Arsenal top Deloitte women’s football revenue list as WSL clubs dominate

Arsenal have overtaken Chelsea to record the highest revenue in European women’s football, according to Deloitte’s annual ranking of the game’s top earners. The north London club generated €25.6m (£22.2m), the first time it has led the list since Deloitte began charting women’s football revenues.

The rise was driven largely by matchday income of €7m, nearly twice that of any other club, helped by Arsenal’s move to play all home league fixtures at the Emirates Stadium and an average home attendance of just over 35,000 so far this season. Chelsea recorded the highest commercial revenue among the 15 clubs included, earning €19.1m through partnerships.

Deloitte said revenues among some of the richest women’s clubs rose by 35% last year and this is the fourth year the consultancy has profiled 15 leading clubs. It noted the list covers most of Europe plus Brazil and Japan, with Japan’s Sanfrecce Hiroshima Regina placing 14th, but excludes American NWSL clubs and clubs from Australia and Sweden because the relevant data was not available.

It was also the first time the 15 clubs recorded average revenues above €10m each, and WSL clubs dominate the ranking. Jennifer Haskel of the Deloitte Sports Business Group said “there is a meaningful gap forming between the top ranked clubs and the rest of the pack” and that “there is no one-size-fits-all blueprint” for growth.

Key Topics

Sports, Arsenal, Chelsea, Women's Super League, Deloitte, Emirates Stadium