Premier League 'under strain' despite record £6.3 bn revenues
Fan protests over rising ticket prices have become commonplace in the Premier League (Oli SCARFF)
The combined revenue of Premier League clubs rose to a record £6.3 billion ($8.5 billion, 7.5 billion euros) in the 2023/24 season, but fan unrest and worsening competitive balance are cause for concern, according to financial experts Deloitte.
The rise in income for England's 20 top-flight clubs was fuelled by commercial income surpassing £2 billion for the first time and a rise in matchday revenue beyond £900 million.
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English clubs continue to enjoy a huge financial advantage over their European rivals.
Spain's La Liga, the second highest revenue-generating league, earned just over half that amount at 3.8 billion euros, almost 50 percent of which came from Real Madrid and Barcelona.
However, fan protests have become a common sight at Premier League stadiums over rising ticket prices and the squeezing out of local supporters to make way for more tourists willing to spend more for a special matchday experience.
"There can be no doubt that the system in English football is under strain," said Tim Bridge, the lead partner in the Deloitte Sports Business Group.
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"Repeated reports of fan unrest at ticket price and accessibility demonstrate the challenge in the modern era of balancing commercial growth with the historic essence of a football club's role and position in society: as a community asset."
There is also uncertainty over the implications of an incoming independent regulator for England's top five leagues.
And for the past two seasons, all three promoted clubs from the Championship have been immediately relegated back to the second tier.
"The financial implications of the 'yo-yo effect' on clubs, their spending, and overall competitiveness are major factors to address in order to continue attracting high levels of investment across the system," added Bridge in Deloitte's Annual Review of Football Finance.
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Total revenue of European clubs rose by eight percent in the 2023/24 campaign to 38 billion euros, boosted by increased commercial revenue and stadium developments.
The women's game also continues to grow commercially, particularly in England's Women's Super League (WSL).
Collective revenues in the WSL rose 34 percent to £65 million in 2023/24 and are projected to reach £100 million in the upcoming season.
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If Italy qualifies this time – and gets out of its group – these guys will be a major reason why. - Litman The road to '26: So much of the discourse around Portugal in recent years has centered on Cristiano Ronaldo's role, given that he failed to find the back of the net in the knockout stage of the last two World Cups and the last two Euros. But manager Roberto Martinez has continued to place his faith in Ronaldo and that likely won't change next summer. The 40-year-old is poised to play in his sixth World Cup, having scored in the previous five, and the good news is he'll be surrounded by a supporting cast sparkling with talent. Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, and Rafael Leao can all be counted on to provide inspiration, while Vitinha is one of the very best midfielders on the planet. Ruben Dias anchors the back line and Diogo Costa represents a safe pair of hands in goal. 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Other key players for this Portugal side will be goalkeeper Diogo Costa, who also showed off his heroics against Germany in the UEFA Nations League, as well as PSG midfielder Vitinha, who just helped his club win the Champions League. - Litman The road to '26: The Netherlands remain the most accomplished soccer nation yet to win a World Cup. The Dutch have been runners-up three times and fell on penalties to eventual champions Argentina in the quarterfinals in Qatar. This cycle has already featured another near miss in the form of a semifinal exit at Euro 2024. Whether the Netherlands can finally get over the hump next year may depend on whether Cody Gakpo scores enough goals to take some of the pressure off the aging Memphis Depay. Neither one will be starved for service thanks to the emerging Xavi Simons, and the dynamic Denzel Dumfries flying down the wing. Frenkie de Jong, Tijjani Reijnders and Ryan Gravenberch provide plenty of quality in the midfield, while Virgil van Dijk is still an imposing figure at the back. The Dutch won't be lacking in talent, and the hope is that, if they once again arrive at the latter stages of a World Cup, the breaks might just go their way for a change. - Mosse The keys to success: The Netherlands have come oh-so-close to winning a World Cup – they've made the final three times – but to no avail. The Oranje were knocked out in Qatar by eventual champions Argentina following a dramatic quarterfinal penalty shootout, otherwise there's a good chance they would have made a deeper run. Regardless, a talented roster will be assembled, including captain Virgil Van Dijk, who some would consider to be the best center back in the world. The 6'5" Liverpool defender is strong on the ball and in the air, and is not a player an attacker wants to see coming. He's flanked by fullback Denzel Dumfries, who helped Inter Milan reach the Champions League final, and supported by Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong, who controls the midfield. - Litman The road to '26: With all their success in other competitions of late, it's easy to forget that Spain have underwhelmed in each of the last three World Cups, crashing out in the group stage in 2014, followed by round-of-16 exits in both 2018 and 2022. But another early elimination seems unlikely. In fact, Spain might just be the clear-cut favorite in 2026. It has been a remarkable trophy haul so far in this cycle with the Spanish capturing the 2023 UEFA Nations League title, followed by both the Euros and the Olympic gold medal in 2024. A World Cup crown would be the icing on the cake, and it's difficult to bet against them given the presence of Lamine Yamal, a player displaying a level of preciousness not seen since Pele. The Barcelona teenager headlines an explosive attack that includes Nico Williams, while a midfield featuring Pedri and Ballon d'Or winner Rodri will likely ensure that Spain controls every game next summer. Spain captured the 2010 