Latest News

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

Published

6 years ago

July 30, 2020

George Miller

Reading Time: 3 minutes

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 4^th 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 3^rd 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 4^th 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 8^th 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.

Anthony Dalla-Giacoma Chief Commercial Officer at Swintt

Swintt launches Elysium Studios slots on Kaizen Gaming’s Stoiximan.gr

Published

14 minutes ago

July 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

swintt-launches-elysium-studios-slots-on-kaizen-gaming’s-stoiximan.gr

15 titles are live in Greece, with more Elysium Studios releases scheduled to follow.

Swintt has rolled out a selection of Elysium Studios slot content on Stoiximan.gr, expanding its distribution in Greece through a partnership with Kaizen Gaming.

The supplier said 15 titles are already live on the Stoiximan platform. Games named in the announcement include I Hate Fairytales and Law of Gilgamesh, with additional Elysium Studios releases due to be added later.

Anthony Dalla-Giacoma, Chief Commercial Officer at Swintt, said: “We’re delighted to see our games go live with another brand in the Kaizen Gaming portfolio, especially as this latest launch takes us to Greece, where Stoiximan.gr is widely recognised as a market leader.

“With its strong reputation and extensive player base, Stoiximan.gr is the perfect platform for us to introduce more Greek players to Elysium Studios content. With 15 titles already live and more to come, we’re confident our games will add real value to the operator’s casino offering and help drive strong engagement among its players.”

The post Swintt launches Elysium Studios slots on Kaizen Gaming’s Stoiximan.gr appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

central asia

Groove confirms attendance at SBC Summit Tbilisi 2026

Published

14 minutes ago

July 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

groove-confirms-attendance-at-sbc-summit-tbilisi-2026

Groove has confirmed it will attend SBC Summit Tbilisi 2026, scheduled for 15–16 July at the Sheraton Grand Tbilisi Metechi Palace, as it targets growth across Eastern European and Central Asian iGaming markets.

The conference is expected to draw more than 2,500 industry professionals, according to the company, following 2025’s record attendance with delegates from 44 countries. Groove said it will bring a full commercial delegation to pursue partnerships with regional operators.

Yahale Meltzer, Co-Founder and CEO of Groove, said: “Eastern Europe and Central Asia represent some of the most dynamic growth opportunities in iGaming today. SBC Summit Tbilisi is where the region’s decision-makers converge, and we are arriving with a platform built for scale, speed, and regulatory precision.” He added: “Our Unseen Architecture of predictive auto-scaling, atomic transactions, and a real-time compliance mesh ensures operators can launch fast and adapt locally, whether they are entering Georgia, the Balkans, the Baltics, or Central Asia.”

Meltzer also pointed to the SBC Regulators Summit as a factor in the company’s focus on the event, saying: “With regulation front and centre as a business-critical priority, and direct access to regulators through the SBC Regulators Summit, this event is where commercial realities are forged. Groove delivers the toolbox, the content, and the expertise to turn ambition into measurable growth.”

Ana Sokhadze, Operations Manager at Groove, who will lead the company’s presence in Tbilisi, said: “SBC Summit Tbilisi is the meeting point for the region’s most ambitious operators, affiliates, and technology suppliers. This is where high-value networking translates into real commercial opportunity.” She added: “We are not here to hand out brochures. We are here to have conversations that become partnerships.”

The post Groove confirms attendance at SBC Summit Tbilisi 2026 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

CT Interactive

CT Interactive Releases its Latest Title, Dragon Beast

Published

14 minutes ago

July 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

ct-interactive-releases-its-latest-title,-dragon-beast

CT Interactive has released Dragon Beast, a visually refined and feature-rich slot that combines classic mechanics with a modern presentation set in a rich world of dragons and royal symbols.

Dragon Beast takes players on a thrilling journey through a mystical world filled with hidden wealth and legendary creatures. Set on a 4×3 reel layout, the game offers exciting gameplay and rewarding opportunities with every spin. Along the way, players will encounter the special Dragon Eye Wild symbol, as well as valuable treasures such as Money, Goblet, Crown, Ruby and Diamond. Together, these symbols create an immersive adventure where fortune, mystery and the power of the dragon combine to deliver an unforgettable slot experience.

Special Features

The Wild: The Dragon Eye Wild substitutes for all other symbols.

The Hold and Respin: All wins in the game are scatter wins. Dragon Eye Wild substitutes for all symbols. When 3 or more Dragon Eye Wild appear on the screen, the player is offered a respin. To play the respin, the player must pay for it. During a Respin, the bet is the same as in the initiating game that triggered it. During the Respin, the chosen symbol sticks on the screen and a new spin of the reels is made for the remaining positions. If the Respin results in a higher win from the symbol than in the initiating game, only the higher win is paid out. If there are 12 identical symbols on the screen, no Respin is offered.

Legendary Rewards

Catch the maximum win of up to 1000x total bet by landing 12 Diamonds in a winning combination.

The post CT Interactive Releases its Latest Title, Dragon Beast appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.