Latest News
Real Madrid and Barcelona neck-and-neck as world’s most valuable football brands in the face of COVID-19
- Real Madrid remain world’s most valuable football brand, but Barcelona narrow the gap to just €6 million
- COVID-19 causes total brand value of top 50 clubs to decrease for the first time in 6 years – €751 million or 3.7% is knocked off
- English clubs dominate the ranking with six brands in top 10 and 19 in top 50
- Liverpool inches two spots up into 4th place, following historic Premier League win
- Bundesliga’s 1. FC Köln is this year’s fastest-growing brand, followed by Leicester City and RB Leipzig – all recording over 40% growth
- Tottenham Hotspur’s new stadium takes top spot in Buro Happold’s Venue Performance Rating
Real Madrid remain the most valuable football club brand in the world for 2020, according to the latest edition of the Brand Finance Football Annual. Boosted by winning the LaLiga title for the first time since 2017, the club retained its position at the top of the table in the football industry, but against a backdrop of economic and social disruption, caused primarily by the COVID-19 pandemic, Real Madrid’s brand value has declined by 14% to €1,419 million.
Real Madrid’s disappointing on-pitch performance prior to 2019-20, which saw an earlier-than-normal exit from the UEFA Champions League in 2018-19 and a second successive season adrift of LaLiga champions Barcelona, eroded the club’s dominance of the Brand Finance ranking. The situation was exacerbated by COVID-19, along with a lack of stability around the management of the team. Barcelona, Real’s fierce rivals, are just €6 million behind Real with a brand value of €1,413 million, supported by strong and diverse revenue generation and continued domestic performance in Spain.
COVID-19 knocks off €751 million of brand value
Real Madrid is not the only club to see a drop in brand value this year. COVID-19 has caused the total value of the top 50 football brands to decrease for the first time in 6 years. Through its effect on the three main revenue streams – Matchday, Broadcasting, and Commercial – €751 million or 3.7% has been knocked off the cumulative brand value of the world’s top 50 most valuable football clubs.
The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged professional football worldwide and across all levels. Matchday income for the 501 games remaining in the big 5 leagues dropped to zero, but it is often the smaller clubs and leagues which are more reliant on this revenue stream – in Scotland it makes up 43% of total revenue, compared to only 13% in England.
There have been some positive signs, as Southampton vs Manchester City on BBC broke the Premier League TV audience record with 5.7 million viewers, but the longer-term damage to the game’s economic structure has yet to be revealed.
Richard Haigh, Managing Director of Brand Finance, commented:
“Top-level football has been confronted with the largest existential threat since the Second World War. Loss of income, coupled with health concerns about mass gatherings, have raised question marks about the future of the industry and the financial resilience of clubs across all levels. The full damage of the COVID-19 crisis has yet to unfold and it is not inconceivable there will be casualties in the form of club bankruptcies and changes in ownership.”
Despite the huge implications of COVID-19 for football clubs and their financial results, the majority of the brand value is secured by the clubs’ long-term future – provided they can survive the initial shock. For example, only 21% of Real Madrid’s brand value is delivered by the next five years’ financial results.
Premier power
Real Madrid and Barcelona are followed by a cluster of English Premier League clubs in the Brand Finance Football Annual 2020 ranking, with Manchester United in 3rd position after their brand value fell by 11% to €1,314 million. Liverpool, who won their first league title since 1990 in runaway style, are in 4th spot jumping above Manchester City in terms of brand value, rising from €1,191 million in 2019 to €1,262 million, a 6% increase. Chelsea dropped one place in the table to 8th after their value fell for the fourth consecutive year to €949 million. This was arguably due to the club being absent from the UEFA Champions League and also suffering a transfer ban after being charged with breaking Financial Fair Play Regulations.
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Antwerp Anchors
BABU88 Announces Sponsorship of Antwerp Anchors in EUT20 Belgium 2026
BABU88, a leading online gaming and sports betting platform, has announced its sponsorship of the Antwerp Anchors (ANA) for this season of EUT20 Belgium 2026. This strategic partnership highlights BABU88’s commitment to sports development and solidifies its presence in the international cricket community.
The highly anticipated season of the EUT20 Belgium kicks off on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at the Antwerp International Cricket Ground in Belgium. Organised by the Belgian Cricket Federation, this high-energy T20 tournament runs until July 19, 2026, featuring five powerhouse teams: Brussels Tigers, Ghent Gladiators, Liege Lions, Antwerp Anchors and Bruges Batsmen. With action-packed matches scheduled across one thrilling week, the top teams will advance to the knockout rounds, leading to an exciting final on June 14, 2026.
The Antwerp Anchors, one of the most anticipated teams in the league, features a star-studded roster with international and European cricketing talents. The squad is anchored by explosive Belgian all-rounder Saber Zakhil, known for his aggressive batting style and critical bowling variations. Zakhil, who has a massive following among European cricket fans, was secured as a marquee signing ahead of the tournament. His recent stellar performances in continental tournaments reinforce his reputation as a dominant, consistent match-winner.
Joining him are key tactical players and top-tier talent from the international Associate cricket circuit, bringing a wealth of competitive experience. With an aggressive batting depth and a versatile bowling attack, the Antwerp Anchors are well-positioned to captivate fans and make a deep run for the championship title.
The post BABU88 Announces Sponsorship of Antwerp Anchors in EUT20 Belgium 2026 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Amusnet
Weekend Reels | Week 25: Slot Drops & Trends
Here are this weeks latest slots releases compiled by Eastern European Gaming
Spinomenal has launched Tornado Treasure – Hold & Hit 3×3, adding a new title to its Hold & Hit portfolio. The 3×3 slot uses a 777 Wild (excluding Bonus and Bonus Collect). Two special symbols drive the feature: Bonus symbols can land only on reels one and three, while Bonus Collect appears only on reel two.

