PwC's 2026 Global Sports Survey, based on 517 senior executives across 48 countries and 7,250 fans across 17 countries, highlights shifts every football professional should understand.
1. The media rights model is under pressure
Media rights growth is slowing, and the premium/non-premium gap is expected to widen. If 70%+ of your revenue comes from broadcast, your model is structurally exposed.
2. Investors want diversified revenue
78% of executives prioritise assets with diverse revenue streams. Only 14% plan to double down on traditional revenue models. Capital is moving toward clubs with D2C channels, data, licensing, content operations, and stronger commercial infrastructure. Broadcast + matchday is no longer enough.
3. Investors want disruption. Fans still want tradition.
55% of executives expect capital to favour emerging or breakaway models.
But 63% of fans still prefer traditional leagues and structures. The European Super League showed the risk of underestimating fans. New models need to earn adoption
4. Younger fans are moving beyond broadcast
Among 18–24-year-olds, 55% consume highlights on TikTok and Instagram, close to the 59% who watch live broadcasts. Creator-led content reaches 21% of this cohort. Social platforms are no longer secondary channels. For younger fans, they are part of the football experience.
5. Women’s football is growing, but structures lag
91% of executives expect double-digit revenue growth for women’s sport over the next 3–5 years. The opportunity is real, but uneven. North America is capturing much of the upside. Europe is progressing, but still behind in treating women’s football as a standalone investable asset class. Without dedicated structures, expertise, distribution, and capital, growth will remain constrained.
6. The monetisation gap is a visibility gap
Only 22% of fans are willing to pay as much for women’s sport as men’s. Nearly half are not willing to pay at all. But the drivers of greater engagement are clear: mainstream coverage, easier access, consistent coverage beyond major events, and stronger social media presence. This is less a product problem than a distribution problem.
7. Stadium basics matter more than luxury
Fans rank cleanliness and hygiene second only to safety. Affordable tickets and clear sightlines also rank highly. Executives, meanwhile, prioritise digital ticketing, F&B upgrades, and entertainment features.
8. Integrity is a commercial risk
75% of executives believe integrity breaches are among sport’s biggest commercial risks. Match-fixing tops the threat list at 71%. Integrity is not just compliance. It affects trust, sponsorship value, league credibility, and fan confidence.
The clubs that compound value over the next decade will diversify revenue, build media operations, treat women’s football as a standalone asset, fix stadium basics, and take integrity seriously.