Stoke City reports £61 million profit turnaround after financial shake-up
The Championship club sees improvement after restructuring effort
Stoke City Football Club has announced a pre-tax profit of £60.8 million for the latest financial year, reversing a £25.7 million loss from the previous period.
The financial figures published for Stoke City Holdings highlight the club's restructuring efforts following its separation from bet365 in July 2024.
As part of this transition, ownership of the bet365 Stadium and the Clayton Wood training facility was transferred to the club, along with the waiving of £90.5 million in loans, resulting in the club becoming debt-free.
Ownership was formally passed to Chairman John Coates.
The financial year ended 31st May 2025 also saw a rise in turnover to £35.4 million from £32.2 million in 2024.
This increase stemmed from higher broadcast revenues from the English Football League and a £1 million growth in commercial income.
Conferencing and hospitality contributed £3.6 million, compared to £2.9 million previously.
Despite the positive trends, the club's operating loss increased to £30.9 million from £26.3 million the previous year.
The club attributed this to decisions to retain key players, which led to decreased profits from player sales, along with a £13 million investment in squad development.
The club's financial statement acknowledges the challenges faced by Championship clubs, noting that it will continue to operate with financial losses unless it returns to the Premier League, changes are made to the football funding formula, or player sales balance existing losses.
The club stated its compliance with profitability and sustainability regulations, and its ongoing engagement with the English Football League and the Independent Football Regulator to introduce rules that enable sustainable owner investment.
Future investments include £13 million allocated towards infrastructure enhancements at the stadium and training facility.
A new training facility for the first team opened last month, highlighting the owner's commitment to elite standards and the club's ambition to return to the Premier League.
The club also invested further in women and girls’ football, establishing an Elite Girls’ Academy to strengthen local opportunities in the sport.
The statement affirmed, "The club’s owner remains dedicated to the long-term, sustainable success of Stoke City and its ongoing objective to achieve promotion to the top flight."