La Liga giants FC Barcelona are now listed as the most valuable football team in the world, according to a list compiled by Forbes.
The Spanish side, now valued at USD 4.76 billion, have dethroned bitter rivals Real Madrid to claim the top spot for the first time in their history.
Barcelona’s ascension signals the end of the duopoly in Forbes’ list of the world’s most valuable football teams in the last 16 years. Real, who have slipped to No. 2 and are valued at USD 4.75 billion, held the top spot five times while England giants Manchester United have sat at the summit a whopping 11 times.
A significant chunk of revenue for football teams comes from ticket sales, which have taken a massive hit during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Furthermore, the clubs - Barcelona and Real Madrid - remain affiliated with the controversial European Super League. UEFA has threatened to expel the football teams from the UEFA Champions League should they not revoke their participation.
While Barcelona leads the list for the most valuable football teams, Manchester United are the richest Premier League team. The Red Devils are valued at USD 4.2 billion but have slipped to fourth in the list of most valuable football teams in 2021.
Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool, and Manchester City are the other football clubs to have made significant progressions in their net worth over the last five years.
Meanwhile, NFL team Dallas Cowboys have claimed the top spot in the list of the most valuable sports teams in 2021 at USD 5.7 billion.
How does Forbes calculate sports teams’ value?
Forbes, the American business magazine, calculates a team’s value, which is equity plus net debt, using revenue and operating income adjusted for revenue sharing.
Valuations, additionally, are generated from documents from sports bankers, media consultants and public documents like arena lease agreements and bond documents.
Most valuable sports teams 2021
| Team | Sport | Value (USD) |
| Dallas Cowboys | NFL | USD 5.7 billion |
| New York Yankees | MLB | USD 5.25 billion |
| New York Knicks | NBA | USD 5 billion |
| FC Barcelona | Soccer | USD 4.76 billion |
| Real Madrid | Soccer | USD 4.75 billion |
| Golden State Warriors | NBA | USD 4.7 billion |
| Los Angeles Lakers | NBA | USD 4.6 billion |
| New England Patriots | NFL | USD 4.4 billion |
| New York Giants | NFL | USD 4.3 billion |
| Bayern Munich | Soccer | USD 4.21 billion |
Most valuable football teams 2021
| Team | Value (USD) | Ranking |
| FC Barcelona | USD 4.76 billion | 4 |
| Real Madrid | USD 4.75 billion | 5 |
| Bayern Munich | USD 4.21 billion | 10 |
| Manchester United | USD 4.2 billion | 11 |
| Liverpool | USD 4.1 billion | 12 |
| Manchester City | USD 4 billion | 13 |
| Chelsea | USD 3.2 billion | 25 |
| Arsenal | USD 2.8 billion | 38 |
| Paris Saint-Germain | USD 2.5 billion | 43 |
| Tottenham Hotspur | USD 2.3 billion | - |
Featured photo: AFP / HANDOUT / RFEF