World Cup with one of the greatest teams of all-time, and this current group feels like worthy successors. - Mosse The keys to success: This team is the favorite to win the World Cup. The reigning European champions just seem to keep getting better and better as Lamine Yamal gets more experienced (probably not a coincidence!). The 17-year-old winger is coming off a stellar season with Barcelona where at times he looked like the best player in the world. Yamal plays free and fearless, and exudes joy on the pitch. He's supported by top talents like Manchester City midfielder and 2024 Ballon d'Or winner Rodri, who is currently coming back from a knee injury, as well as club teammate Pedri, who is lethal on the dribble and is one of the most creative midfielders in the game right now. - Litman The road to '26: After reaching the round of 16 in Qatar with the second-youngest squad in the tournament, expectations were supposed to be sky high for the United States in 2026. But concerns began to creep in after a disappointing group stage exit at last year's Copa América, which ultimately cost Gregg Berhalter his job as manager. His replacement Mauricio Pochettino then presided over defeats to Panama and Canada in the Concacaf Nations League, raising further doubts about whether this generation of players is golden after all. The good news is Pochettino has 12 months to address current problems and the potential still exists for a successful campaign on home soil. Christian Pulisic will need to be a genuine match-winner to make up for the lack of a prolific center forward. Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie should help form a strong midfield, while Sergino Dest and Antonee Robinson can provide inspiration from the flanks. Question marks do remain at both center back and in goal. - Mosse The keys to success: There's a lot to be concerned about as it pertains to the 2026 World Cup co-hosts. After a disastrous Concacaf Nations League in March, which saw the USMNT flame out in losses to Panama and Canada, the team was heavily criticized for being entitled and not caring enough about playing for their country. To make matters worse, the team's biggest stars like Christian Pulisic, Antonee Robinson and Weston McKennie are among a larger group that will not play in this summer's Gold Cup, which is the last competitive tournament the team will play in before the World Cup since they don't have to qualify. How will new manager Mauricio Pochettino come up with a roster for next summer that is cohesive, understands each other's tendencies and can win tough games together? That will remain a massive question for the next 12 months. - Litman The road to '26: Mexico entered the last World Cup with visions of getting over the round-of-16 hump, but they failed to even make it out of the group stage. Tata Martino presided over that disastrous campaign, and the lack of success under him has prompted El Tri to turn back to a familiar face on the bench. Javier Aguirre will manage Mexico at a World Cup for the third time, having previously taken charge in 2002 and 2010. His experience paid off this past March in helping the team capture the Concacaf Nations League crown which, coupled with a Gold Cup title in 2023, has allowed Mexico fans to regain some of their swagger. The main catalyst for Mexico's improvement has been the return to health of Raul Jimenez, and the Fulham striker will likely be paired with Santiago Gimenez next year. The tournament co-hosts also won't be lacking support, and with Edson Alvarez providing leadership at the back, the pieces might just be in place for a surprising run. - Mosse The keys to success: If the U.S. is a co-host that's feeling uncertain about its World Cup preparation, Mexico is the opposite. El Tri was crowned Concacaf Nations League champs in March and is a favorite to dominate and defend its Gold Cup title this summer. Forwards Santiago Gimenez (AC Milan) and Raul Jimenez (Fulham) are building chemistry up top and should be an easy reason for fans to feel optimistic about 2026. Mexico has never made it past the quarterfinal stage of the World Cup, but if that attacking duo is clicking and in sync, things could get interesting. - Litman The road to '26: Canada's first World Cup appearance since 1986 didn't last very long, as they dropped all three games in Qatar, exiting at the group stage. But the Canucks get a second bite at the apple, this time as tournament co-hosts, and the arrival of American manager Jesse Marsch has raised hopes for a successful campaign. Marsch proved his worth by orchestrating a semifinal run at last year's Copa América, and a Concacaf Nations League win over the U.S. this past March also endeared him to fans. That victory did come at a cost with Alphonso Davies tearing his ACL, but the Bayern Munich standout is expected back well before the start of the World Cup. Davies headlines a talented generation that includes midfielder Stephen Eustaquio, and the prolific strike pairing of Jonathan David and Cyle Larin. David in particular could be one of next summer's breakout stars, and a strong performance from him would go a long way towards helping Canada confirm all their recent progress. - Mosse The key players to success: Canada won't have defender Alphonso Davies for this summer's Gold Cup while he continues to recover from the torn ACL he sustained vs. the United States in the Nations League, but he's certainly expected to return and be at full fitness in time for the 2026 World Cup. Davies, who is only 24, is a strong and speedy presence on the left side and has been a reliable defender for Bayern Munich since 2019. Elsewhere, Jonathan David is a player who could really use this summer's Gold Cup as an opportunity to boost his stock ahead of what will be an important 2026 for the dynamic forward. David has said he will leave French club Lille when his contract expires, and he'll be a huge get for a bigger European club. David, 25, is Canada's men's all-time leading goalscorer (32 goals in 61 games) and will have plenty of expectations put on his shoulders next summer. - Litman Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of "Strong Like a Woman," published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her at @LakenLitman . David Mosse is a researcher for FOX Sports and co-host of Alexi Lalas' State of the Union Podcast. recommended Get more from FIFA Men's World Cup Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
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