Football Generates Up to 28,000 Jobs in Catalonia

Football in the Barcelona metropolitan area generates 1.521 billion euros annually and supports nearly 28,000 jobs, establishing itself as a key economic and social engine for the region.

Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Pedri, Lewandowski, key players for FC Barcelona. Photo: fcbarcelona.es

June 22, 2026 Hour: 12:45 pm

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On Monday, the Barcelona Commerce Chamber published “The Football That Moves Barcelona,” a study revealing that football generates €1.521 billion in annual wealth and supports approximately 28,000 jobs in the Barcelona area.

The research quantifies the economic impact of seven clubs located in the Catalan capital and its metropolitan area: Barcelona, Espanyol, Sabadell, Europa, Sant Andreu, Terrassa, and L’Hospitalet.

In addition to the wealth generated, measured in terms of gross value added, and the effect on employment, the report estimates that these clubs have a direct local expenditure of €981 million and contribute €312 million in tax revenue.

These €1.521 billion in wealth generated annually are divided into €720 million in direct impact, €232 million in indirect impact, and €569 million in induced impact, while the 27,822 jobs are divided into 14,621 direct, 3,774 indirect, and 9,427 induced.

The two LaLiga clubs generate the majority of this wealth: €1.3 billion for Barcelona and €200 million for Espanyol, compared to approximately €22 million for the other clubs.

Nearly 73% of football-related spending occurs within the Barcelona area, reinforcing its role as a driver of the local economy. Every euro invested in football generates €1.18 in wealth for the city and its metropolitan area.

A la presentació de l’estudi “El futbol que mou Barcelona” a la @CambraBCN. El futbol i l’esport no son una moda ni un mer entreteniment, generen cohesió i identitat, que es transformen en retorn econòmic i social per la societat i la ciutat. Important posar-hi dades i magnituds. https://t.co/ZuSJHYoVyS pic.twitter.com/OU609FF7Wc
— Carlos R. Escuredo (@sapoconcho) June 22, 2026

The text reads, “At the presentation of the study “The Football that Moves Barcelona” at the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, it was stated that football and sport are not a fad or mere entertainment; they generate cohesion and identity, which translate into economic and social benefits for society and the city. It is important to present data and figures.”

The Catalan Sports Minister Berni Álvarez stated that sport in Catalonia has an opportunity and emphasized that football should not only be an economic engine, but should also have a social and sporting return, impacting the development of athletes and the condition of facilities.

For his part, the Barcelona City Councillor for Sports, David Escudé, affirmed that the business sector must make a clear commitment to the sport and urged federations to support clubs with their regulations.

“I am convinced that we will host the men’s Champions League final in 2029, the women’s final in 2031, and we will compete with Madrid and Casablanca to host the 2030 World Cup final. It’s difficult, but not impossible,” Álvarez added.

The report also projects the estimated impact of promotion to the Second Division for local clubs and states that it would entail a structural change in the club’s economic model, derived mainly from the increase in revenue from audiovisual rights: from less than 200,000 to an average of 7.9 million euros.