Standard de Liège is going through a financially critical period. The published annual accounts reveal a loss of 25 million euros for the 2023-2024 financial year and a debt reaching 69 million.
In four years, the club has accumulated losses of 86 million and has negative equity of -39 million. Its survival relies on the financial contributions of its owner, A-CAP, whose situation is weakened by sanctions in the United States.
Among the causes of this crisis, we note an increasing payroll (36.4 million euros) and insufficient income, partly due to the absence of European competitions and disappointing sporting results. Although transfers brought in around 10 million euros, these inflows of money are spread over several months. To ease the pressure, A-CAP recently canceled a €25 million debt owed to the club.
Despite this worrying context, the auditor believes that there is no immediate risk to continuity, thanks to a financial commitment of 26 million euros from the parent company for the next 12 months. However, uncertainties surrounding A-CAP, also struggling with other assets, raise questions about its ability to deliver on that commitment.
WHO TO INVEST?
The sale of Standard appears to be an emergency, but the discouraging figures and considerable debts make the operation complex. Potential buyers will not only have to assume these losses, but also invest to strengthen the teams and stabilize finances, while buying the stadium, still under judicial seizure. The challenge is significant to relaunch an emblematic club with an uncertain future.