Barcelona tops the 2018 list of the highest-paid sports teams in the world with $13.8 million average annual salary

Meredith CashNov 28, 2018, 00:59 IST

David Ramos/Getty Images

FC Barcelona is the new highest-paid sports team in the world, with players making an average of $13.8 million (€12.2 million) during the 2018-19 season. Barcelona returns to the No. 1 spot in the rankings for the first time since 2012.

This data comes from Sporting Intelligence's annual "Global Sports Salaries Survey," which looks at the first-team pay for 349 teams across eight different sports in 18 different leagues around the world. All in all, these teams average a combined $22.2 billion in wages annually.

Last year, the Oklahoma City Thunder topped the list with an average annual player salary of $9.3 million during the 2017-18 season. This year, the Thunder clock in at No. 3 in the world rankings but still best all other NBA teams. Of the 25 highest-paid teams in the world, 17 are from the NBA.

In other major North American sports leagues, the San Francisco Giants (No. 27 overall) are the highest-paid Major League Baseball team, the Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 85 overall) top NFL teams, and the Los Angeles Kings (No. 82 overall) are the highest-paid NHL team.

Additionally, Toronto FC (No. 214 overall) tops the list for MLS teams and the Toronto Argonauts (No. 321 overall) leads all CFL teams. The Phoenix Mercury (No. 331 overall) is the highest-paid team in the WNBA - which is the only women's sports league to be featured on the list.

Here are the highest-paid teams in the world based on average salary for their players.

See Barcelona tops the 2018 list of the highest-paid sports teams in the world with $13.8 million average annual salary >>

25. New Orleans Pelicans — $7.55 million / €6.64 million (average pay per player)

Sport: Basketball

League: National Basketball Association

Highest-paid player: Jrue Holiday ($26.1 million / €23.1 million)

2017 rank: 10

24. Denver Nuggets — $7.76 million / €6.73 million (average pay per player)

Sport: Basketball

League: National Basketball Association

Highest-paid player: Paul Millsap ($29.2 million / €25.9 million)

2017 rank: 21

23. Utah Jazz — $7.80 million / €6.90 million (average pay per player)

Sport: Basketball

League: National Basketball Association

Highest-paid player: Rudy Gobert ($22.7 million / €20.1 million)

2017 rank: 19

22. Detroit Pistons — $7.86 million / €6.96 million (average pay per player)

Sport: Basketball

League: National Basketball Association

Highest-paid player: Blake Griffin ($31.9 million / €28.3 million)

2017 rank: 12

21. San Antonio Spurs — $7.88 million / €6.98 million (average pay per player)

Sport: Basketball

League: National Basketball Association

Highest-paid player: DeMar DeRozan ($27.7 million / €24.5 million)

2017 rank: 16

20. Manchester City — $7.89 million / €6.99 million (average pay per player)

Sport: Soccer

League: English Premier League

Highest-paid player: Kevin De Bruyne ($17.2 million / €15.2 million)

2017 rank: 24

19. Memphis Grizzlies — $8.02 million / €7.10 million (average pay per player)

Sport: Basketball

League: National Basketball Association

Highest-paid player: Mike Conley ($30.5 million / €27.0 million)

2017 rank: 20

18. Paris Saint-Germain — $8.03 million /€7.11 million (average pay per player)

Sport: Soccer

League: Ligue 1

Highest-paid player: Neymar ($41.6 million / €36.8 million)

2017 rank: 5

17. Atletico Madrid — $8.10 million / €7.17 million (average pay per player)

Sport: Soccer

League: La Liga

Highest-paid player: Antoine Griezmann ($22.6 million / €20.0 million)

2017 rank: 52

16. Cleveland Cavaliers — $8.26 million / €7.31 million (average pay per player)

Sport: Basketball

League: National Basketball Association

Highest-paid player: Kevin Love ($24.1 million / €21.3 million)

2017 rank: 2

15. Bayern Munich — $8.36 million / €7.40 million (average pay per player)

Sport: Soccer

League: Bundesliga

Highest-paid player: Robert Lewandowski ($13.2 million / €11.7 million)

2017 rank: 27

14. Portland Trail Blazers — $8.43 million / €7.47 million (average pay per player)

Sport: Basketball

League: National Basketball Association

Highest-paid player: Damian Lillard ($28.0 million / €24.8 million)

2017 rank: 7

13. Boston Celtics — $8.44 million / €7.47 million (average pay per player)

Sport: Basketball

League: National Basketball Association

Highest-paid player: Gordon Hayward ($31.2 million / €27.6 million)

2017 rank: 13

12. Minnesota Timberwolves — $8.51 million / €7.54 million (average pay per player)

Sport: Basketball

League: National Basketball Association

Highest-paid player: Andrew Wiggins ($25.5 million / €22.6 million)

