“Bay Collective to invest in premier women’s football clubs across the globe”sixthstreet.com ↗
Football club buyers
Who buys football clubs, what they already own, and where they buy next. Built from public filings and news. