Chelsea became the most unprofitable club in Europe in 2025 0 8

According to UEFA data cited by the publication, the London club, whose controlling stake is owned by the American private investment firm Clearlake Capital, reported a loss of €407 million, Olympique Lyonnais recorded a loss of €196 million, and Tottenham Hotspur reported a loss of €148 million.

At the same time, nearly two-thirds of the approximately 700 clubs that provided financial reports ended the year with a profit.

UEFA noted that key factors for revenue growth among football clubs in 2025 included increased income from sponsorships, player transfers, and prize money for teams participating in pan-European tournaments, which offset the weakness in domestic media rights revenues in some countries.

However, operating expenses also rose, and player salary inflation – typically the largest expense for a football club – increased to 4.8% last year compared to 1.8% in 2024.

UEFA's Director of Financial Stability Andrea Traverso stated that clubs are "gradually returning to operational profitability," but warned that "the lack of consistent financial regulation at the domestic level" will limit opportunities for achieving profits comparable to pre-COVID levels.