European return helps Aston Villa climb back into Money League elite

15 years after the club’s return to European football helped boost revenues by nearly £50million.

Income rose to more than £260m in the 2023-24 season, up from £217m the year before, enough to place them 18th on the annual list of the world’s richest clubs.

It is the first time Villa have been in the top-20 since the 2009-10 campaign, having been listed 21st in each of the previous three years.

Under manager Unai Emery, the club enjoyed one of its best seasons in decades on the pitch, achieving the highest Premier League finish since 1996 and reaching the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League.

It was also one of Villa’s longest-ever campaigns in terms of matches played, with the associated broadcast revenues and prize money from the extra fixtures helping to significantly boost the coffers.

The fourth-placed finish in the Premier League also saw them qualify for the Champions League for the first time, which should lead to a further surge of revenues in the current 2024-25 season.

Boosting revenue has become a crucial part of the club’s strategy as it permits them greater spending power under the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules and Uefa’s cost control measures.