Billions divided among English clubs

Premier League champion Chelsea earned a record income of over 176 million euros this past season.

Billions divided among English clubs
Debates over whether the English Premier League or Spain’s La Liga is the better football league remain unsettled. But when it comes to wealth, the numbers speak for themselves. According to insideworldfootball.com, the twenty Premier League clubs shared a record 2.87 billion euros in the recently concluded season. In contrast, La Liga’s twenty clubs received one billion less. “The reason lies in the greater appeal of the English league and record revenues from domestic and international TV rights,” sports analyst and football agent Jozef Tokos told the Economic Daily.

The largest portion of the multi-billion-euro pie went to league champions Chelsea, who earned more than 176 million euros. For comparison, that’s 60 million more than last season’s top financial earner, Arsenal.

A fairer system in England
Beyond the massive earnings gap, there are structural differences in how the two leagues distribute revenue. In England, club earnings are based on the previous season’s final standings. In Spain, however, the last five seasons are considered, along with club membership figures, season ticket sales, and average attendance. These criteria help secure the dominant financial positions of giants like Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. “It’s interesting to compare the gap between the top- and bottom-earning clubs. In Spain, the difference is about 2.5 times. In the Premier League, it’s only 1.5,” Tokos noted.

Breaking it down: La Liga’s last-place team Granada earned 62 million euros, while top-placed Real Madrid took home 150 million. In England, the difference was much smaller—Chelsea earned 176 million, while bottom team Sunderland earned 115 million. “This means the English system is fairer. They don’t consider club membership or attendance. Besides league position, the number of televised matches—determined by broadcasters—is what matters,” Tokos explained.

Interestingly, Chelsea, the league winners, weren’t the top earners in TV broadcast revenue. That honor went to Liverpool, who had the most televised matches.

The world’s most lucrative match
The financial appeal of the Premier League is also why its promotion play-off final is considered the most lucrative football match. The winner earns more from promotion than the UEFA Champions League winner does from claiming Europe’s top trophy.

This past Monday, Huddersfield Town won that coveted spot. The club, returning to the Premier League after 45 years, is expected to earn nearly 200 million euros from TV rights, sponsorships, and ticket sales, according to the Associated Press. “It’s a small miracle that Huddersfield will play in next season’s Premier League. Their budget will increase many times over, and it will be up to the club’s management to handle the situation wisely,” said Tokos.

Last season, Huddersfield finished 19th in the Championship, and their annual budget was just 14 million euros. Now, a single win has brought them fourteen times that amount. “We weren’t thinking about money or what the Premier League would bring. We just wanted to win the next game,” head coach David Wagner told British media.

In comparison, no Champions League winner has ever earned over 100 million euros. That could change this Saturday when Real Madrid and Juventus face off in the final.

Top Premier League earners (in million euros)

1. Chelsea – 176.07

2. Man City – 171.69

3. Tottenham – 170.65

4. Liverpool – 170.65

5. Man United – 165.12

6. Arsenal – 164.09

7. Everton – 152.22

8. Southampton – 146.69

9. Bournemouth – 142.42

10. West Ham – 140.12

Source: insideworldfootball.com