English football’s biggest stadiums continue to command huge commercial value, but a new European study shows they still trail well behind Spain’s most iconic arena.
How do English stadiums compare to the rest of Europe?
According to fresh analysis, the Bernabeu has been ranked as Europe’s most valuable stadium naming-rights asset, with an estimated annual fair market value of £18.4 million.
The report assessed 75 stadiums across the continent, benchmarking sponsorship strength and comparable market deals.
Despite undergoing a £1 billion redevelopment and boasting major global profile, Real Madrid's historic venue currently has no naming partner. That absence is seen as an opportunity rather than a weakness, with the stadium the only one in the dataset to receive a AAA+ sponsorship strength rating.
Among English venues, Emirates Stadium ranks fourth overall at £12.7 million per year, while Tottenham Hotspur Stadium sits just behind in fifth at £11.3 million – both trail other European heavyweights, including Barcelona's Spotify Camp Nou and Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena.
Elsewhere in England, Etihad Stadium and Anfield also feature in the top tier, highlighting the Premier League’s strong commercial pull.
In total, the top 75 stadiums account for £463 million in annual sponsorship value, yet two-thirds still operate without naming-rights partners.
FGG says: Even Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is no match for the Bernabeu
Tottenham’s ground is often hailed as one of Europe’s most advanced stadiums, but this ranking underlines a key reality that heritage and global identity still matter more than cutting-edge design alone.
Even with all its modern upgrades, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium remains some distance behind the Bernabeu’s unrivalled pull.
Interestingly, Spurs' ground also lags behind arch-rivals Arsenal despite them hosting way more non-football events, such as huge concerts and NFL matches.
It's clear that, despite everything they've done so far, there's still a lot of work to be done if the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is to truly become a heavyweight across the world.