Amusnet has released its latest online video slot game, Trophy Rush Triple Boost. Packed with stadium energy, trophy-chasing action and feature-rich gameplay, this football-themed release captures the thrill of competing on the sport’s grandest stage. Set within a roaring arena filled with cheering fans and championship atmosphere, the game unfolds across 5 reels and 40 paylines, where every spin feels like a much-chased goal.

bet365 has partnered with MGA Games to launch Mina de Oro Golden Edition bet365 for customers in Spain. The companies said the release is a reimagined version of Mina de Oro, positioned as an update to one of MGA Games’ long-running titles for the Spanish market.

Evoplay has launched Liberty Fireworks, a new five-reel slot built around a booster-led Bonus game and a US Independence Day theme. The base game includes a Wild symbol that substitutes for all regular symbols except Bonus symbols. It appears on reels 2–5.

Million Games has launched East West Wild, a new feature-led video slot inspired by the historic Silk Route, the supplier said. The game runs on a 5×4 layout with 1,024 ways to win. Million Games said consecutive wins increase a Combo Multiplier within each spin, positioning progression as the core mechanic.

Microgaming has launched Playboy Gems and Desires, the latest addition to its official Playboy-branded games portfolio. The slot uses a reel set featuring Wild stacks that land on reels two, three and four. The game also uses a ways win structure as part of its presentation.

Zingo Bingo has exclusively launched Midnight Marauder ClusterBreaker, the latest action-packed slot from leading supplier Relax Gaming. The neon-fuelled heist adventure is now available to Zingo Bingo players who will embark on a precision operation to plot the ultimate raid to try and crack the vault to unlock those wins.

Inspired Entertainment, Inc. has launched two new online slot titles—Bigger Piggy Bank Super Wheel
and Cops ‘n’ Robbers Smash ‘N’ Grab
—now available across the UK and Malta iGaming markets. The company said Bigger Piggy Bank Super Wheel combines its Bigger Piggy Bank
series with Player Link
and a “Super Wheel” community feature.

