Jose Sanchez
Research expert covering society, economy, & politics for Latin America
Big Five European soccer leagues - statistics & facts
‘Big’ may well be an understatement when it comes to describing the grouping of leagues known as the Big Five. Together, the top divisions of English, German, Spanish, Italian, and French soccer dominate the game with vastly superior finances, players, and facilities, being genuine giants in the world of sport. In the 2023/24 season, the Big Five’s combined revenue amounted to over 20 billion euros, representing an increase of more than 80 percent in 10 years. A significant share of this sum was generated from televised games, with an overview of broadcasting rights deals showing some Big Five leagues raking in multiple billions of euros each year. Evidently, broadcasters are willing to pay big money to satisfy a high demand from all over the world.
England’s Premier League: top of the pile
Not all leagues are equal within the Big Five – there is a significant financial disparity between the English Premier League (EPL) and the others. In a comparison of the Big Five's revenues, the EPL had by far the highest revenue in 2023/24, amounting to over seven billion euros. While there are a handful of particularly dominant clubs, the Premier League is nevertheless lucrative for all its participants: when looking at the distribution of Premier League broadcasting revenue in 2023/24, each club received a payout of at least 100 million British pounds - a sum greater than what many leading clubs in other leagues can expect.What does the future of the Big Five look like?
In many ways, the future of the Big Five leagues looks rosy. The market size of the Big Five has been forecast to exceed 21 billion euros by 2025/26 – more than all other European soccer leagues combined. However, a number of issues remain that may cause headaches for leagues and governing bodies in the coming years. Firstly, heavier workloads have come under scrutiny, with the number of games played by leading players sometimes exceeding 70 a season. More matches may bring in more revenue, yet tired legs and injured players make for an inferior product. This is an issue that has been addressed by players and fans alike. Indeed, fans often act as a restraint on financially-motivated decisions, with higher ticket prices and increased corporate investment sparking protests in recent seasons. While the future holds many uncertainties, one thing is clear - Big Five clubs face a difficult task of continuing to increase revenue while not alienating the very people that provided the foundations of their success.
