The European football market grew by a further eight percent to a record €38 billion in the 2023-24 season, according to the Annual Review of Football Finance published by professional services firm Deloitte on Thursday.
England’s Premier League once again led the way, with Europe’s top five leagues contributing €20.4 billion, an eight percent increase, followed by Germany’s Bundesliga, Italy’s Serie A, Spain’s La Liga and France’s Ligue 1.
The Bundesliga’s figure fell by one percent compared to the 2022-23 season, while matchday and commercial revenues fell by two percent and broadcasting rights revenue rose by one percent. Deloitte cited the relegation of Schalke and Hertha Berlin, clubs with large stadiums and fan bases, as the main reasons for the decline.
Stefan Ludvig, head of Deloitte’s sports business group in Germany, said that he expects the revenues of the five biggest leagues to exceed 21 billion euros in the 2024/2025 season, but then stagnate as the concluded transfer agreements show that no league has managed to achieve a significant increase.
– The pressure on the clubs is growing. They have to generate additional revenues and at the same time deal with rising costs in order to remain competitive – he said, press dpa.
