Premier League clubs' revenue

In the 2023/24 season Premier League clubs’ aggregate revenue surpassed £6 billion for the second time.

The primary driver of growth across Premier League clubs was commercial revenue. Year-on-year growth of 8% (£165m) meant clubs cumulatively generated more than £2 billion in commercial revenue for the first time. The ‘big six’ clubs' commercial revenues grew by 8%, again contributing around three-quarters of the total. 

Clubs outside the ‘big six’ are also continuing to develop commercially led strategies and business models, enabling them to further grow and diversify this revenue stream for reinvestment into their football infrastructure. 

Premier League clubs’ commercial revenue is projected to grow further, to £2.3 billion, in 2024/25, driven by a number of new partnerships including significantly increased front-of-shirt sponsorships at various clubs. 

Matchday revenue also increased in 2023/24, rising by £43m (5%) to surpass a combined £900m for the first time. In 2024/25, Premier League clubs are expected to have generated matchday revenue of approaching £1 billion. This growth is driven by an increased number of home matches for teams competing in UEFA club competitions, ticket price increases and the promotion-in of clubs with larger stadia than those relegated-out.  

Broadcast revenue of Premier League clubs saw a marginal increase year-on-year, rising by 2% to £3.3 billion in 2023/24, the penultimate season of the league’s three-year rights cycle (2022/23: £3.2 billion). 

Premier League clubs' profitability

In 2023/24 total wage costs across the Premier League clubs marginally increased, by £8m, to £4.0 billion. 

Increased regulatory scrutiny and sanctions for breaches at domestic and European levels appears to have focussed the minds of some clubs and, in general, encouraged a better balance between costs and revenues. Consequently, Premier League clubs’ aggregate operating profit grew to over £0.5 billion, an increase of 36% year-on-year, and the highest since 2018/19 (the last full-season prior to COVID-19). This was driven by club mix, with the three clubs relegated in 2022/23 posting a combined operating loss of £77m, compared to a combined operating profit of £95m among the three clubs promoted for 2023/24. 

Premier League clubs’ pre-tax losses totalled £0.1 billion in 2023/24, a marked improvement on the previous season (2022/23: £0.7 billion). 

The Football Governance Bill looks set to progress towards legislation in 2025, which will see the set-up of an Independent Football Regulator placing greater emphasis on the promotion of financial sustainability in English football. It remains to be seen how the future division of revenues and the operations of clubs may be impacted, and how the regulator’s authority will be received by the Premier League and its clubs.