Playson has released 4 Pots Riches: Super Wheel, adding a new “Super Wheel” mechanic to its 4 Pots Riches slot line-up. The Super Wheel feature triggers when a Super Wheel Symbol is present on the reels at the moment either the Bonus Game with Pot Features or the Mega Bonus Game starts.

Booming Games has launched Greedy for Gold: Hold and Win, the second game in its Greedy for Gold series. The supplier said the slot uses a 5×3 grid with 20 fixed paylines and offers a maximum win potential of 2,000x. The Irish-themed title includes Pot of Gold and Lucky Hat mechanics, plus Free Spins with Jumbo symbols and a Hold and Win feature.

Reflex Gaming has launched Sidewinder Xtra Power, a sequel to its Sidewinder title, with distribution through the Yggdrasil Masters Program. The game uses a 5×3, 20-payline fruit slot format and brings back the Sidewinder Shuffle mechanic. Reflex said the Sidewinder Feature is triggered when five orbs light up above the reels, turning losing spins into winners as the reels shuffle into position.

GAMOMAT released Frooty Troupe – Gold Club, marking the third launch in its Frooty Troupe slot series. The title is a 6×4 slot with 20 paylines. GAMOMAT said Credit Card symbols drive a prize collection mechanic: landing seven or more triggers instant cash prizes as multipliers of the base bet, ranging from 1x to 100x.

Gaming Corps has launched 3 Pigs of Olympus 2: Rise of the DemiHog, a sequel to its 3 Pigs of Olympus title. The new slot runs on six reels, four rows and 4,096 ways to win. Gaming Corps said the sequel introduces upgraded collect mechanics, an evolving progression system and enhanced Free Spins and Bonus Pot features, culminating in the Wheel of Olympus with rewards stated to reach up to 10,000x total bet.

Pragmatic Play has launched Mahjong Wins Triple Pot, a new online slot release, The title introduces “golden reels” and bonus coin symbols with values of up to 100,000x. The game uses a 4-5-5-5-4 grid with tumble mechanics. Pragmatic Play said consecutive tumble wins trigger a progressive multiplier trail that increases payouts by 2x, 3x and 5x until the end of the spin.

The post Weekend Reels | Week 25: Slot Drops & Trends appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Eeze
Eeze partners with Yggdrasil on multi-year slots development deal
Eeze will use Yggdrasil’s Studio in a Box
to build proprietary slot titles, with the first two launches expected toward year-end.
Eeze has signed a multi-year strategic partnership with games publisher Yggdrasil to develop original slot titles using Yggdrasil’s Studio in a Box
production solution.
Under the agreement, Eeze will operate as an independent slot studio within the Yggdrasil ecosystem, using the end-to-end framework covering game design, maths configuration, testing, certification and launch. The companies said the setup is intended to streamline production and speed up time to market.
Eeze said the partnership supports its plans to expand as a “multi-vertical content provider,” adding slots alongside its live casino offering.
The first two Eeze slot titles are expected to launch towards the end of the year. After that, Eeze and Yggdrasil plan a rollout cadence of two multi-region games per month.
Graeme Powrie, Chief Commercial Officer at Eeze, said: “This partnership with Yggdrasil is an important step in accelerating Eeze’s long‑term ambition. Studio in a Box
allows us to scale our slots strategy at pace, extend our reach in the market, and build on the work already done to position Eeze as a dynamic provider. It sets us up strongly for the future as we continue to grow as a multi‑vertical supplier.”
James Curwen, Chief Executive Officer at Yggdrasil, said: “Eeze has a clear vision for where it wants to go as a business, and Studio in a Box
is built to support exactly that type of long‑term growth. This partnership brings a commercially driven studio into our ecosystem, with the tools and structure needed to deliver original, market‑ready slot content at scale.”
The post Eeze partners with Yggdrasil on multi-year slots development deal appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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