Stoke City F.C. have reported a pre-tax profit of £60.8 million for the financial year ending 31 May 2025, marking a remarkable financial turnaround. This represents a significant recovery compared to the previous year, when the club posted a loss of £25.7 million.
The dramatic shift in fortunes follows a major structural reorganisation completed in August 2024. Full ownership of the club was transferred from betting company bet365 to chairman John Coates. As part of the transition, loans totalling £90.5 million were written off, effectively clearing the club’s debts. The agreement also saw ownership of the bet365 Stadium and the club’s training complex transferred directly to Stoke City, strengthening its asset base and financial stability.
Revenue rose from £32.2 million to £35.4 million, largely driven by increased broadcasting income from the English Football League. However, despite the headline profit, Stoke still recorded an operating loss of £30.9 million — higher than the previous year’s £26.3 million deficit. This was partly due to reduced income from player sales and a £13 million investment in strengthening the playing squad.
The club also continued to invest heavily in infrastructure. A £13 million redevelopment of the Clayton Wood training ground was completed in February, a project Stoke say demonstrates the ownership’s commitment to delivering elite-level facilities to support their ambition of returning to the Premier League. Further improvements were made to the bet365 Stadium, and the club established an Elite Girls Academy aimed at creating a clearer development pathway for local female players from grassroots football through to the professional level.
Stoke stated they are collaborating with the EFL and the Independent Football Regulator to help shape financial regulations that would permit a greater degree of sustainable owner investment, benefiting both the club and the surrounding community.
The club added that Coates — whose family has been associated with Stoke since the 1980s — remains fully committed to the long-term and sustainable success of the Potters, with promotion back to the top flight remaining a central objective.
On the pitch, Stoke, who were relegated from the Premier League in 2018, currently sit 14th in the Championship, 10 points adrift of the play-off positions, and are set to travel to Swansea this Saturday as they continue their push to climb the table.
