Allsvenskan: Sweden's Football League Surpasses European Rivals

When the transfer window reopens, Allsvenskan is set to become one of Europe's hottest player markets, enhancing the prospects for Swedish clubs. This is evident as Hammarby faces Belgian Charleroi.

On Wednesday, the draw for the Swedish teams' European cup qualifiers took place.

AIK will face a team from Estonia or Gibraltar and, like Malmö FF, which will encounter Georgian and then Latvian or Estonian opposition in the Champions League qualifiers, are strong favorites.

Häcken faces tougher challenges, initially favored against Spartak Trnava (Slovakia), but if victorious, they will meet Belgian Anderlecht.

Häcken's expenses are about 40% of Anderlecht's, with a similar revenue gap, making the Belgian club the clear favorite.

The same argument could have been made for the match between Belgian Charleroi and Hammarby years ago.

Catching Up – and Surpassing

In 2017, Hammarby had a turnover of just over 110 million SEK, while Charleroi had more than double that, nearly 300 million SEK.

At the same time, the Belgian squad was valued at nearly 300 million SEK, while Hammarby's was around 125 million SEK.

According to the ELO ranking system, which uses a simple algorithm to compare football teams' strength over time, Charleroi was ranked as Europe's 134th best club team in mid-2017.

Hammarby was ranked 422nd.

When the teams meet in the UEFA Conference League qualifiers in the summer of 2025, we will see how Swedish clubs are closing in on others.

In the ELO rankings, Hammarby has advanced to 155th place, while Charleroi is just ahead at 138th. The economic gap has been completely erased. Hammarby had a turnover of 384 million SEK last year, while Charleroi's was around 340 million SEK. The Belgian club carries slightly higher costs than Hammarby, but not by much.

The figures, from the analysis company Goalunit, also reveal the reasons for the erased distances.

Hammarby's progress is mainly due to the revenue source that has long driven Belgian football forward: player sales. This is why Bajen's turnover has soared – and more is expected.

In 2017, Charleroi's squad was valued at about 250 million SEK, while Hammarby's was around 135 million SEK.

Now, Hammarby has surpassed them. According to Goalunit's data, the squad is valued at 447 million SEK, while Charleroi's is 425 million SEK.

And it's not just Hammarby that's catching up. The entire Allsvenskan is growing economically for the same reasons.

Sweden Leads Europe

On its analysis platform, Goalunit presents a key figure for a player's sales potential, known as KPI (Key Performance Index).

When the summer window of 2025 opens, no league in Europe will have a higher average than the Swedish one, which has now surpassed the transfer pioneers in Belgium, Denmark, Portugal, and the Netherlands.

This figure will soon translate into more money for Swedish clubs.

The reason is evident in our arenas every week. Abdoulie Manneh, Axel Brönner, Bleon Kurtulus, Matias Siltanen, Tobias Gulliksen, Keita Kosugi, Robbie Ure, Leo Walta, Markus Karlsson, Hampus Skoglund, Besfort Zeneli, Max Fenger, Joakim Persson, David Kruse, Noel Törnqvist, Ezekiel Alladoh, Noah Tolf, Felix Eriksson, David Andersson, Yannick Agnero, Victor Andersson, Victor Lind, Otto Rosengren, Hugo Bolin, Silas Andersen, Isak Andri Sigurgeirsson, Yousapha Sanyang, Kojo Pepprah Oppong, Sebastian Tounekti, Filip Öhman, Pontus Dahbo, Amin Boudri, Gottfrid Rapp, Elias Pihlström, Simon Eriksson, Love Arrhov, John Paul Dembe, Daniel Gudjohnsen, Ludvig Malachowski Thorell, Kenan Bilalovic, Leo Östman, Elohim Kaboré, Kenan Busuladzic, and Ludvig Arvidsson.

Did I forget someone? Of course, I did. But it doesn't matter for the point.

The number of young players getting playing time in Allsvenskan, making an impact, and having long contracts with their Swedish clubs is greater than in many years.

Everything Points to a Record Summer

Goalunit's data, although not complete, shows no country whose revenue from player sales has increased faster than Allsvenskan's in the past five years.

And it matters.

Player sales are the revenue stream that can improve Allsvenskan compared to other leagues. At least for now. Especially if the money is spent wisely on new things that can make Swedish football grow even more. In academies, on more and better-trained coaches, on new young players, on larger and more skilled organizations.

And it follows a pattern.

The winter window was a record window. Everything suggests that the summer will be the same.

It's natural to question how the increased focus on young players affects the football experience in Sweden – but it's impossible not to see the development as positive in the long term.

The collective shift is not only reflected in various tables and graphs at analysis companies – but Swedish teams are getting better and better conditions.

That Hammarby travels to Belgium to face Charleroi and does not do so as an underdog is a good example.