The UK's Premier League clubs paid over $3.7 billion in wages last season. A report on football finances from an international accountancy company showed a 15 per cent increase in revenue for the League. It reported that Premier League wages went above $3.5 billion for the first time. Almost 60 per cent of all League revenue goes towards wages. This is up from 55 per cent in the 2016/17 season. The Premier League's top six clubs, which include Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal, have the highest wage bills in the League.
The Premier League is the top level of English football. It is the most-watched league in the world. People in 212 countries and 643 million homes worldwide watch it. The League makes a lot of money from television rights. The increase in the wage bill has lowered the clubs' profits. The report said profits at the clubs may go down over the next few years because of higher wages. It is harder for the teams in the lower half of the League to make a profit. The bottom three teams can lose up to $130 million if they go down from the Premier League.