Only Real Madrid ahead as Barcelona secure second spot in Forbes valuation list | OneFootball

After some difficult years, FC Barcelona are seemingly well on their way to economic recovery and growth. This aspect is quite clear from the way the Catalan side is once again making some big-money signings, like that of Anthony Gordon, and also from their closeness to returning to the 1:1 status.

This recovery has been possible mainly because of the high revenues the Blaugrana side has generated from its various operations. Meanwhile, Barcelona have also retained its status as one of the most highly valued football clubs in the world.

As Mundo Deportivo has reported, this latter aspect was confirmed once again as Forbes published its list of the World’s Most Valuable Soccer Teams 2026, and Barcelona stood second, only behind Real Madrid, in this ranking.

The Catalan club is valued at $7.5 billion by Forbes, marking a 33% increase from last year. Meanwhile, their arch rivals once again topped the list with a valuation of $9.5 billion, representing a 41% increase over the last year. In fact, Real Madrid have now retained their place as the most valuable football club in the world for the fifth consecutive year and for the tenth time in the last 13 editions of the Forbes rankings.

Barcelona also continue to rank ahead of some of the biggest clubs in Europe, with Manchester United, Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City all placed below the Blaugrana side in the list.

In terms of revenue, the Catalan club earned a total of $1.063 billion during the last year, according to the report. Once again, only Real Madrid performed better in this regard, generating $1.265 billion in revenue. Barcelona thus remain one of only two football clubs in the world to surpass the $1 billion mark in annual revenue excluding player transfer income.

Atletico Madrid were the only other Spanish club to feature among the top 30 teams in this ranking, standing 11th with a valuation of $2.95 billion and revenues of $488 million.

Another interesting aspect highlighted by Forbes is the continued growth of football as a business. The average valuation of the 30 clubs included in the ranking now stands at $2.9 billion, which is 21% higher than last year’s record average.

This ranking from one of the most trustworthy publications in the world is another proof of the good work being done by Barcelona in the financial sphere. Hopefully, the Catalan club would continue its journey of growth, and this economic growth will also continue to be translated into sporting achievements.