Barcelona credit rating rises from stable to positive
Barcelona today boasted of an upgrade in their credit rating, with the LaLiga champions seeing their status move from “stable” to “positive”.
An assessment from agency Morningstar DBRS has upgraded the Catalan club’s credit rating despite Barcelona facing recent financial difficulties, in which they were fined over £400,000 for breaching Uefa rules in 2023.
The club also faced issues in registering players and lost £76m in their 2023-24 accounts after investors defaulted on payments due for their Barca Vision project.
The club said: “The good evolution of the Barça economy has been supported today with the change in the assessment of its credit capacity from stable to positive.
“The ability of FC Barcelona to meet its obligations to creditors is confirmed.”
Barcelona won the domestic LaLiga title last season in what was their 28th domestic championship victory. They backed that up with a 32nd Copa del Rey and 15th Supercopa de Espana in a successful domestic season.
But they were beaten in the semi-finals of the Champions League by an aggregate score of 6-7 to eventual runners-up Inter Milan.
Barcelona stable to positive
“The change in trend to Positive from Stable is supported by FCB’s improved financial performance over the last two seasons along with the expectation of further improvement thanks to higher revenues because of the club’s return to the Spotify Camp Nou as well as effective cost controls carried by the club and supported by Uefa and LaLiga sustainability frameworks,” Morningstar DBRS said.
“Morningstar DBRS expects the club to deliver positive free cash flow and show deleveraging capacity.”
The ratings agency warned, however, that Barca “could return the trend to stable in the case of more aggressive financial management or unexpected issues”.
The credit rating firm is the fourth largest in the world based on market share, and audits more 4,000 issuers and 60,000 securities.
Barcelona currently play at the 55,000 capacity Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in Barcelona while their iconic Camp Nou is regenerated in a project which will see it reach 105,000 seats.