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Benfica secured third place in the global ranking of clubs with the most members after concluding a membership renumbering process that fixed the club’s total at 321,438 associates, according to an official announcement by Sport Lisboa e Benfica.
The updated count follows a previous high reached in February 2025, when the club announced a world record of 400 thousand members before initiating a systematic review of active dues and registry updates, rtp.pt reported. Benfica announced this Friday, the 13th, the completion of the membership renumbering process, revealing the historic figure of 321,438 members.
The process officially concluded this Friday, fixing the universe of members at 321.438. The club said that this value represents “the largest number of members registered at the end of a renumbering process in the history of Benfica”, reflecting the size and vitality of its membership movement. In February of last year, Rui Costa revealed that the club counted more than 399 thousand members.
Bayern Munich leads the worldwide membership hierarchy with 432,500 members, followed by River Plate in second place with 352 mil members, according to data cited by rtp.pt. Benfica holds the third spot globally, securing a place on the planetary podium behind Bayern Munich and River Plate.
Sporting ranks seventh with 200 thousand members, and FC Porto occupies the eighth position with 185,767 members, rtp.pt reported.
The ranking strictly evaluates sports entities organized as membership associations where members hold formal status and voting rights in club governance. Private limited companies or stock-market-listed entities, which issue commercial loyalty cards and ticketing priority without membership statutes—such as English clubs like Manchester United and Liverpool, alongside most Italian teams—are excluded from this classification, A Bola reported.
German clubs maintain a heavy presence across the top 30 worldwide, accounting for 11 of the featured organizations, rtp.pt reported.
Benfica confirmed that the renumbering process does not alter membership seniority, category, or existing benefits. Members can now view their new numbers through the official club app and website, while individual notifications are being distributed via email and text message, Record reported. The process allows members to consult their new numbers through the SL Benfica App and Official Site, conducted under the terms of the Club Statutes.
Members who experience difficulty accessing their new numbers due to technological issues involving operating systems are advised to log out and log back into the platform. Throughout this process, members had the opportunity to update their personal data and regularize their membership status. The club expressed gratitude for the participation and involvement of all members, whose passion, dedication, and commitment remain fundamental to the identity and future of the club.
Due to high production volume, shipment will occur in phases beginning in January 2027, with digital cards and previous physical cards remaining valid until delivery, according to the club’s official statement. Members of the eagles will receive information regarding their updated number in the coming days. The club noted in a statement, “The renumbering does not alter the membership seniority, category, or the rights and benefits of the members.”
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