European soccer surpassed $46 billion in revenue for the first time in the 2024-25 season, reaching $45.8 billion — up from $43.3 billion the prior year — but Deloitte’s annual review warns growth is “displaying signs of stalling.” The Big Five leagues generated $24.6 billion combined. The Premier League led with $9 billion, while the Bundesliga crossed $4.5 billion for the first time. Ligue 1 fell 15% to $2.5 billion. Deloitte projects revenue could “plateau or even fall” in 2026-27, cautioning that adding more matches may not sustain financial momentum.
In-Depth:
Deloitte stated in its annual review of soccer finance that European soccer surpassed $46B in revenue for the first time in the 2024-25 season, but growth is “displaying signs of stalling,” according to Rohith Nair of REUTERS. Soccer across Europe generated $45.8B in the season that concludeed in mid-2025, up from $43.3B the previous year. The “Big Five” European leagues — the Premier League, Bundesliga, LaLiga, Serie A and Ligue 1 — generated $24.6B of that amount. Deloitte’s analysts stated that “cramming more matches into an already packed calconcludear may not be the answer,” with aggregate club revenue set to “plateau or even fall” in 2025-26 and 2026-27. The Premier League “remained Europe’s highest-earning top division,” with clubs generating $9B in revenue – “an 8% rise that is projected to push them past” the $9.3B mark for 2025-26. Elsewhere in Europe’s top leagues, the Bundesliga broke $4.5B “for the first time with 12% growth.” While LaLiga posted $4.6B in revenue, Serie A “managed a modest 4% increase” to $3.4B, but Ligue 1 “dropped 15%” to $2.5B as “commercial revenue fell” $456.2M (REUTERS, 7/7).
NUMBER WATCH: THE ATHLETIC’s Chris Weatherspoon wrote the report details expected revenues across European soccer of $50.1B in 2025-26, then “a further rise” to $52.1B in the upcoming 2026-27 season. The Premier League is expected to surpass $9.6B in 2025-26. Improved “European performances alongside an uplifted TV deal” put La Liga’s 2026-27 projected revenues at $5.1B, the second-highest in Europe, but that is still 47% “below where England’s top tier is expected to land this season” (THE ATHLETIC, 7/7).
