Arsenal & Chelsea top women’s money league

According to a study by Deloitte, Arsenal generated the most money of any women’s football team in 2025.

With revenues of £21.5 million, an increase of 43% over those of 2024, the 2025 Champions League winners moved from second to first.

Chelsea, the reigning champions of the Treble, also capitalized on a successful year to move into third place, surpassing Barcelona and last year’s leaders Arsenal, with revenue of £21.3 million.

The top 15 clubs made a record sum of £33.2 million overall, up 35.5% over the previous year.

English clubs are the top 15 for the second consecutive year, with eight Women’s Super League clubs in the top 15.

One of the reasons 2025 was a profitable year for the club is the memorable Champions League victory over Barcelona as one of the highlights of the club’s year.

The Gunners have spent the most time understanding their fan base, topping 35, 000 on five separate occasions as the most popular team in the Women’s Super League.

They’ve also implemented tiered pricing to encourage repeat visitors, which means they can get the highest matchday revenue at each of the 15 clubs.

Chelsea, a WSL rival, increased revenue by 90% in 2024, but that’s not the biggest increase. That was primarily driven by generating more than any other side examined in terms of commercial revenue, or £16 million.

Barcelona did not lose that European final, but they did win the same domestic triple.

Jennifer Haskel, the head of Deloitte’s knowledge and insight division, claimed that both creativity and how clubs are meeting the needs of their aspiring fanbases are to blame for the increase in revenue in the women’s game.

With new and expanded brand partnerships, new ticketing strategies, and a commitment to truly understanding the changing fanbase, she said, “the women’s game is beginning to carve its own path.”

Haskel did observe less impressive growth for the clubs further down the list, despite Deloitte’s figures showing strong growth for the most prosperous clubs.

All eight WSL clubs from last season are still in the top 15, but Manchester City, Chelsea, and Arsenal all saw slower growth in 2025.

In fact, the top three clubs’ revenues alone account for 46% of the total 15, with Everton actually earning less than they did in 2024.

There is a significant gap forming between the top-ranked clubs and the rest of the pack, Haskel said as average revenues reach new highs.

Similar to how 13 of the top 15 clubs from 2024 appear on this list, which demonstrates that the teams are still performing well in order to maintain their position?

Bayern Munich, a powerhouse in Europe, whose revenue increased from £3 million in 2024 to £6 million in 2025, is the list’s biggest earner.

Manchester City, Manchester United, and Paris St-Germain, who were all added to the list this year, were competing in the inaugural World Sevens Football competition last May, which contributed to their success.

Haskel argued that these innovations are essential in the push to expand the women’s game because commercial venture revenues account for nearly three-quarters of the overall growth rate (72%).

She said, “The transition requires consistent time, effort, and investment, from the beginning to the established phase of women’s football.”

BBC Sport women’s football news reporter Emma Sanders

Arsenal’s increased revenue may have been attributable to their creative and creative approach to increasing attendance.

Arsenal are the most popular club in the WSL and have been a force for some time, with an average attendance of 36, 000 fans at Emirates Stadium this year.

They have been conducting workshops with supporters this season on how to improve matchday experiences, including ideas for the best way to promote the stadium’s music before kick-off, banners and tifos for the ground, and improvements to baby changing room amenities.

Eight Arsenal players, including club-record signing Olivia Smith, and 13 other outside musicians in music and design have been present at 11 of these consultation events so far.

Evidence of the workshops can be seen in a video that was broadcast on the big screen at Emirates as the players leave before games, as well as in the new mural for life supporter Marie Petri, who passed away in 2022.

The club has been aiming for a “grass roots atmosphere,” creating a unique, community-feel match-day experience despite findings from its research that showed there was a 25% overlap in support between the men’s and women’s teams.