Liverpool have closed the gap significantly on Manchester City to sit near level when it comes to brand value
General view of Liverpool's Anfield Stadium.
General view of Liverpool's Anfield Stadium.(Image: Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
The increased success on the pitch has had a knock-on effect off it for Liverpool in recent years. The Reds’ heavy transfer spending this summer is a direct result of a sensible financial strategy and being able to pull in huge revenues.
From prize money to broadcast rights, from commercial revenue to matchday income, Liverpool have been on a steep incline for a number of years, and heading into the 2025/26 Premier League season as reigning champions, the club as a brand has never been more powerful or impactful on the global stage.
In a report published today which details the brand value of the top 50 clubs in European football, Liverpool sit fourth, a spot ahead of last year, but up to €1.4bn (£1.21bn) compared to the £1.185bn that it was in 2024.
While a reasonably modest rise of 2.1% might not seem a huge amount, that figure is against the backdrop of a poor season on the pitch and other factors seeing an 11% pullback in Manchester City’s brand value, which also sits at €1.4bn, albeit a little higher than the Reds, who had an elite AAA+ brand rating of 92.8/100.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League success saw them overtake Manchester United and occupy fifth spot on the Brand Finance Football 50 ranking.
That has seen City drop to third, overtaken by Barcelona who achieved an 11% increase to reach €1.7bn, with Real Madrid leading the way by some distance at €1.9bn, showing that despite the perceived lack of quality of Spain’s La Liga in comparison to the Premier League, and its smaller broadcast deals, the two clubs with the biggest brand finance pull both play outside of England.
Brand value is calculated by assessing the earnings of clubs that are specifically related to brand reputation. Clubs own and control earnings by owning the trademark rights.
Content Image
Content Image
Every year, brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance puts 5,000 of the biggest brands to the test and publishes around 100 reports, ranking brands across many sectors and countries. The football industry’s top 50 most valuable and strongest brands are included in the annual Brand Finance Football 50 ranking. This valuation, generated by professional accountants in compliance with ISO brand valuation standards, seeks to estimate the net economic benefit that a brand owner would achieve by licensing the brand in the open market.
In addition to calculating brand value, Brand Finance also determines the relative strength of brands through a balanced scorecard of metrics evaluating marketing investment, stakeholder equity, and business performance.
Hugo Hensley, head of sports services at Brand Finance said: “The combined value of the world’s top 50 football club brands has climbed to €21.9 billion in 2025.
“However, Brand Finance research reveals a growing imbalance across the game, as outside of the Premier League, brand value is increasingly concentrated among a handful of elite clubs in Europe’s top leagues. Brand is no longer a byproduct of performance but is now a defining driver of success. As the sport becomes increasingly competitive both on the pitch and commercially, clubs and leagues must manage their brands strategically to ensure they aren’t edged out of realising the benefits of a strong and valuable brand.”
Liverpool saw commercial revenue rise to £308m in 2023/24, the most recently published set of accounts. Major deals with blue-chip brands such as Google Pixel, UPS, Husqvarna and Japan Airlines, among others, have come on board, while the club recently partnered with Adidas as their kit partner for the next 10 years. The club has a long-standing front-of-shirt sponsorship with Standard Chartered.
For the latest news and breaking news, visit liverpoolecho.co.uk/all-about/liverpool-fc. Get all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you.
Follow us on Twitter @LivEchoLFC - the official Liverpool ECHO LFC Twitter account - for all the latest LFC news as it happens in real time.
We're also on Facebook/LiverpoolEchoLFC - your must-see LFC news, features, videos and pictures throughout the day from the Liverpool ECHO.
Listen to our podcasts by searching for 'Blood Red' wherever you get your podcasts.
Sign up for one of the Liverpool Echo's free daily and weekly newsletters on Liverpool FC by clicking here.