Most Valuable Sports Teams in the World
On this page16
- 01The world's most valuable sports teams at a glance
- 02Dallas Cowboys (NFL)
- 03Golden State Warriors (NBA)
- 04Los Angeles Rams (NFL)
- 05New York Giants (NFL)
- 06Los Angeles Lakers (NBA)
- 07New York Knicks (NBA)
- 08New England Patriots (NFL)
- 09San Francisco 49ers (NFL)
- 10Philadelphia Eagles (NFL)
- 11New York Yankees (MLB)
- 12How we ranked these teams
- 13Why the NFL sits on top
- 14Real Madrid and the soccer tier
- 15Values keep climbing
- 16Value at a glance
We rank by Forbes' December 2025 enterprise valuation — the price a franchise would fetch in a sale, driven mainly by league-wide media money, stadium ownership, and market size. On-field results barely move the needle: the Cowboys top the list with no Super Bowl since 1995.
The world's most valuable sports teams at a glance
| Rank | Team | League | Estimated value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas Cowboys | NFL | $13.0B |
| 2 | Golden State Warriors | NBA | $11.0B |
| 3 | Los Angeles Rams | NFL | $10.5B |
| 4 | New York Giants | NFL | $10.1B |
| 5 | Los Angeles Lakers | NBA | $10.0B |
| 6 | New York Knicks | NBA | $9.75B |
| 7 | New England Patriots | NFL | $9.0B |
| 8 | San Francisco 49ers | NFL | $8.6B |
| 9 | Philadelphia Eagles | NFL | $8.3B |
| 10 | New York Yankees | MLB | About $8.2B |
- No. 1 since 2016
Dallas Cowboys (NFL)
The Cowboys are worth $13 billion, a 29% jump in a single year, and have led Forbes' global ranking every year since 2016. They rank above the Warriors because AT&T Stadium generates the richest non-media revenue in U.S. sports — premium seating, naming rights, and a sponsorship book the club sells itself rather than sharing. What makes the top spot striking is that it has nothing to do with winning. Dallas has not reached a conference championship game, let alone a Super Bowl, since the 1995 season, yet its brand keeps pricing power no title drought can dent.
League: NFL · Value: $13.0B · Venue: AT&T Stadium (owned) · Last title: 1995 season · Streak: No. 1 since 2016
- Basketball's most valuable
Golden State Warriors (NBA)
At $11 billion, the Warriors are the most valuable team outside the NFL and the only non-football club in the global top four. The separator from the pack below is real estate: Golden State owns and operates the Chase Center in San Francisco, capturing arena, concert, and district revenue that most NBA teams rent rather than bank. A four-title run between 2015 and 2022 turned the franchise into a global brand just as the NBA's national media rights were climbing, a timing edge that pushed the Warriors past every NFL team except Dallas.
League: NBA · Value: $11.0B · Venue: Chase Center (owned) · Titles: 2015, 2017, 2018, 2022 · Rank: No. 1 in the NBA
- NFL runner-up
Los Angeles Rams (NFL)
The Rams sit third at $10.5 billion, second among NFL clubs, largely on the strength of SoFi Stadium — a roughly $5 billion venue privately financed by owner Stan Kroenke, not the league. Because Kroenke owns the building and the surrounding Hollywood Park development, the Rams keep revenue streams a tenant franchise never sees. Placing the team in the No. 2 U.S. market and a 2021-season Super Bowl win added brand value, but the valuation edge over rivals like the Giants is a real-estate story first.
League: NFL · Value: $10.5B · Venue: SoFi Stadium (privately owned) · Market: Los Angeles · Title: 2021 season
- New York anchor
New York Giants (NFL)
The Giants cleared $10 billion in 2025 at $10.1 billion, proof of how much even a middling NFL team is worth when it owns the country's largest market. Recent seasons have been lean, yet the franchise ranks fourth globally — a gap between value and results that only the NFL's economics can explain. The Giants trail the Rams despite a comparable market because they share MetLife Stadium with the Jets, splitting the venue income that lifts single-tenant clubs.
League: NFL · Value: $10.1B · Venue: MetLife Stadium (shared) · Market: New York · Titles: 4 Super Bowls
- Global basketball brand
Los Angeles Lakers (NBA)
The Lakers round out the top five at $10 billion, carried by 17 championships and one of the most recognized brands in world sport. Their international following — outsized in Asia and Europe — drives merchandise and sponsorship revenue that few franchises in any league can match. Unlike the Warriors, the Lakers rent Crypto.com Arena from AEG, which is a key reason they rank below Golden State despite a bigger market and deeper title history.
