follows Manchester City lifting the FA Cup to complete a domestic double after winning a third successive Premier League last month, with the Club looking to add more silverware to this season as it competes in the UEFA Champions League Final this weekend. Other Premier League football teams which appeared in the top ten of the Brand Finance Football 50 2023 Report included Manchester United in fourth place, closely followed by Liverpool FC in fifth place, then Arsenal in eighth place, then Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea in ninth and tenth positions.
This season the Club has also topped the Deloitte Money League for the second successive year after announcing a record revenue of £613 million and profits of £41.7 million, the latter being more than double the previous Club record. City’s retail operation has also continued to break records with incredible demand for the 2022/23 season kits and the most recent kit launch seeing a new shirt sold every 12 seconds on the first day of sales.
Commenting on this achievement, Roel de Vries, Chief Operating Officer at City Football Group, said: “Being recognised as the world’s most valuable football club brand reflects the phenomenal growth story that Manchester City has had in recent years. This achievement recognises the evolution of not just the brand, but the Club as a whole. The Club has been performing consistently and has broken records on and off the pitch this season, whilst operating in a way that promotes financial sustainability.
“As we look to the future, we want to keep investing in the right things – our football talent, the city of Manchester and our local community, infrastructure and fan experience. We have a proven track record of innovation and are excited for the next chapter in this Club’s great history.”
Pep Guardiola and his squad are now just one game away from winning the treble (Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League), an achievement which only seven teams have managed to do, including Manchester United’s 1999 team. The potential win could see their value increase even further but can they do it?