Arsenal have climbed to their highest-ever position in the Football 50 ranking following a remarkable campaign that ended their 22-year wait for the Premier League title.
The club’s performance is one of the year’s biggest success stories, after climbing five places to become the third most valuable football club brand in the world.
According to Brand Finance’s Football 50 report, the Gunners are now valued at €1.5 billion (£1.3bn).
That accounts for a 28% increase in brand value, placing Arsenal behind only La Liga powerhouses Real Madrid and Barcelona.
It also made the Premier League champions the most valuable club in England and moved them ahead of several of Europe’s biggest clubs.
How Arsenal’s sporting success drives brand growth
Arsenal’s performance in the football ranking is closely tied to their exceptional 2025/26 campaign.
After three years of successive heartbreaks, Mikel Arteta’s side finally clinched the Premier League title, ending their drought that had lasted over two decades.
Before making history, Arsenal were already considered one of the most exciting teams in European football and their Champions League run solidified those claims.
Arteta’s side reached the Champions League final for only the second time in the club’s history and a first since they were beaten by Barcelona in 2006.
Arsenal also came agonisingly close to winning the Champions League after taking the defending champions Paris Saint-Germain all the way to a penalty shoot-out.
Brazilian centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes was the culprit, blazing his spotkick over the crossbar to deny Arsenal their first Champions League trophy.
Despite that heartbreak, Arsenal’s run to the final raised the club’s global profile, and the impact of the memorable campaign was reflected in their financial growth.
Arsenal’s players were also prominent at this summer’s FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. More Arsenal players reached the latter stages of the tournament than any other English club.
That visibility matters because football brands are built not only through trophies, but also through the players, matches and moments that supporters see throughout the year.
Arsenal become England’s strongest football brand
Brand Finance also ranked Arsenal as the biggest football club in the Premier League for the first time.
The Gunners recorded a Brand Strength Index score of 94.0 out of 100, placing them fourth in that category across the world.
That places them above domestic rivals Manchester United, Manchester City, and Liverpool.
The figures also show that supporters increasingly see Arsenal as an ambitious, modern and entertaining club, with the number of fans associating the Gunners with ambition going from 53% to 62%.
The association with the club having a rich heritage also climbed from 58% to 71%, while those linking Arsenal with entertaining football rose from 60% to 67%.
Those changes prove how Arsenal’s identity has evolved over the years. For much of the past two decades, Arsenal were associated with what they had lost rather than what they could achieve.
Their title drought became a constant part of the club’s story, but last season’s success has now changed that narrative.
Commercial deals add to Arsenal’s momentum
Arsenal’s commercial activity has also added to their growing momentum. They recently agreed a five-year extension with Emirates Airline, which is reportedly worth up to £70 million per season.
The deal extends one of football’s longest-running partnerships until 2033 and provides Arsenal with another major source of long-term commercial revenue.
Renewed shirt and stadium sponsorship agreements have also strengthened the club’s financial position.
Arsenal’s projected turnover is approaching £790m, which would place them among the highest-earning clubs in world football, behind only Madrid and Barcelona.
That financial growth could become just as important as Arsenal’s success on the pitch.
Arsenal’s commercial income gives them the necessary resources to invest in their squad, facilities, and global development.
The Gunners are now focused on retaining their Premier League crown this season and have already started as they mean to go on.
Arteta’s side beat Man City 3-0 in the inaugural curtain-raiser to lift the Community Shield.
They also kicked off their Premier League title defence with a 3-0 thrashing of Coventry City at the Emirates Stadium, sending a massive statement to the rest of the league.
