Bayern Munich topple Manchester United to become most valued football club

Current UEFA Champions League winners FC Bayern Munich have pipped Manchester United as the most valued football club, according to Brand Finance Plc.

Bayern’s brand value has increased by €51 million compared to the previous year, whereas United’s value has gone down by €20 million.

“The challenge now for all Bundesliga clubs and the league itself is to see if they can export their domestic brand strength into global opportunities,” said David Haigh, CEO of London-based consultancy Brand Finance Plc, the authors of the annual report.

The study also describes Bayern as ‘a commercial powerhouse’.

Bayern Munich’s rise to number one has been made possible by their team reaching the later stages of the Champions League in recent seasons and an increase in reach across the globe besides strong financials and a steady increase in merchandise sales.

Brand Finance Plc calculates brand value using a formula including estimates of future turnover attributable to the brand name, and ongoing licensing deals. The brand value equates to the cost of a licence if a third party wished to use the brand commercially.

Top 25 Football Clubs by brand value

1. FC Bayern Munich €668M2. Manchester United FC €650M3. CF Real Madrid €482M4. FC Barcelona €444M5. FC Chelsea €325M

6. FC Arsenal €319M7. FC Liverpool €280M8. Manchester City FC €257M9. AC Milan €204M10. Borussia Dortmund €202M

11. FC Schalke 04 €201M12. Tottenham Hotspur FC €170M13. Juventus Torino €140M14. Ajax Amsterdam €126M15. Internazionale Milan €117M

16. Hamburger SV €112M17. Galatasaray Istanbul €90M18. Olympique Marseille €86M19. Corinthians €80M20. SSC Napoli €78M

21. Olympique Lyon €78M22. Fenerbahce Istanbul €74M23. Bayer 04 Leverkusen €70M24. FC Paris Saint-Germain €66M25. VfB Stuttgart €64M