The 2025/26 Primeira Liga season concluded on 17 May 2026. FC Porto finished top, their first title win since the 2021/22 season, Sporting CP came second, and Benfica landed in third under the returning José Mourinho.
These teams didn’t just finish in the top three, however. They are revenue drivers of the Primeira Liga and are commonly referred to as the “Big Three”. Collectively, they generate roughly 70% of the income from the entire league.
The Big Three vs the rest
Benfica generates around €179 million per season; Porto isn’t far behind at €174.5 million, and neither is Sporting CP at €101.5 million.
To put that into perspective, Braga, a club often referred to as the “fourth club”, only drives about €53.2 million in revenue per year. Most clubs do even less and turnover just €5 to €15 million per year.
The profits the Big Three are making are impressive as well. Porto’s latest figures are €45 million in pre-tax profit, Benfica is at €29 million, and Sporting is at €20 million.
Transfer income of the Big Three
A lot of this revenue actually comes during transfer windows. Clubs in Portugal are known to have young, talented players that clubs from the UK and Spain generally like to pick up.
Some of the most lucrative player transfers from the Primeira Liga have been João Félix (€127 million to Atlético Madrid), Enzo Fernández (€121 million to Chelsea), Darwin Núñez (€80 million to Liverpool), and Rúben Dias (€80 million to Manchester City), among others.
The reason so many good players come out of clubs from this league probably comes down to their development routes. Sporting’s academy in Alcochete, Benfica’s Seixal campus, and Porto’s development pathway are commonly referred to as some of the best places for player development in Europe.
Sponsorships and the wider commercial picture
Alongside dominating the transfer window, the Big Three also have some of the highest-value sponsorships.
For the 2025/26 season, FC Porto and Sporting both had high-value gambling sponsorships. Platforms offering, for example, bingo online, like 75-ball or 90-ball bingo, generally offer deals that are lucrative for clubs. That’s why gambling sponsors are huge, not just in the Portuguese leagues, but in the rest of Europe.
Alongside these sponsors, they also have others. Benfica has had a long-standing shirt deal with Emirates, for instance. This is a huge multi-year commercial deal, and the reason this club can generate such high revenue numbers.
Why the Big Three continue to dominate
The Big Three’s dominance is structural rather than accidental. Each operates a publicly listed financial vehicle (the SAD model), commands a fanbase of millions, owns multiple income streams (broadcast, transfers, sponsorship, matchday, merchandising), and competes in European competitions.
The last point matters a lot. The Champions League and Europa League generate massive numbers for the Big Three. Because they almost always finish in the top three, they constantly qualify for the Champions League as well. For clubs that rank underneath them when it comes to the end of the season, they miss out on this opportunity.
