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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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CT Interactive
CT Interactive Launches New Titles on Ifortuna.sk
CT Interactive has announced the expansion of its presence in the regulated Slovak market through the launch of a selected portfolio of the company’s top-performing games on Ifortuna.sk, part of the Fortuna Entertainment Group.
Slovak players can now enjoy some of the company’s most popular titles, including 50 Treasures, Fruits & Sweets Buy Bonus, 100x Crypto Magic, Duck Of Luck Buy Bonus, 20 Mega Star, 100x Fresh, Dancing Dragons, Nanook The White Ghost Buy Bonus and The Big Chili. Several of these games feature the company’s engaging Buy Bonus mechanics, offering players enhanced interactivity and greater control over their gameplay.
“The expansion of our content offering on Ifortuna.sk represents a major step in our broader international growth strategy. We are delighted to provide our valued partner with a compelling and diverse portfolio of games, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the Slovak market,” said Martin Ivanov, Chief Operating Officer at CT Interactive.
“Our newly certified portfolio brings a fresh and dynamic gaming experience tailored specifically to the Slovak audience. Each title has been carefully developed to boost player retention while delivering a more personalized and engaging gaming experience,” added Ivan Zoumpalov, Regional Manager for the Czech Republic and Slovakia at CT Interactive.
The post CT Interactive Launches New Titles on Ifortuna.sk appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Amusnet
Connecting Business and Diplomacy: Amusnet Supports BBLF’s Annual Meeting of the Diplomatic Corps
Amusnet has supported the 10th Annual Meeting between the Bulgarian Business Leaders Forum (BBLF) and the Diplomatic Corps, reaffirming its commitment to initiatives that foster dialogue, responsible business and Bulgaria’s long-term economic development.
Held at InterContinental Sofia, this year’s high-level forum brought together ambassadors, senior government officials and executives from leading Bulgarian and international companies under the theme “Bulgaria: Prospects for Rapid Economic Transformation”. The discussions explored the country’s potential to accelerate economic growth through innovation, digitalisation, strategic investments and stronger collaboration between the public and private sectors.
As a long-standing partner of the Bulgarian Business Leaders Forum, Amusnet continues to support initiatives that create meaningful dialogue around the future of Bulgaria’s economy and business environment. The annual meeting serves as one of the country’s most important platforms for exchanging ideas between the diplomatic community, institutional leaders and the business sector.
“Supporting initiatives that encourage collaboration and forward-looking dialogue is part of our commitment to responsible business. We believe that sustainable economic growth is driven by strong partnerships and a shared vision for the future,” said Ivo Georgiev, CEO of Amusnet.
This year’s forum focused on topics including Bulgaria’s investment attractiveness, technological advancement, talent development and the opportunities created by closer cooperation between business, government and international partners. The event once again highlighted the importance of building an environment that encourages competitiveness and sustainable growth.
For Amusnet, supporting the BBLF Annual Meeting reflects the company’s broader commitment to contributing to Bulgaria’s business ecosystem beyond its core operations. As one of the country’s leading software companies, Amusnet continues to stand behind initiatives that promote responsible leadership and long-term economic progress.
The partnership further strengthens Amusnet’s collaboration with BBLF and underscores the company’s belief that sustainable growth is achieved through dialogue, shared expertise and collective action.
The post Connecting Business and Diplomacy: Amusnet Supports BBLF’s Annual Meeting of the Diplomatic Corps appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Andrzej Hyla
Wazdan Launches First Stage of Summer Network Promotion with Mystery Drop
Wazdan, the leading gain-focused developer, has launched the first stage of its summer-long Network Promotion campaign to partner operators from 29th June to 19th July 2026.
As part of a wider three-stage seasonal campaign running throughout the summer, the opening phase centres around Mystery Drop, one of Wazdan’s established promotional tools designed to enhance player engagement through an additional reward layer during gameplay.
During active game sessions, Mystery Drop gives players the opportunity to win cash or physical prizes. Once the feature is triggered, players select one of nine Mystery Boxes to reveal their reward, adding an extra level of anticipation and entertainment to the gameplay experience.
Designed as a ready-to-use promotional solution for operators, Mystery Drop requires no additional integration and does not impact the RTP of the base game. Powered by a certified independent RNG engine, the tool can also be tailored to meet the requirements of individual casinos and regulated markets.
The first stage of the Wazdan Summer Drop marks the beginning of a wider summer initiative, with additional campaign phases featuring further engagement mechanics set to launch later in the season.
Andrzej Hyla, Chief Commercial Officer at Wazdan, said: “Remaining an innovative supplier in an increasingly competitive market means continuously delivering engaging experiences that resonate with both players and operators.
“Mystery Drop has proven to be an effective promotional tool for our partners, adding an extra layer of excitement to gameplay while remaining simple to activate and fully customisable for different markets. We are excited to launch the first stage of this summer campaign and continue supporting our partners with memorable promotional experiences throughout the season.”
The post Wazdan Launches First Stage of Summer Network Promotion with Mystery Drop appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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