Dallas Cowboys replace Real Madrid as world's most valuable sports team

Real Madrid have been knocked off the top of the list of the world's most valuable sports teams in Forbes' latest annual survey.

NFL franchise Dallas Cowboys, despite having failed to win a Super Bowl in 20 years, have been valued at $4 billion (£2.6bn), with the Liga club down at $3.26bn (£2.1bn).

European champions Barcelona are the only other football team to make the top five, valued at $3.16bn (£2.05bn), behind both Super Bowl champions New England Patriots and baseball's New York Yankees.

Manchester United are the highest-ranked team from the lucrative Premier League, priced at $3.1bn (£2.01bn), thanks in part to a major new 10-year sponsorship deal with sportswear giant Adidas.

In the 18th edition of their annual review, Forbes has credited an impressive marketing strategy in America, as well as the revenue from their 90,000-seater stadium, as the keys to the Cowboys' financial success in the past year.