The firm’s study, conducted for Leicester City and the Premier League, concluded the club’s success boosted the local economy by over £140m in gross value added (GVA) and supported over 2,500 jobs.

EY assessed the direct and indirect economic contribution of the Club to the Leicestershire region. It estimates that during the Club’s 2015/16 title-winning season, around 120,000 visitors travelled to Leicestershire to watch Leicester City matches. Visiting fans spent over £6.5m on local travel, accommodation, retail and food and drink, stimulating additional economic activity and supporting over 380 jobs.

In addition, the club made investments in its two charitable foundations, which included spending around £580,000 on projects that benefited 6,600 local people, and a £2m donation to the Leicester Hospital Charity.

Success at the top level of English football means Leicester are now competing in the UEFA Champions League for the first time, which EY says will increase its economic contribution. The study shows that additional stadium revenue of up to £4m, based upon additional home matches, and prize money of between £29m and £96m, depending upon the club’s performance, is up for grabs. European fixtures are also expected to attract up to 10,000 additional international visitors, contributing up to £8.4m to the region.

Mark Gregory, EY’s chief economist, said: ‘The success of Leicester City has provided an additional platform for growth for the club and can be expected to attract investment into the region. It is clear that with the expected uplift in activity as a result of winning the Premier League and from the additional investments in their stadium and training facilities the club is likely to contribute significantly more to the regional economy going forward.’