Foxes enter world’s top 20 football powerhouses, says new report

A new study examining the finances of the UK’s football clubs has revealed that Leicester City are the 20th biggest football financial powerhouse in the world.

The Soccerex Football Finance 100 show the financial power of football clubs across different continents. Its authors say that the study underlines that “the global football landscape has changed dramatically” over the past two decades, largely due to increased investor interest.

Leicester City are the East Midlands’ only representative in the Soccerex Football Finance 100. The Foxes’ entry reads: Leicester City were a little-known club in world football until the 2015-16 season, when they won the Premier League title, outperforming the more fancied names in England and their considerably higher budgets.

“Reaching the quarterfinals of the Champions League in 2016-17 was also a milestone in the club’s history. Leicester City is owned by a Thai tycoon, which creates a big differential in competing in the market.

“The squad is the 22th most valuable in the global market, but its low debts and high value of its owner’s equity give the club a prominent position in the ranking.”

The report suggests that owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha’s King Power International Group has a net worth of €4.3bn.

The rankings, which are headed by Manchester City, take into account assets, net debt and the potential owners have to invest.