Middle East football income grew by 13.5% compared to Europe’s 5.3%: Report

 Sports organisations across the Gulf are growing at pace, with football income in the region rising by 13.5% compared to just 5.3% in Europe. With a wave of high-profile investments and infrastructure development, the region is now positioned to take global sports investment into a new phase.

While the focus has historically centered on traditional income streams such as broadcast rights, which still account for around 50% of club revenues, Arthur D. Little’s new report, More Than a Game: Maximising Commercial Sports Success, uncovers a set of high-growth opportunities that can help clubs diversify income and build commercial resilience

 Valued at an estimated $507.69 billion, the global sports industry is undergoing a period of rapid transformation. While broadcast remains the main revenue source for clubs across the top four leagues at 50%, commercial revenue has now reached 48% for the global top 10, signaling a strategic shift toward brand-dried growth and monetisation.

In a landscape increasingly shaped by private equity, sovereign funds, and long-term institutional investment, commercial innovation has become essential to financial sustainability.

ADL’s analysis presents a blueprint allowing Gulf-based clubs to adopt revenue models used in top global leagues, while developing strategies tailored to the region’s unique infrastructure and fan dynamics.

 “Maximising income is no longer about reacting to change, it is about anticipating where audiences and investors are headed,” added Nicholas Nahas, Partner and leading the Global Hospitality & Tourism competence center, Arthur D. Little.

“The clubs that succeed commercially will be those that move beyond ticketing and broadcast rights, toward a multidimensional revenue architecture that reflects today’s fan and tomorrow’s market.”

 The report identifies twelve commercial growth areas across three categories: sponsorship and brand partnerships, matchday revenue, and alternative income streams.

Sponsorships alone can represent 70–80% of commercial income, yet are often underleveraged. Clubs that apply audience data to align sponsors more precisely with fans are already generating stronger returns.

League-wide sponsorship bundling is also emerging as a way to maximise unused inventory. Another insight highlights that naming rights for stadia remain underutilised in many markets due to limited ownership, a factor that can be addressed in the Gulf where clubs often have greater control over infrastructure.

Matchday revenue has grown at a CAGR of 11.9% from 2022 to 2024, driven primarily by ticketing, with premium hospitality, flexible pricing, and upgraded F&B offerings emerging as key accelerators of growth.

“Revenue streams such as matchday hospitality, digital fan platforms, and youth academies are no longer peripheral. They are central to the long-term strategy of any club that wants to remain competitive and financially viable,” said Samir Imran, Partner at Arthur D. Little. “Clubs in this region have the resources and foresight to move faster than legacy institutions in more mature markets. Now is the time to rethink the commercial blueprint.”

Clubs across Europe are already demonstrating how strategic commercial decisions can generate measurable returns. In Italy, Atalanta’s youth academy has generated over $100 million in transfer revenue, operating at 245% above the Serie A average and proving that talent development can serve as both a sporting and financial engine.

In Germany, RB Leipzig has achieved a 96% stadium utilization rate, driven by a reimagined match-day experience that combines flexible pricing, premium hospitality, and multifunctional venue design suited for events beyond football.

Meanwhile, Spain’s Real Sociedad has leaned into digital engagement, with 70% of fans using its Realzale app and contributing to an 85% increase in e-commerce revenue.

These examples illustrate how clubs can create self-reinforcing commercial ecosystems — ones where infrastructure, digital tools, and community-building drive financial sustainability. Gulf markets now have an opportunity to build on these learnings.

Clubs are expanding into new revenue frontiers; digital memberships, fan zones, esports, and multiuse venues are becoming strategic tools to differentiate the fan experience and generate additional revenue.

With long-term ownership structures, rising international fan bases, and some of the most advanced sporting facilities in the world, clubs in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain are uniquely positioned to localize and scale these approaches.

Revenue diversification in the region is gaining traction through investment in esports, digitally enabled fan engagement, flexible hospitality formats, and the integration of wellness and co-working concepts into stadium design.