Manchester United announced a seventh consecutive annual loss on Wednesday, with spending on new players and costs linked to Ruben Amorim’s dismissal earlier this year adding to the club’s financial deficit.
The increased loss was recorded despite significant measures introduced by British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the club’s minority owner and football operations chief, to improve profitability. These steps included staff reductions and higher ticket prices.
For the financial year ending 30 June 2026, United posted a net loss of £43m, compared with £33m the previous year. The latest figure included £8.2m in exceptional expenses associated with Amorim’s departure as head coach and the club’s restructuring programme.
The result came even though revenue reached a record £677.6m, representing a 1.7% increase. United’s New York-listed shares, which have risen by almost 24% this year, fell 3% in US premarket trading. The 20-time English champions have accumulated losses of nearly £190m since the 2024 financial year.
Chief executive Omar Berrada said the club would maintain a careful and disciplined strategy to keep its finances sustainable.
A strong finish to last season under Michael Carrick guided the team to third place in the Premier League and qualification for the Champions League. United subsequently projected record revenue of between £740m and £760m for the 2027 financial year.
United’s wage costs declined by £11.3m, or 3.6%, from the previous year to £302m. The club said the reduction resulted from changes to the men’s first-team squad and workforce reduction initiatives carried out during the past two years.
People within the club view the latest loss as further proof that strict financial management must remain a priority.
United also reduced the expense associated with Amorim’s departure in January. The exit of the Portuguese coach and his staff was initially listed as a £16.7m exceptional charge in the third-quarter figures released in May. That amount is understood to have represented the club’s maximum potential liability, which fell considerably after he accepted the Milan position.
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