Red clubs dominate Champions League for first time since 2009

Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester United will all participate in the Champions League for the 2026-27 season. This marks the first time since the 2009-10 campaign that all three clubs have secured a spot in the tournament simultaneously. Their collective presence challenges the narrative that a separate group of wealthy clubs has consistently blocked them from European competition.

Manchester City has recently faced scrutiny after an investigation found the club breached 114 Premier League rules over a nine-year period. The ruling cited "sham" contracts that inflated the club's revenue by more than $1 billion. City executives have described the findings as part of a broader conspiracy theory, a view supported by some fans who believe the so-called Red Cartel has conspired to keep the Abu Dhabi-backed side from the top of the table.

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire argues that the financial regulations in place, such as the Profit and Sustainability Rules, have not functioned as intended. He notes that clubs like Everton, Nottingham Forest, and Aston Villa have faced sanctions under these rules. Maguire suggests that the current system locks out ambitious clubs in a manner that did not affect Chelsea when it was purchased by Roman Abramovich in the mid-2000s.

Historical data shows that the dominance of the red-shirted clubs is not a new phenomenon. Between 1996 and 2009, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester United finished in the Premier League top four in 10 of the 11 seasons. Before that period, the mid-2000s saw Manchester United generate €324.8 million in revenue, making them the second-richest club in Europe behind Real Madrid. At the time, Manchester City earned only €104 million, ranking them 20th in Europe and seventh in England.

The financial gap between the top English clubs and the rest of the league has narrowed in recent years. In the 2024-25 season, Liverpool earned €836.1 million, while Aston Villa, the seventh-richest English club, brought in €450.2 million. In 2008, the seventh-richest club earned less than a third of the top club's revenue. Now, the richest club earns less than double that of the seventh place. This shift has allowed clubs like Bournemouth, Newcastle, and Brighton to break into the top six in the past four seasons.

Owners of the red clubs have previously proposed changes to the league structure. In October 2020, Liverpool and Manchester United owners suggested a plan offering lower leagues a $325 million payment and a 25% share of future TV deals. This proposal included a shrinking calendar and special voting rights for nine clubs. Six months later, three of the five founders of the European Super League proposal were Joel Glazer, John W. Henry, and Stan Kroenke, the owners of Manchester United, Liverpool, and Arsenal respectively.

Maguire describes these groups as an interest group rather than a true cartel, noting that they share common financial goals. With Gianni Infantino likely to be re-elected as FIFA president in March 2027, the focus may shift toward the Club World Cup. The 2029 iteration is expected to allow more clubs per country, providing another avenue for these teams to increase their revenue and influence.