The world's most valuable soccer teams

No sports franchise on the planet leverages its brand more efficiently than Britain’s Manchester United. It banked some $405 million this past season from marketing sponsorships—deals with a varied group that includes a Mexican bank (Invex Banco), an Indonesian drink maker (You C100) and even the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Its marketing aplomb is a big reason the club has regained its top spot on our annual list of the world’s most valuable soccer franchises. Man U is now worth $3.7 billion, an 11 percent increase from a year ago. That’s far more than the 3 percent average increase for the teams on our list, whose average value is now $1.5 billion.