2017 rank: 17

11. Charlotte Hornets — $8.59 million / €7.61 million (average pay per player)

Sport: Basketball

League: National Basketball Association

Highest-paid player: Nicolas Batum ($24.0 million / €21.2 million)

2017 rank: 6

10. Manchester United — $8.60 million / €7.62 million (average pay per player)

Sport: Soccer

League: English Premier League

Highest-paid player: Alexis Sanchez ($23.2 million / €20.6 million)

2017 rank: 23

9. Juventus — $8.85 million / €7.84 million (average pay per player)

Sport: Soccer

League: Serie A

Highest-paid player: Cristiano Ronaldo ($33.9 million / €30.0 million)

2017 rank: 32

8. Miami Heat — $9.26 million / €8.20 million (average pay per player)

Sport: Basketball

League: National Basketball Association

Highest-paid player: Hassan Whiteside ($24.4 million / €21.6 million)

2017 rank: 26

7. Houston Rockets — $9.85 million / €8.72 million (average pay per player)

Sport: Basketball

League: National Basketball Association

Highest-paid player: Chris Paul ($35.7 million / €31.6 million)

2017 rank: 14

6. Toronto Raptors — $9.97 million / €8.83 million (average pay per player)

Sport: Basketball

League: National Basketball Association

Highest-paid player: Kyle Lowry ($31.2 million / €27.6 million)

2017 rank: 11

5. Washington Wizards — $10.0 million / €8.86 million (average pay per player)

Sport: Basketball

League: National Basketball Association

Highest-paid player: Otto Porter Jr. ($26.0 million / €23.0 million)

2017 rank: 18

4. Golden State Warriors — $10.3 million / €9.12 million (average pay per player)

Sport: Basketball

League: National Basketball Association

Highest-paid player: Stephen Curry ($37.5 million / €33.2 million)

2017 rank: 3

3. Oklahoma City Thunder — $10.3 million / €9.12 million (average pay per player)

Sport: Basketball

League: National Basketball Association

Highest-paid player: Russell Westbrook ($35.7 million / €31.6 million)

2017 rank: 1

2. Real Madrid — $10.6 million / €9.39 million (average pay per player)

Sport: Soccer

League: La Liga

Highest-paid player: Gareth Bale ($23.2 million / €20.6 million)

2017 rank: 9

1. Barcelona — $13.8 million / €12.2 million (average pay per player)

Sport: Soccer

League: La Liga

Highest-paid player: Lionel Messi ($33.1 million / €29.3 million)

2017 rank: 4

Now check out where your team's home court lands among fans' favorite NBA arenas.

The best NBA arenas according to fans

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Barcelona tops the 2018 list of the highest-paid sports teams in the world with $13.8 million average annual salary

25. New Orleans Pelicans — $7.55 million / €6.64 million (average pay per player)

24. Denver Nuggets — $7.76 million / €6.73 million (average pay per player)

23. Utah Jazz — $7.80 million / €6.90 million (average pay per player)

22. Detroit Pistons — $7.86 million / €6.96 million (average pay per player)

21. San Antonio Spurs — $7.88 million / €6.98 million (average pay per player)

20. Manchester City — $7.89 million / €6.99 million (average pay per player)

19. Memphis Grizzlies — $8.02 million / €7.10 million (average pay per player)

18. Paris Saint-Germain — $8.03 million /€7.11 million (average pay per player)

17. Atletico Madrid — $8.10 million / €7.17 million (average pay per player)

16. Cleveland Cavaliers — $8.26 million / €7.31 million (average pay per player)

15. Bayern Munich — $8.36 million / €7.40 million (average pay per player)

14. Portland Trail Blazers — $8.43 million / €7.47 million (average pay per player)

13. Boston Celtics — $8.44 million / €7.47 million (average pay per player)

12. Minnesota Timberwolves — $8.51 million / €7.54 million (average pay per player)

11. Charlotte Hornets — $8.59 million / €7.61 million (average pay per player)

10. Manchester United — $8.60 million / €7.62 million (average pay per player)

9. Juventus — $8.85 million / €7.84 million (average pay per player)

8. Miami Heat — $9.26 million / €8.20 million (average pay per player)

7. Houston Rockets — $9.85 million / €8.72 million (average pay per player)

6. Toronto Raptors — $9.97 million / €8.83 million (average pay per player)

5. Washington Wizards — $10.0 million / €8.86 million (average pay per player)

4. Golden State Warriors — $10.3 million / €9.12 million (average pay per player)

3. Oklahoma City Thunder — $10.3 million / €9.12 million (average pay per player)

2. Real Madrid — $10.6 million / €9.39 million (average pay per player)

1. Barcelona — $13.8 million / €12.2 million (average pay per player)

Now check out where your team's home court lands among fans' favorite NBA arenas.