The European Club Talent and Competition Landscape

ATTENDANCES

Attendance growth was recorded across all levels of European football: men’s top-tier matches, lower-tier matches, domestic cups, UEFA club competitions and national team matches. In a world where social media is increasingly concentrated on the most famous clubs and their players, special attention should be paid to some of the extraordinary supporter numbers outside the top-tier leagues.

COMPETITIONS

The foundational strength of European football is the depth and breadth of the club pyramid, connecting the professional game to semi-professional and amateur football. The record attendance figures for lower-league clubs underline this.

TRANSFER TRENDS

This summer has seen another transfer window with heavy investment, reflecting the confidence that has returned to the European club football market on the back of record club revenues. Overall, European club transfer spending was down on last summer, but for the first time since the pandemic, French, German and Italian clubs were net spenders.

TALENT LANDSCAPE

We analyse a cross section of 20 domestic leagues and UEFA club competitions, compiling data on squad regulation and player usage, which then supports discussions about player workload, match calendars, competition formats and rules, competitive balance and transfer and finance regulations.

HEAD COACHES IN WOMEN‘S FOOTBALL

This year’s analysis has been expanded to also provide insights on the women’s Big 5 league and UEFA Champions League head coaches.

Head coaches in women’s football have a lower dismissal rate, suggesting that clubs in women's football are more committed to long-term development.

COUNTRY KPIs

The report covers much more than just the biggest clubs and leagues. More than 700 clubs per year are analysed providing a 360 degree snapshot that can be explored below.