Manchester United Risk Falling Outside Top 10 As Financial Slide Mirrors On‑Field Decline

Manchester United’s drop to eighth in the Deloitte Football Money League highlights their worst-ever position. Broadcast revenue losses, poor league finish, and absence from the Champions League raise fears of slipping outside the top 10 next season.

Manchester United face the prospect of dropping out of the top 10 in the Deloitte Football Money League after falling to eighth in the latest edition, their lowest-ever ranking in the report’s 29-year history.

The decline reflects United’s disappointing 2024/25 campaign, which saw them finish 14th in the Premier League and lose to Tottenham in the Europa League final. Their revenue for the season stood at €793 million, placing them behind domestic rivals Liverpool, Manchester City, and Arsenal.

While matchday and commercial revenues showed growth, broadcast income fell sharply. That trend is expected to continue, with United playing only 20 matches at Old Trafford this season and missing out on European competition entirely.

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire described the situation as a major concern. He noted that in the era of Sir Alex Ferguson, United regularly competed with Real Madrid and Barcelona for the top spot in the money list. Now, there is genuine fear they could slip outside the top 10.

Maguire attributed part of the financial slide to United’s league position. Finishing 14th instead of in the top six cost the club between £30 million and £40 million. Participation in the Europa League also limited earnings compared to the Champions League, where revenues are significantly higher under the new Swiss model.

Even reaching the Europa League final did not offset the shortfall. Maguire explained that United earned less from that run than Manchester City did from being eliminated by Real Madrid in the Champions League play-off round.

The importance of Champions League football is clear. United have now missed out for two consecutive seasons, but last weekend’s win over Manchester City under new manager Michael Carrick lifted them to fifth place in the Premier League. That position should secure qualification, though the table remains tight.

Maguire stressed that one successful season could restore United’s financial strength. Champions League home matches at Old Trafford generate £8 million to £9 million each in ticket sales, with prize money and sponsorship bonuses potentially adding up to £200 million. Such a boost would return United to their expected financial standing.

Ironically, Maguire suggested United fans should hope rivals City and Liverpool perform well in Europe, as their success would help secure England’s fifth Champions League spot — a lifeline for United’s financial recovery.