Real Madrid Retains Spot as Most Valuable Football Brand

It’s been a big year for football. 

With the FIFA World Cup 2026 expanding from 32 to 48 teams and being staged across three host nations, leading brands – such as Unilever, Carlsberg and Hyundai – have had unmatched marketing opportunities. 

But what about the teams themselves? 

According to David Haigh, Chairman and CEO of Brand Finance, “tournaments of this scale extend football’s reach into new markets and audiences, expanding the commercial opportunity available for clubs, federations and sponsors alike,” which he says reinforces the case for a “rigorous, financially grounded view” of brand value in the industry. 

According to Brand Finance’s recently released Football 50 report, global brand value for the world’s 50 most valuable football club brands now reaches a combined brand value of €23.9bn (US$27.88bn) and enterprise value of €79.7bn (US$92.95bn) – making it the strongest year of growth for football in the ranking’s history. 

Real Madrid: Football’s biggest brand 

In the ranking, Real Madrid has retained its title as the world’s most valuable football brand – with brand value growing 25% year-on-year to €2.4bn (US$2.8bn). 

With the 2025/26 season marking the first full year in which the team's Santiago Bernabéu stadium has operated at near full capacity, the club has seen notable growth across matchday, hospitality, museum and tourism revenue. 

According to CIES Football Observatory, Real Madrid is also the most followed club globally across social platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube – supporting its position as football’s leading commercial brand. 

FC Barcelona, meanwhile, retained its second place ranking, with brand value increasing 15% to €2bn (US$2.3bn). This, Brand Finance says, can be attributed to record sponsorship and merchandising revenue and strong e-commerce growth, as well as winning back-to-back La Liga titles.

Within the Premier League – 2026’s most commercially valuable football league  – Arsenal has climbed to its highest-ever position in the Football 50 ranking. 

The club reached third place, rising five ranks from the previous year, with a 28% increase in brand value to  €1.5bn (US$1.75bn). Its first Premier League title alongside a Champions League final appearance, Brand Finance says, has led to “record financial momentum” for the club.

Football’s brand strength

Within Brand Finance’s research, these football clubs are continuing to rank as some of the strongest brands across sectors. 

The six strongest football club brands in 2026 received a Brand Strength Index score – measured through perceptions that drive choice and the customer behaviours those perceptions produce – of at least 90 out of 100, which places them alongside some of the strongest global brands in the world. 

“Football's leading clubs, from Real Madrid CF to Manchester United FC, now command brand strength comparable to Coca-Cola or Google, a measure of how far the modern football industry has scaled,” says David. 

“Broadcasting, commercial and matchday income all continue to grow, and sponsorship remains one of the fastest-expanding revenue streams in the sport.”

This demonstrates strong potential for football as an industry to build deeper emotional connections with fans, while also maintaining commercial appeal, global recognition and long-term trust.

Who are Real Madrid’s biggest partners?

HP
HP Inc, headquartered in California, serves as Real Madrid's inaugural uniform sleeve sponsor and primary technology partner, deploying hardware across the team's facilities. Led by Interim CEO Bruce Broussard, the computing giant works alongside the Spanish club to accelerate digital transformation. The multi-year collaboration focuses on modernising the Santiago Bernabéu complex, enhancing fan experiences and providing artificial intelligence devices for daily operations. Both organisations have also co-created global community schemes to tackle the digital divide.

Adobe
Operating as the official fan experience partner, Adobe powers Real Madrid's audience personalisation. Guided by CEO Shantanu Narayen from headquarters in San Jose, California, the company uses AI tools to help the club engage millions of supporters worldwide. Their strategic alliance enables the club to deliver tailored digital content, real-time marketing campaigns and custom interactive templates. Using advanced cloud solutions, the partnership deepens supporter connections while expanding commercial reach across markets.

Cisco
Headquartered in California, Cisco serves as an official technology and network infrastructure partner for Real Madrid, powering connected stadium technologies. Managed by CEO Chuck Robbins, the networking leader provides high-speed Wi-Fi 7 connectivity and robust cybersecurity platforms to help support the club's digital growth. Cisco infrastructure is designed to support seamless operational security, dynamic digital media displays and enhanced stadium connectivity for millions of visiting fans.

Softtek
Through a strategic software engineering alliance, Softtek is helping modernise Real Madrid's core digital architecture to deliver scalable online fan experiences. Led by CEO Blanca Treviño from headquarters in Monterrey, Mexico, the IT services firm serves as a primary technology consultancy. The company oversees the complete redesign and maintenance of the club's official website, mobile application and RM Play streaming platform.