Manchester United Women’s revenue of £7m overtakes some men’s professional clubs
Last year, Manchester United Women raked in revenues totalling £7 million, surpassing the average earnings of men’s professional teams in League Two (the fourth tier of professional men’s football in England). This remarkable increase of nearly £2 million from the previous year can be attributed to larger attendances and enhanced income from sponsorship agreements, as revealed in Companies House filings.
Their financial success positioned them ahead of the average fourth-tier men’s team, which recorded revenues of £5 million in the 2021-22 season, according to Deloitte. These figures underscore the ongoing progression of women’s football, which is gradually narrowing the considerable financial disparity with its male counterpart.
Manchester United Women, currently ranked fourth in the WSL, stand as the second-highest-earning women’s team in Europe, trailing only Barcelona Femeni.
Their revenue also eclipses that of the average women’s club in the USA, which has had many more years of commercial development.
Notably, all three primary revenue streams experienced growth, with commercial endeavours—comprising sponsorships and marketing deals—contributing the majority at 74 per cent (£5.2 million).
Matchday earnings, encompassing ticket sales and in-game spending, contributed £1.1 million, while broadcast contracts added £0.7 million to the revenue stream. Manchester United Women recently participated in the highest-attended WSL fixture to date, despite a 3-1 loss against Arsenal at Emirates Stadium.
Recently, NewCo (the company set up to run the WSL and Women’s Championship) received a £25.5 million loan from the Premier League, and Sky and TNT are said to be in a bidding war for the TV rights to the WSL.