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Manchester City are expecting 2026 to be important for their revenues as every team looks to maximise their income.
Tis the season to be merry but Manchester City will be hoping that there is more cheer to be had in 2026. Their annual report was published quietly this month, announced without fanfare with no record revenues to shout about and a small loss recorded over the last campaign.
There wasn't anything disastrous, with no verdict on the 115 charges and a wage bill that looks set to tumble significantly in the next report - even if Antoine Semenyo is added to it from January. However, the Blues are nearing the point where they can start seeing a jump in their income regardless of the results that Pep Guardiola and his players achieve.
"While Manchester City’s financial results will always be impacted by what happens on the pitch, our longstanding efforts to diversify the Club’s revenue sources create a fundamental financial resilience that underpins our ongoing football ambitions," said chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak. "That is why our revenues for 2024-25 were our third highest ever at £694.1 million – only £20.9 million short of our record revenues of 2023-24.
"Our strategic focus on entertainment and creative infrastructure is delivering the new Entertainment District, North Stand and hotel, all of which are advanced in their construction. Each will create added compounding opportunities and ensure that we are positioned for long-term stability and success while retaining our ability to serve the needs, and enhance the experience, of the club’s longstanding and loyal fans."
That last sentence may well be queried - especially by those being turfed out of their seats behind the goal in the North Stand to make way for a new hospitality section - but the completion of the North Stand expansion will mark the beginning of the £300m redevelopment beginning to start making money. With the hotel, fanzone and experiences all coming after that, City want the Etihad to become a destination for 365 days of the year rather than just the 25 to 30 days of the year when there is a match on.
They are not acting in a vacuum though, and will have noticed the change announced by Liverpool on Boxing Day that the Kop Bar at Anfield will now be open seven days a week. The Merseyside club are an interesting comparison for City given they had a similar capacity and will do again once the North Stand is open at the Etihad, albeit with a much smaller chunk of season ticket holders.
All clubs are looking for how to maximise their revenue away from a matchday as much as on them, and each will be looking to the others to see what works and if they can take any ideas or inspiration. As City crack on with their big plans for 2026, they will be keeping an eye on developments around them to see what else they could be doing to stay ahead in the game.
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