League: NBA · Value: $10.0B · Venue: Crypto.com Arena (leased) · Market: Los Angeles · Titles: 17
- Madison Square Garden
New York Knicks (NBA)
At $9.75 billion, the Knicks are the NBA's third-most-valuable team on market alone — they have not won a title since 1973. Their value engine is Madison Square Garden, a company-owned arena in Manhattan that commands premium pricing regardless of the standings. The Knicks outrank several stronger on-court franchises because New York's media and corporate base sets a floor no championship contender in a smaller market can reach.
League: NBA · Value: $9.75B · Venue: Madison Square Garden (owned) · Market: New York · Last title: 1973
- Dynasty dividend
New England Patriots (NFL)
The Patriots are worth $9 billion, built on the six-title run from 2001 to 2018 that turned a regional team into a national brand. Owner Robert Kraft's control of Gillette Stadium and the adjoining Patriot Place retail district gives New England the venue-side revenue that separates it from lower-ranked NFL clubs. The franchise ranks on legacy value more than current form, holding its position even after the roster reset that followed that era of dominance.
League: NFL · Value: $9.0B · Venue: Gillette Stadium (owned) · Market: Boston · Super Bowls: 6
- Silicon Valley market
San Francisco 49ers (NFL)
The 49ers are valued at $8.6 billion, backed by five Super Bowl titles and a corporate-heavy Bay Area market that fills the suites at Levi's Stadium. The venue, opened in 2014, was built for premium hospitality and tech-sector sponsorship, which lifts per-game revenue above most NFL peers. The franchise sits ahead of the Eagles on market size and stadium economics rather than recent results, having reached but not won its most recent Super Bowl.
League: NFL · Value: $8.6B · Venue: Levi's Stadium · Market: San Francisco Bay Area · Super Bowls: 5
- Rising valuation
Philadelphia Eagles (NFL)
The Eagles are worth $8.3 billion, one of the NFL's steepest recent risers on the back of sustained on-field success and a fervent, high-spending fan base. Strong ticket demand at Lincoln Financial Field and a title in the 2024 season have kept the franchise's revenue trending up. Philadelphia edges into the top 10 on a mid-sized market punching above its weight — a contrast to bigger-market teams that rank on brand alone.
League: NFL · Value: $8.3B · Venue: Lincoln Financial Field · Market: Philadelphia · Super Bowls: 2
- Baseball's most valuable
New York Yankees (MLB)
The Yankees, worth about $8.2 billion, are baseball's most valuable franchise and the top non-NFL, non-NBA team on the list. Their edge over other MLB clubs comes from the YES Network, a club-controlled regional sports network, plus 27 World Series titles that anchor a global brand. The Yankees rank this high without the NFL's shared-media floor, a reminder that scale in a huge market and owned media can rival a whole league's revenue-sharing model — see how MLB's economics differ in our look at its salary rules.
League: MLB · Value: ~$8.2B · Venue: Yankee Stadium · Media: YES Network · World Series: 27
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- Dallas Cowboys (NFL)
- Golden State Warriors (NBA)
- Los Angeles Rams (NFL)
- New York Giants (NFL)
- Los Angeles Lakers (NBA)
- New York Knicks (NBA)
- New England Patriots (NFL)
- San Francisco 49ers (NFL)
- Philadelphia Eagles (NFL)
- New York Yankees (MLB)
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How everyone ranked them
Built from reader rankings using position-based points.
The ranked cards above list Forbes’ December 2025 global top 10. The sections below explain how those valuations are built, why the NFL dominates, and where soccer’s giants actually fall on the all-sports scale.
How we ranked these teams
The order follows Forbes’ December 2025 enterprise valuations — an estimate of what each club would sell for, including its stadium economics and any team-owned media, but before deducting debt. Enterprise value is a revenue story, not a trophy count, which is why the list weighs a handful of factors far more heavily than winning:
- Shared media money. A league’s national broadcast deal is the single biggest input. The NFL splits its contracts equally across 32 teams, so every club starts from the same high floor.
- Stadium and real estate. Owning the venue — like the Warriors’ Chase Center or the Rams’ SoFi Stadium — captures revenue a tenant franchise pays away.
- Market size. New York, Los Angeles, and the Bay Area command premiums that smaller markets cannot match on brand alone.
- Team-owned media. Regional sports networks such as the Yankees’ YES Network add a revenue stream most clubs lack.
- Brand and history. Storied franchises hold pricing power that survives losing seasons.
Why the NFL sits on top
The NFL is the most lucrative single-sport league in the world, largely because its national television contracts split revenue equally among all 32 teams. A small-market team like Green Bay ends up with roughly the same broadcast income as one in New York or Los Angeles, which keeps every franchise’s floor high. That structure is why the NFL placed 30 of the 50 most valuable teams in 2025 — leaving out only the New Orleans Saints and Cincinnati Bengals — with the Cowboys ahead of the pack. The league’s salary cap reinforces the effect, capping costs so that shared revenue converts into profit at nearly every club.
