Portuguese giants Benfica have set a new Guinness world record for the football club with the most paid up members, surpassing the previous record set by Manchester United, Portuguese media reported on Friday.

Benfica president Luis Filipe Vieira and a Guinness World Record official will make the announcement at a press conference later on Friday, sports daily A Bola reported citing club officials.

The Lisbon-based club, founded in 1904, counts over 160,000 members following a membership drive launched earlier this year, compared to 152,000 members for previous record holders Manchester United.

In July Benfica put a "membership kit" on sale at 3,800 locations across Portugal that includes two tickets to a club match, a DVD with match highlights, a visit to the club's stadium and the choice of either a team hat or scarf in addition to a membership card.

Advertising campaigns urged fans to buy the kits, which costs 55 euros (70 US dollars) for adults and 25 euros for those under the age of 18, in order to make Benfica "the biggest club in the world".

Last season Benfica recorded 13 million euros in revenues from memberships, an amount that accounted for 14 percent of the club's total revenues.

Benfica lie in third place in the 16-team Portuguese league with 16 points, six points behind leaders FC Porto.

They are also battling to qualify for the knockout phase of the Champions League. Benfica sit third in group F on four points behind Celtic and leaders Manchester United.