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Premier League fans won’t have missed Manchester United’s precarious season start. One of soccer’s most valuable brands, it finished a lowly 15th place in the league table in May and will miss out on Europe-wide competition for the second time since 1990. The current campaign isn’t signaling an imminent turnaround.
But despite the doom and gloom on the pitch, it’s worth remembering that sports clubs can still display incredible financial resilience, and in the era of clubs as businesses, that matters. Mature global brands like Man United can reach even further beyond their grasp, even amid the steady decline in performance on the field.
The club reported record revenue of £666.5 million for fiscal 2025 (roughly $896 million at the time of writing), driven by increases in commercial and match day revenue. Though it still recorded a net loss of £33m for the financial year, it narrowed from £113.2 million the year prior. For a club mired in debt since a controversial 2005 takeover, that’s progress.
The business of soccer
Manchester United’s commercial revenue—made up of sponsorships and retail, merchandising, apparel and product licensing—increased 10% YoY to a record £333.3 million (roughly $448 million). Much of this growth came from the start of a five-year front-of-shirt sponsorship deal with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon brand. Shirt sponsorships are incredibly lucrative for soccer clubs—just ask Chelsea FC, which still doesn’t have one this year.
For retail, merchandising, apparel, and product licensing, the team saw revenue increase by 15.8% YoY to £144.9 million (roughly $195 million), which the team attributes to the launch of its new e-commerce model. Manchester United has no problem attracting blue-chip sponsors; it recently signed a multi-year partnership with Coca-Cola across the UK and Europe.
Match day revenue also jumped 16.9% YoY to £160.3 million (roughly $215 million) due to the team playing five more home games during the last season (and also a function of consistent, and unpopular, ticket price increases).
A broader restructuring plan is also a part of the story, though the fruits of this are still to be determined. Since becoming co-owner last year, British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe (through his chemicals conglomerate Ineos) has enacted a broad cost-cutting drive, including elimination of staff redundancies and even the closure of perks like the club canteen.
Sizing up the competition
All of the above has kept Manchester United’s financial ship on a steady course, but despite the financial gains, the club’s poor performance on the field is giving better performing teams an opening. Sporting giants like Liverpool, Arsenal, and Manchester City are growing brands in their own right, even if they still have work to do to enjoy the same global appeal.
For United fans regretting one of the most turbulent moments in its 147-year history, any positives are worth cheering, and the power of brand Man United still shines bright for now.