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Real Madrid and Barcelona neck-and-neck as world’s most valuable football brands in the face of COVID-19

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  • 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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International bettors back Haaland’s Norway to beat England in World Cup Quarter Final Clash

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Kaizen Gaming shares Betano users’ predictions on teams heading to the World Cup semi-finals

As the World Cup moves into the last eight stage, Kaizen Gaming unveils exclusive proprietary data from its Betano platform, which reveals Argentina, Norway, Spain and France as the most backed teams by users globally to progress into the semi-finals.

Predicting the teams to qualify to the semi-finals (selections from the “To Qualify” market):

  • Norway backed by 75% of users to qualify over England
  • Argentina favoured by 80% of users to win over Switzerland
  • Spain narrowly predicted to come out on top over Belgium with 55% of users’ bets
  • France has been selected by 67% of users to pass through Morocco

 

With regards to two of the biggest surprises of the tournament this far, Brazil’s defeat to Norway and Germany’s elimination by Paraguay, it seems that for Betano users the shock wasn’t that big. In fact, 42% of users had seen Paraguay’s qualification coming, and 45% had predicted Norway getting through Brazil to reach the quarterfinals.

*The data shared has been extracted on the morning of July 8, 2026 from across 18 markets, excluding the UK. The international data sources may vary according to betting option availability per market. 

The post International bettors back Haaland’s Norway to beat England in World Cup Quarter Final Clash appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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PG Soft names Hugo Baungartner as General Manager LatAm

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PG Soft, a world-class digital mobile games company, has appointed Hugo Baungartner as General Manager LatAm to accelerate its continued success across the region. Baungartner will be responsible for driving PG Soft’s commercial expansion across Latin America, while leading the games provider’s strategy in Brazil where it has already captured a significant share of the market. Brazil continues to enjoy strong growth and is entering a pivotal phase in the regulation of its gaming sector, with the latest election on the horizon. With over 29 years in technology and gaming, Baungartner has previously held leadership roles at Grupo Aposta Ganha, RCT Gaming,  Prohards and most recently Esportes Gaming Brasil.

During his time in the industry, Baungartner has built an extensive network across Latin America’s regulatory landscape, forging strong relationships with key regulators, industry associations and public bodies, including Brazil’s Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA/MF), the Federal Revenue Service, and COAF, as well as Mexico’s Dirección General de Juegos y Sorteos and AIEJA (the Mexican Gaming Association).

PG Soft’s continued support of major regional events, including its sponsorship of BiS SiGMA South America earlier this year  in São Paulo, further highlights the company’s long-term commitment to Brazil and the wider Latin American market.

Hugo Baungartner, General Manager LatAm at PG Soft, commented: “PG Soft’s brand needs no introduction in Latin America thanks to its extensive portfolio of world-class, mobile-first games that resonate strongly with players. The company is only just getting started in the region, and I look forward to building on its success in Brazil while expanding PG Soft’s presence across regulated markets throughout Latin America.”

The post PG Soft names Hugo Baungartner as General Manager LatAm appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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BC.GAME signs Guillermo Ochoa to support Mexico growth strategy

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  • Partnership supports BC.GAME’s continued investment in the regulated Mexican market

  • Ochoa will front football-led brand activity, local promotions and fan engagement for BCGAME.mx

  • Agreement comes during a landmark summer for football across Mexico, the United States and Canada

BC.GAME has announced the signing of Mexican football legend Guillermo “Memo” Ochoa as brand ambassador, as the global online entertainment platform continues to build its presence in Mexico through BCGAME.mx.

The partnership represents a significant step in BC.GAME’s localised growth strategy, with Ochoa set to support football-led brand communications, promotions and fan engagement activity designed specifically for Mexican audiences.

As one of the most recognisable figures in Mexican football, Ochoa brings strong local credibility and international profile to BC.GAME at a time when football culture in Mexico is attracting heightened global attention.

For BC.GAME, the agreement is intended to strengthen brand awareness and trust around BCGAME.mx, its licensed platform for the Mexican market, while supporting the company’s wider strategy of building closer connections with users in regulated markets through sport, esports and entertainment partnerships.

Kar Kheng Giam, CEO of BC.GAME, said: “Mexico is an important market for BC.GAME, and localisation is central to how we build meaningful relationships with users.

“Guillermo Ochoa is more than an outstanding goalkeeper. He is a figure who genuinely connects with Mexican football fans across generations, and that makes him an ideal ambassador for BCGAME.mx.

“As we continue to invest in our platform for the Mexican market, we want to work with partners who understand the culture, passion and community around football. Ochoa’s profile, professionalism and connection with fans make him a natural fit for BC.GAME.”

Known to fans as “Memo”, Ochoa has been one of the defining Mexican footballers of his generation. His long-standing role with the national team, standout performances in major international tournaments and club career across Mexico and Europe have made him a familiar name to football fans around the world.

Through the partnership, Ochoa will appear across BC.GAME’s Mexican market activity, including football-themed content, localised promotions and fan engagement campaigns for BCGAME.mx.

Guillermo Ochoa said: “I am very happy to partner with BC.GAME at such a special time for Mexican football.

“Football has always been about passion, community and shared experiences. I look forward to working with BC.GAME and BCGAME.mx to connect with fans in new ways.”

The signing adds to BC.GAME’s growing sports entertainment strategy, which has seen the brand expand its presence through football, esports and wider entertainment partnerships.

BC.GAME continues to develop its brand in markets where it is permitted to operate, with responsible gaming remaining an important part of its platform experience.

The post BC.GAME signs Guillermo Ochoa to support Mexico growth strategy appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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