Real Madrid and the soccer tier
Real Madrid is the most valuable soccer club in the world at $6.75 billion, a spot it has held for four straight years and roughly 20th on the all-sports list. In 2023-24 it became the first football club to top €1 billion (about $1.04 billion) in single-season revenue, per Deloitte’s Football Money League, powered by a global fanbase that generates sponsorship and media income far beyond its domestic market. Manchester United ranked second among clubs at roughly $6.6 billion, with Barcelona close behind. Even so, only a handful of soccer clubs crack the all-sports top 50, because their league economics — with no equal revenue sharing and no salary cap — still trail the NFL and NBA. Our ranking of the richest football clubs breaks down the soccer tier in detail.
Values keep climbing
Sports valuations have accelerated. Forbes put the 50 most valuable teams at more than $353 billion combined in December 2025 — an average of about $7.1 billion each, up 22% from 2024 and more than double the total from four years earlier. The NBA has been the fastest riser: five basketball teams now sit in the global top 15, led by the Warriors and Lakers. Three forces drive the surge. There is a fixed supply of elite franchises, so scarcity alone lifts prices. Live sport remains one of the few things audiences watch in real time, keeping media rights valuable. And private equity firms and sovereign wealth funds have moved into ownership, adding buyers with deep pockets to a market that used to be far smaller.
Value at a glance
| Rank | Franchise | League | Value (Dec 2025) | Home venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas Cowboys | NFL | $13.0B | AT&T Stadium (owned) |
| 2 | Golden State Warriors | NBA | $11.0B | Chase Center (owned) |
| 3 | Los Angeles Rams | NFL | $10.5B | SoFi Stadium (private) |
| 4 | New York Giants | NFL | $10.1B | MetLife (shared) |
| 5 | Los Angeles Lakers | NBA | $10.0B | Crypto.com (leased) |
| 6 | New York Knicks | NBA | $9.75B | Madison Square Garden |
| 7 | New England Patriots | NFL | $9.0B | Gillette Stadium |
| ~20 | Real Madrid | La Liga | $6.75B | Santiago Bernabéu |
Kit and sponsorship money from companies like Nike and Adidas layers on top of ticket and media revenue. See our ranking of the richest sports brands for how those deals stack up, and the richest owners in sports for the people behind these franchises.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most valuable sports team in the world?+
The Dallas Cowboys of the NFL are the world's most valuable sports franchise, valued at $13 billion in Forbes' December 2025 ranking. The Cowboys have held the top spot every year since 2016, when they overtook Real Madrid. Their value is driven by stadium, sponsorship, and media revenue rather than results — the team has not reached a Super Bowl since the 1995 season.
Which football (soccer) club is worth the most?+
Real Madrid is the world's most valuable soccer club, valued at $6.75 billion in Forbes' 2025 list, ranking around 20th among all sports teams globally. Manchester United followed at roughly $6.6 billion, with Barcelona close behind. Real Madrid also became the first football club to top €1 billion in single-season revenue, reported by Deloitte for 2023-24.
Why are NFL teams so valuable?+
NFL teams share enormous national television revenue equally among all 32 clubs, so even small-market teams start from a high financial floor. A firm salary cap keeps competition balanced and every franchise profitable. That structure is why 30 of the 50 most valuable sports teams in 2025 were NFL clubs — you can read how the cap works in our NFL salary cap explainer.
Is any basketball team near the top of the list?+
Yes. The Golden State Warriors were the second-most-valuable sports team in the world in 2025 at $11 billion, ahead of every NFL club except the Cowboys. The Los Angeles Lakers ($10 billion) and New York Knicks ($9.75 billion) also sit inside the global top six, and five NBA teams rank in the top 15 overall.
Do the teams at the top actually win championships?+
Often not. The Cowboys (last title 1995 season), Knicks (1973), and Giants (recent lean seasons) all rank near the top without recent success. Enterprise value tracks revenue potential — media rights, stadium ownership, market size, and brand — far more than last season's record, so a storied franchise in a big market can outrank a reigning champion.
How much are the 50 most valuable teams worth combined?+
Forbes valued the 50 most valuable sports teams at more than $353 billion combined in December 2025, an average of about $7.1 billion each. That figure was up 22% from 2024 and more than double the total from just four years earlier, reflecting a rapid, sustained climb in franchise prices across the NFL, NBA, MLB, and elite soccer.
Why do sports team valuations keep rising?+
Values climb because there is a fixed supply of elite franchises while media rights keep growing, since live sport is one of the few things audiences still watch in real time. Private equity firms and sovereign wealth funds have entered team ownership, adding deep-pocketed buyers that push scarce assets higher. Stadium projects that add owned real estate lift individual clubs further.
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