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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.

Delulu Gaming

DELULU Gaming Hosted an Exclusive Soft Launch Dinner for 250+ iGaming Leaders in London

Published

15 minutes ago

July 17, 2026

Wladimir P.

delulu-gaming-hosted-an-exclusive-soft-launch-dinner-for-250+-igaming-leaders-in-london

An unforgettable evening, more than 250 industry leaders, and the perfect beginning to a new story in iGaming. DELULU Gaming recently hosted its exclusive Soft Launch Dinner at Alba London, welcoming 250+ partners and C-level executives to an invitation-only celebration that combined exceptional hospitality with the studio’s distinctive creative identity.

The Soft Launch Dinner was DELULU’s first opportunity to welcome the industry in person. Instead of a traditional corporate reception, the evening brought together senior decision-makers in an exclusive setting. Guests learned more about DELULU’s vision and a debut portfolio where every game is designed to leave its own impression.

The event was made even more special by the presence of DELULU’s strategic technology partner, SOFTSWISS, who joined the celebration alongside partners, friends, and industry leaders.

Inspired by the Amalfi Coast, Alba London provided the perfect setting for DELULU’s Soft Launch Dinner. Contemporary Italian interiors, live cooking stations, fresh seafood, authentic Italian pizza, and signature cocktails created an atmosphere that felt both refined and effortlessly welcoming. Every detail, from the bespoke DELULU branding to the finishing touches throughout the venue, made the experience unmistakably DELULU.

Looking around, it was clear that many of the industry’s key players were there. Operators, aggregators, platform providers, media, and long-standing partners all came together to celebrate DELULU’s next chapter. Business conversations quickly became more relaxed as guests caught up with familiar faces and made new connections. The evening also opened the door to conversations about future partnerships, upcoming releases, and DELULU’s ambition to create experiences that stay with players.

To mark the occasion, every guest received a bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne presented in exclusive DELULU packaging, created especially for the event. It was a small gesture of appreciation and a lasting reminder of the studio’s first milestone shared with everyone present.

The Soft Launch Dinner was a memorable introduction of DELULU to the industry. It showed DELULU Gaming’s goal to build lasting partnerships while bringing the DELULU approach beyond the games themselves.

“We wanted our first event to feel exactly like DELULU. Creative, welcoming, and full of personality. Having so many industry leaders and partners come together before our official launch was something truly special for our entire team. Thank you to everyone who joined us at Alba London, celebrated this milestone with us, and helped make it such an unforgettable evening. We’re looking forward to growing together, building new partnerships, and sharing many more great moments in the years ahead.” Arthur Sheikhaliev, CEO at DELULU Gaming.

Following the successful Soft Launch Dinner, DELULU Gaming continues expanding its commercial partnerships and bringing its growing portfolio of distinctive games to operators worldwide.

About DELULU

DELULU is a new-generation iGaming game studio focused on delivering high-quality, distinctive gaming experiences. The game studio creates games with bold visuals, tight mechanics, and math engineered for emotional impact. DELULU knows how to win long-term operator trust through titles that players recognize, streamers love to showcase, and the market can’t ignore.

The post DELULU Gaming Hosted an Exclusive Soft Launch Dinner for 250+ iGaming Leaders in London appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

1win

1win Expands Its Prediction Markets with Crypto Forecasts

Published

15 minutes ago

July 17, 2026

Wladimir P.

1win-expands-its-prediction-markets-with-crypto-forecasts

Willemstad, Curaçao, July 17th, 2026, PlayNewswire

Cryptocurrency has become one of the fastest-growing categories within prediction markets, as traders and investors increasingly look beyond price charts to speculate on major industry milestones.

Reflecting this trend, international betting brand 1win has expanded its Markets product with a series of new cryptocurrency prediction markets covering some of the sector’s most closely watched digital assets.

The new crypto-themed forecasts on 1win Markets allow users to speculate on topics, including

“Crypto-related forecasts are becoming a natural extension of prediction markets, giving users another way to engage with some of the biggest narratives in the crypto industry. Though on 1win Markets, we have made it an interactive and easy-to-understand format,” says Mike Danshin, CMO 1win Crypto.

1win Markets uses a simple binary format. Instead of selecting from complex betting lines, users answer straightforward “Yes” or “No” questions or choose between clearly defined outcomes. It is a fun and interactive way to think about life events, even for those unfamiliar with classic betting.

This crypto-focused expansion on 1win Markets reflects the growing convergence between crypto communities and binary predictions. Users are increasingly interested in predicting not only sports or political outcomes but also changes across the digital asset industry.

By adding cryptocurrency-focused markets alongside existing categories – sports, politics, technology, entertainment, and global events – 1win continues to broaden the scope of its crypto-driven ecosystem.

About 1win

Founded in 2016, 1win is a crypto entertainment platform in the global gaming industry. Operating across Asia, Latin America, and Africa, 1win offers a wide range of entertainment products adapted to regional audiences. The brand has active collaborations with international public figures, including football legend Luis Suarez, martial artist Jon Jones, and Olympic champion and UFC fighter Gable Steveson. In 2026, 1win welcomed rapper Tyga and UFC legend Ilia Topuria as new members of the 1win VIP community. Football legend Luis Suarez will be the official 1win football expert throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Contact

Press Office

1win

[email protected]

The post 1win Expands Its Prediction Markets with Crypto Forecasts appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Delulu Gaming

DELULU Gaming Hosted an Exclusive Soft Launch Dinner for 250+ iGaming Leaders in London

Published

15 minutes ago

July 17, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

The event was made even more special by the presence of DELULU’s strategic technology partner, SOFTSWISS, who joined the celebration alongside partners, friends, and industry leaders.

Following the successful Soft Launch Dinner, DELULU Gaming continues expanding its commercial partnerships and bringing its growing portfolio of distinctive games to operators worldwide.

About DELULU

The post DELULU Gaming Hosted an Exclusive Soft Launch Dinner for 250+ iGaming Leaders in London appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.