Football Benchmark and Social Football Summit brought together senior stakeholders from across the football industry in Budapest on 29 May for The Business of European Football: Growth, Value, and Sustainability, held on the eve of the UEFA Champions League Final.
Hosted by Pedro Pinto, the event explored key trends shaping the business of football, with discussions focused on growth, value creation, and sustainability across the game. From the rising value of Europe's leading clubs and the role of financial discipline in supporting long-term development to innovative approaches to club growth and the management of player workloads in an expanding football calendar, speakers examined some of the most important strategic issues facing the industry today.
European football's growth story continues
The opening session looked at the findings of Football Benchmark's latest Football Clubs' Valuation: The European Elite 2026 report and the factors driving long-term value creation across European football.
Discussions highlighted how leading clubs have evolved into globally recognised brands, supported by growing commercial revenues, international fan engagement, and infrastructure investment.
Andrea Sartori, Founder & CEO of Football Benchmark, highlighted the remarkable growth achieved by the game's leading clubs.
"The growth of elite European club football over the past decade has been extraordinary. Among major stock market indices, only the Nasdaq has outperformed the value creation generated by Europe's leading clubs. That is a remarkable achievement for an industry which, while still relatively small in economic terms, derives exceptional strength from its unique cultural significance and ability to build globally relevant brands.
This season's UEFA Champions League finalists are clear examples of that trend. Paris Saint-Germain have built one of the most powerful global brands in sport, while Arsenal have shown how patient sporting and commercial development can translate into substantial long-term value growth."
The discussion also considered the role of financial sustainability regulations in supporting financial discipline across the landscape.
"The regulations have contributed to a significant increase in financial discipline across European football. We see that many of the leading clubs are now highly professional organisations, generating substantial revenues and operating with a much stronger business mindset than 20 years ago,” said Andrea Traverso, Executive Director of Financial Sustainability & Research at UEFA.
Scaling clubs in a regulated era: lessons from Como 1907
The second session focused on Como 1907's rise from the lower tiers of Italian football to UEFA Champions League qualification and the strategic choices that have underpinned the club's development both on and off the pitch.
Como 1907 President Mirwan Suwarso reflected on the importance of culture in driving the club's progress.
“Culture has been the most important decision we have made. Starting with Cesc [Fàbregas], who has created a belief throughout the team that we can compete in every challenge we take on.
This attitude is infectious across the club, where we also have [Thierry] Henry and [Raphaël] Varane constantly pushing us higher and higher. This, together with people across the club, we have deliberately brought together people who are willing to think differently rather than follow established ways of working. As a club with ambitious objectives, we have found that mindset has helped our growth both on and off the pitch.”
Suwarso also discussed the opportunities and responsibilities that accompany the club's next phase of growth following qualification for the UEFA Champions League.
“With qualifying for the UEFA Champions League, it is not something we can take for granted. It gives us an opportunity to accelerate what we are building, not only from a sporting and competitive perspective, but also in how we innovate, grow the organisation, and continue to develop the club."
The discussion illustrated how clubs are increasingly pursuing differentiated development models that combine sporting ambition with long-term organisational, commercial, and cultural growth.
Managing growth sustainably
While football's continued growth presents significant opportunities for clubs, competitions, and stakeholders across the game, the final session focused on ensuring that growth remains sustainable for the game itself.
Bringing together representatives from FIFPRO, the PFA, and European Leagues, the discussion explored player workload, calendar expansion, and views on balancing commercial development with the quality of the sporting product and player welfare.
Maheta Molango, Chief Executive of the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) and Board Member of FIFPRO, emphasised the importance of keeping the game itself at the centre of discussions.
“We need to start putting the game at the centre of everything. Too often, football focuses on everything around the game rather than the quality of the game itself. The continued growth of the industry is positive but the players and the quality of the product on the pitch must be at the heart of decision-making."
Concluding the discussion, Alberto Colombo, Managing Director and General Secretary of European Leagues, highlighted the importance of collaboration across the industry.
"Decisions affecting the calendar impact the entire football ecosystem, from leagues and players to clubs and supporters. This reality requires the implementation of structured social dialogue and governance reforms aimed at delivering more inclusive and balanced decision-making that takes into account the interests of all stakeholders."
Across the three sessions, speakers reflected on a football industry that continues to grow in scale, value, and global relevance. Discussions highlighted that while the game continues to create new opportunities, its continued growth entails a range of long-term sustainability considerations across the landscape.
