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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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Caesars Digital
RubyPlay partners with Caesars Entertainment in Ontario to advance North American expansion
RubyPlay, a studio-based content ecosystem, is further strengthening its presence in Ontario as part of its broader North American growth strategy with a new partnership with Caesars Entertainment.
The partnership will see a curated selection of RubyPlay’s fan-favourite titles, including JMania® Lucky Pyggs, Mad Hit® Mr Coin and Diamond Explosion® 7s SE, made available on Caesars Entertainment’s online casino platforms including Caesars Palace Online Casino, Caesars Sportsbook & Casino and Horseshoe Online Casino.
This partnership is also set to expand in the near future with the addition of content from Koala Games, one of RubyPlay’s most popular titles. The launch with Caesars represents a significant milestone for RubyPlay in Ontario, building on its momentum following its initial entry into the province early last year, where its portfolio of high-performance games has already gained traction with top-tier operators.
Partnering with Caesars Digital underscores RubyPlay’s growing influence and reputation within a key global territory, as well as the strength of its multi-studio platform, which is designed to bring tailored content to regulated markets worldwide. The partnership also forms part of a broader collaboration, with potential to expand into additional North American markets.
Dima Reiderman, CCO at RubyPlay, said: “By launching with one of the most trusted names in gaming, we’re not only expanding our footprint in Ontario but also demonstrating the value of our multi-studio model.”
“Launching with Caesars in Ontario allows us to further scale our content offering within a highly competitive regulated market. Our approach is to deliver high-performing titles that align with each operator’s needs, combining the flexibility required for local markets with the consistency needed to scale, while ensuring efficient rollout and strong market relevance.”
Ricardo Cornejo Rivas, Vice President of Online Gaming at Caesars Digital, added: “We’re committed to partnering with brands that bring high-quality, differentiated content to our players.
“RubyPlay provides exactly that with its steady pipeline of tailored, high‑performance titles and we’re looking forward to introducing their games to our online casino customers in Ontario and enhancing our content offering in the province.”
The post RubyPlay partners with Caesars Entertainment in Ontario to advance North American expansion appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Evoplay
Evoplay spins back time with vibrant new release Jackmaster Fruits
Evoplay, the award-winning game development studio, is reinventing a classic with the launch of Jackmaster Fruits, a high-energy title that blends vintage design with modern rewards.
Inspired by traditional fruit machines, Jackmaster Fruits delivers a nostalgic experience, featuring bright fruit symbols, iconic BARs, lucky horseshoes, ringing bells, Jokers and the legendary red 7.
While rooted in tradition, the title introduces a suite of new engaging features to elevate gameplay. Wild symbols substitute for all other icons, helping to complete winning combinations, while Scatter symbols can land anywhere on the reels to trigger further rewarding opportunities.
Landing three or more Scatters in the main game activates the Free Spins bonus, and any additional scatters that land during the feature can subsequently trigger the Extra Free Spins.
For those looking to jump straight into the round, a Bonus Buy option offers the chance to instantly trigger Free Spins, with players in selected markets able to choose between 10, 20 or 30 spins.
With a top Epic prize of up to 100x the bet, Jackmaster Fruits delivers strong retention and exciting win potential in every session.
Using bold visuals and mechanics throughout, Evoplay’s latest standout release delivers a fresh take on a beloved classic, appealing to both traditional slot enthusiasts and modern players.
Ivan Kravchuk, CEO at Evoplay, said: “When designing Jackmaster Fruits, we wanted to capture the timeless appeal of traditional slot machines while enhancing the experience with modern features and mechanics.
“The result is a game that feels instantly familiar but still just as exciting at every turn, combining simple gameplay with strong win potential. It’s a perfect example of how we continue to evolve classic concepts for today’s players.”
The post Evoplay spins back time with vibrant new release Jackmaster Fruits appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
David Reynolds
Games Global and PearFiction Studios serve up bold flavours in Noodle Riches™ Loot Collect™
Games Global, together with exclusive studio partner PearFiction Studios, has launched Noodle Riches
Loot Collect
, a character-driven slot combining refined visuals with high-performing mechanics and maximum win potential of 25,000x.
Set in a lively noodle bar, the 5×4, 25-payline slot follows the world of ramen-loving pandas and a playful master-chef cat, with gameplay shaped around evolving features and varied rewards designed to sustain engagement.
At the core is the Loot Collect
feature, where collect symbols landing on reels one and five gather values and modifiers from across the reels, including cash prizes, multipliers, boosters and additional Free Spins, bringing multiple elements together on each spin.
The NoodleTastic Zone adds further depth, activated when specific symbols are collected during Free Spins. Once activated, the zone applies multipliers to cash values that land within, increasing the value of collected rewards.
Additional engagement comes via the Catchinko Bonus, which can award instant cash and jackpot prizes, or combinations of Free Spins modes. Fixed jackpots include Mini, Minor, Major, Grand, and Epic.
Four distinct Free Spins modes expand the experience, activated by collecting pot symbols linked to each respective mode. No Low Free spins removes lower-value symbols, Cascade introduces consecutive win opportunities, Jumbo enhances symbol coverage across reels, and Expand increases the layout to 5×8 with 50 paylines. These modes can appear individually or in combination, delivering further variety to gameplay.
Combining a distinctive theme with a strong mix of proven mechanics, Noodle Riches
Loot Collect
delivers a feature-rich addition to Games Global’s growing portfolio.
Jeremy Coleman, Commercial Director at PearFiction Studios, said: “Noodle Riches
Loot Collect
focuses on combining multiple feature types into one cohesive experience. From collect mechanics to varied Free Spins modes, the goal was to build a game with a clear identity that carries through every part of the experience, from the characters to the pacing.”
David Reynolds, Director of Games Strategy and Partner Management at Games Global, said: “PearFiction Studios’ Noodle Riches
Loot Collect
combines a distinctive theme with a rich, well-executed feature set, creating a highly engaging and immersive player experience — and a strong addition to our portfolio.”
The post Games Global and PearFiction Studios serve up bold flavours in Noodle Riches™ Loot Collect™ appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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