The clubs in Allsvenskan reported the highest revenues and the largest equity ever in 2023. Although the economic situation is tougher for the clubs in Superettan, last year as a whole was also better for them compared to 2022, according to an economic survey conducted by the Swedish Football Association (SvFF).

Among the revenues of the Allsvenskan clubs, player rights sales are reported at a value of SEK 620 million (SEK 588 million in 2022). Transfer revenues for the clubs in Superettan amounted to SEK 47 million, which was the second-best result ever, only slightly lower than the record year 2022 (SEK 54 million).

“Player sales are a very important source of income for our clubs, and the positive development is a prerequisite for Swedish professional football to be able to compete in Europe. Our clubs do a very good job of developing talented football players, and the fact that these players then perform well when they move abroad has made Sweden an exciting and growing market for strong buying clubs and leagues abroad,” says Svante Samuelsson, Sporting Director at Swedish Professional Football Leagues.

At the beginning of 2021, Swedish Professional Football Leagues initiated Project 500 together with Goalunit. The purpose was to strengthen the competitiveness of Swedish football clubs in Europe, and the goal of the project is to increase the Swedish clubs’ revenues from the sale of player contracts by SEK 500 million per year to a total of SEK 800 million per year. After several years of sales hovering around SEK 300 million, the SEF clubs set a sales record in 2022. A record that only stood for one year.

Caesar Gezelius, co-founder of Goalunit, gives his view on the development of transfer revenues in Swedish professional football.

“The fact that transfer revenues in Allsvenskan and Superettan continue to increase is positive for Swedish football. The international transfer market has grown steadily for many years and is a prerequisite for all selling leagues to be able to increase their competitiveness. In Sweden, this is partly due to a slightly decreasing average age on the field and partly to increasing contract lengths. The fact that these revenues are now being reinvested in academy initiatives, scouting, and other long-term investments is essential for Sweden as a football nation to continue closing the gap to comparable leagues and increasing its international competitiveness at both league and national team levels.

“Wise reinvestment of the capital our clubs receive from the international transfer market is absolutely central. In the long term, sporting success on the field is the goal for all of us who work with Swedish professional football,” continues Svante Samuelsson.

The two clubs with the highest revenues in 2023 were BK Häcken (SEK 500.1 million) and Malmö FF (SEK 444.4 million). Of the total revenues, SEK 143 million (BK Häcken) and SEK 119 million (Malmö FF) came from the sale of player contracts.

For questions about Project 500, contact:
Svante Samuelsson, Sporting Director, Swedish Professional Football Leagues svante.samuelsson@svenskelitfotboll.se
070 688 70 77

Caesar Gezelius, Goalunit
caesar@goalunit.com