Man United revenue takes a hit from Champions League absence

… records £14m revenue drop

Manchester United reported a £14 million decline in total revenue, down to £143.1 million for the first quarter of the financial year, impacted by their absence from the Champions League.

The first-quarter financial results, released on Tuesday, highlighted the financial hit, but the club managed to secure a net profit of £1.4 million for the period from July to September, in contrast to a £25.8 million loss during the same period last year. This turnaround was partly attributed to favourable foreign exchange rates.

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The Red Devils missed out on Champions League qualification after finishing eighth in the Premier League last season under former manager Erik ten Hag— the club’s lowest league position in history. Consequently, broadcasting revenue dropped by 20.4 percent to £31.3 million for the quarter ending on September 30. Instead, United are competing in this season’s Europa League, following their FA Cup victory last season.

Commercial revenue also fell by 5.6 percent to £85.3 million, while matchday revenue saw a decrease of 3.3 percent to £26.5 million. The club reported “exceptional” costs of £8.6 million, citing expenses related to restructuring the club’s operations, including a redundancy scheme implemented in the first quarter of the 2025 financial year.

Earlier this year, British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS group took control of Manchester United’s football operations after acquiring a minority stake. As part of the club’s cost-saving measures, INEOS has initiated plans to reduce the workforce by approximately 250 jobs.

United’s Chief Executive Omar Berrada confirmed that cost and staff reductions are proceeding as planned, alongside renovations at the club’s Carrington training facility. Additionally, a taskforce continues to assess the potential benefits of redeveloping Old Trafford or constructing a new stadium on adjacent land.

Despite recording a net loss of £113.2 million at the end of the financial year in June, United achieved record revenues. However, it marked the fifth consecutive year of financial losses. The club is projecting total revenue for the 2025 financial year to fall between £650 million and £670 million.