Some of the richest clubs in women’s football saw their revenues increase by 35% last year, with Arsenal generating the largest revenue in Europe for the first time since Deloitte began charting the top earners in the women’s game.
The north London side had revenues of €25.6m (£22.2m), narrowly overtaking Chelsea, thanks largely to their €7m of matchday revenue, which was nearly twice as much as anyone else, boosted by their move to play all of their home league fixtures at the Emirates Stadium. So far this season they have attracted an average home attendance of just over 35,000 fans.
Chelsea, meanwhile, brought in by far the highest commercial revenue, €19.1m, of the top 15 clubs included, through partnerships. However, Deloitte’s list does not include any American NWSL clubs, or any clubs from Australia or Sweden, as the relevant data was not available.
Most of Europe was included, however, along with Brazil and Japan, with the Japanese side Sanfrecce Hiroshima Regina raising the 14th-highest revenue of the clubs featured.
It is the fourth year in which Deloitte has profiled 15 of the world’s leading revenue-generating women’s clubs, and the first time those clubs had recorded average revenues above €10m per club. Women’s Super League clubs dominate the list.
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Vivianne Miedema came off the bench to score twice as Women’s Super League leaders Manchester City routed Bournemouth 6-0 to take their place in the fifth round of the Women’s FA Cup.
Goals from Khadija Shaw and Lauren Hemp, and Laura Coombs’ quickfire double, had City 4-0 ahead at the break, with Miedema wrapping up a comprehensive victory over the National League Southern Premier Division side.
Top-flight strugglers Liverpool also hit six with Denise O’Sullivan, Mia Enderby, Martha Thomas, Gemma Bonner, Alice Bergström and Alejandra Bernabé on target in a 6-0 demolition of fourth-tier London Bees.
Manchester United enjoyed a 5-0 win over National League Northern Premier Division leaders Burnley with Maya Le Tissier, Julia Zigiotti, Simi Awujo, Lea Schüller and Layla Drury on the scoresheet, while second-half goals from Arsenal‘s Stina Blackstenius and Kim Little were enough to see off Aston Villa 2-0.
Bethany England, Drew Spence and Lenna Gunning-Williams scored as Tottenham beat Leicester 3-0 in an all-WSL clash, and Amalie Thestrup’s hat-trick was the most notable contribution to Charlton‘s 10-0 drubbing of Swindon.
Madison Haley, from the penalty spot, and Jelena Cankovic struck late in either half to ease Brighton to a 2-0 win over WSL2 club Nottingham Forest, while Emily Syme completed a double deep into extra time to edge Bristol City to a 2-1 win at Southampton.
Elsewhere, Birmingham won 6-2 at Hull, Charlie Devlin’s double was enough to take Sheffield United past WSL2 rivals Ipswich and Oxford United saw off Middlesbrough, while Chatham got the better of York 3-0 in a showdown between two fourth-tier teams.
Of the WSL’s “big four” sides, Arsenal and Chelsea each generated more than twice as much revenue as their rivals Manchester City and Manchester United.
“As average revenues reach a new high, there is a meaningful gap forming between the top ranked clubs and the rest of the pack,” said Jennifer Haskel, knowledge and insight lead in the Deloitte Sports Business Group. “However, what is clear across the ranking, is that there is no one-size-fits-all blueprint for how to reach and engage fans, or how to deliver on a club’s business objectives.”
Commercial revenue remains women’s team’s key income stream, ahead of matchday and broadcast money, with commercial deals adding up to nearly three-quarters of team’s income, on average.
Matchday revenues rose by 15% on average, despite five WSL clubs reporting a season-on-season decrease in their attendances. Haskel said: “Whilst growth has developed significantly in women’s football in recent years, the shift from the start up phase to the established phase requires consistent time, investment, and effort to develop the foundations in the right manner.”