Real Madrid named world’s most valuable club as Barcelona overtake Man United
Forbes has declared Real Madrid the world’s most valuable football club once more, extending their lead at the top of global football finance rankings while Barcelona surpassed Manchester United in second position.
According to Forbes’ 2026 list of the world’s most valuable football teams, announced on Friday, Real Madrid is now valued at $9.5 billion, keeping their place for the fifth straight year and the tenth time in the last 13 editions.
The Spanish giants, despite enduring a disappointing campaign on the pitch, generated a record-breaking $1.27 billion in revenue during the 2024-25 season — the highest ever recorded by a football club and higher than the Dallas Cowboys’ NFL revenue figure measured by Forbes.
Barcelona climbed to second on the list with a valuation of $7.5 billion, while Manchester United dropped to third at $7.2 billion.
Liverpool retained fourth place with a valuation of $6.2 billion after winning the Premier League title, while Paris Saint-Germain rose to fifth at $5.8 billion following their UEFA Champions League triumph.
German champions Bayern Munich were ranked sixth with $5.7 billion, ahead of Manchester City in seventh at $5.5 billion. Arsenal moved into eighth with a valuation of $5.4 billion, while Chelsea and Tottenham completed the top 10.
Forbes noted that the 30 most valuable football clubs in the world are now collectively worth $87 billion, with the average club valuation rising by 21 per cent compared to last year.
The report also highlighted the growing financial power of the Premier League, which has 11 clubs in the top 30 — the highest representation from any league.
Other English clubs on the list include Aston Villa, Newcastle United, Everton, Fulham and Brighton.
Top 10 most valuable football clubs in 2026 (Forbes)
Real Madrid — $9.5bn
Barcelona — $7.5bn
Manchester United — $7.2bn
Liverpool — $6.2bn
Paris Saint-Germain — $5.8bn
Bayern Munich — $5.7bn
Manchester City — $5.5bn
Arsenal — $5.4bn
Chelsea — $4.2bn
Tottenham Hotspur — $3bn
