Insights - Football Benchmark

Mapping Sporting Directors: Football decision-maker trends across Europe’s “Big Five” leagues

The Sporting Director role has never been more visible or more complex. From managing recruitment and youth development to setting long-term football strategy and aligning with ownership vision, the scope of the role continues to expand. Yet for all its importance, it remains difficult to benchmark: job titles vary, responsibilities differ, and club governance models are far from uniform. This week’s analysis maps out the Sporting Director landscape across the “Big Five” leagues, examining who holds these roles and what traits define them. We explore the prevalence of former players, the balance between internal and external appointments, the surprisingly short average tenure of just 2.6 years, and how nationality and experience vary across markets.

Player valuation update: The most valuable players in world football today

According to the latest update from Football Benchmark’s Player Valuation Platform, a record 21 players are now valued at over €100 million. Alongside this, the average value of the top 100 players has climbed since the Platform was launched (€77.6 million in 2019), hitting €87.2 million in June 2025. From Lamine Yamal’s remarkable rise to the top of the overall rankings to Hugo Ekitike’s valuation leap since February, the data reflects not just who’s most valuable, but how the profile of value in football is evolving. This piece explores the data behind the latest valuation update: who’s at the top, who’s rising fastest, where youth is creating value, and how those inside and outside the “Big Five” leagues are faring.

FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Breaking down the billion-dollar prize money and its impact on clubs

The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 is reshaping the economics of global club football. This article analyses how the $1 billion in prize money is distributed across participating clubs, as well as what that income represents in relation to clubs’ typical revenue bases. From headline totals for top European sides to transformative earnings for smaller clubs, the data reveals a wide range of financial impact. For some, the estimated returns exceed what they might earn even in their most successful seasons at continental level. The tournament’s distribution delivered not only immediate uplift but may also shape financial trajectories and competitive balance in the years ahead.

How much are Serie A clubs worth — and who would win or lose from selling?

This week’s article features a special contribution from La Gazzetta dello Sport journalist Marco Iaria, adapted from his original investigation published in the newspaper. Drawing on Football Benchmark data for club valuations, the article examines owner investments to take a hypothetical look at what each owner might gain or lose if they sold today. It offers a rare financial perspective on Serie A ownership, exploring who could stand to make a profit and who might face a loss. Covering stadium developments, European qualification, debt levels and long-term strategy, the piece sheds light on the key factors shaping club valuations currently in Italy’s top flight.

UEFA Women’s EURO 2025: What squad composition tells us about development across Europe

What does the squad composition at UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 tell us about the development of the women’s game in Europe? Our analysis of all 16 national team squads breaks down which clubs and leagues supply the most players, where those players are registered by country and continent, and how this compares with the Men’s EURO 2024. The findings highlight the ecosystem’s structural reliance on a small group of top clubs and raise important questions about how to build a broader, more resilient platform for talent development.

Multi-club ownership: Key insights from Football Benchmark’s Executive Program

Senior leaders from across the football industry joined us in Milan this week for our Multi-Club Ownership: Executive Program. As MCO shifts from a niche model to a mainstream strategy, opportunities are growing, but so are the complexities. From aligning sporting strategy across clubs to navigating legal and regulatory change, the model demands clarity, discipline, and long-term thinking. Our latest piece shares key insights from speakers at the session on approaching MCO effectively.

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