Soccer remains the world’s most popular sport, and the financial figures behind its biggest clubs continue to reflect that global dominance in 2026.
CNBC has released its annual soccer franchise valuations for 2026, with the entire top 10 made up of European clubs across multiple major leagues.
Real Madrid leads all clubs with a valuation of $7.5 billion, while Barcelona sits in second place at $6.4 billion, according to CNBC’s rankings.
Manchester United ranks third overall at $6.3 billion, dropping one spot from the previous year but still leading all Premier League clubs on the list.
Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea also feature in the top 10, with Arsenal recording the biggest jump of any top-10 team at 20% year-on-year growth.
Tottenham and Chelsea each saw their valuations decline by 4%, while Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain round out the top 10 at $5.35 billion and $5.3 billion respectively.
Major League Soccer makes its first appearance in the top 15, with Inter Miami entering at number 14 with a valuation of $1.6 billion, representing 60% growth over the past year.
CNBC senior sports reporter Michael Ozanian attributed Inter Miami’s surge to several factors, including a new stadium and record revenue projections for the club.
“They have a new stadium, they’re going to have by far the most revenue in the history of Major League Soccer,” Ozanian said.
Ozanian also highlighted Lionel Messi’s unique contractual arrangement, which includes stock options with the team, as a contributing factor to the club’s rapid rise in value.
“He’s been given some stock options with the team as part of his contract,” Ozanian said, noting how MLS covers player costs to attract global stars.
Ozanian explained that the league’s financial structure for covering player costs is “one of the reasons why this year we have seven MLS teams on the list despite the fact that their revenue is nowhere near the level of European football teams.”
Beyond Inter Miami, six other MLS clubs feature in the top 30, reflecting a broader growth trend across the American league’s most established franchises.
NYCFC sits at number 15 with a $1.55 billion valuation, while LAFC and LA Galaxy follow at numbers 18 and 19, valued at $1.3 billion and $1.2 billion respectively.
Atlanta United, Austin FC and Columbus Crew complete the MLS contingent, ranked 23rd, 24th and 26th with valuations of $1 billion, $910 million and $900 million respectively.
