Účetní výkaznictví profesionálních fotbalových klubů podle IFRS

This bachelor’s thesis examines the financial reporting of professional football clubs under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The aim of the thesis is to compare how eleven selected European football clubs apply IFRS accounting standards in practice and to assess the impact of selected accounting policies on reported financial indicators and the comparability of financial statements. The theoretical part defines the regulatory environment of European football, the legal specifics of football clubs, the financial sustainability rules of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), and the key IFRS standards applied in the accounting of football clubs, particularly IAS 38, IAS 16, IFRS 9, IFRS 15, and IFRS 16. The empirical part is carried out in the form of a comparative analysis of the financial statements and annual reports of Ajax, Celtic, Rangers, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Borussia Dortmund, Porto, Sporting, Benfica, Juventus, and Lazio for the 2023/24 season. The analysis identifies significant differences in accounting policies, particularly in the areas of capitalisation of agents’ fees and signing bonuses, impairment testing of players, recognition of player sales, accounting for stadiums, and the use of factoring as a financing tool. The identified differences have a direct impact on the amount of reported intangible assets, EBITDA, and the squad cost ratio. The thesis demonstrates that even a common IFRS framework does not ensure full comparability of football clubs’ financial statements, as certain areas leave room for different accounting judgements.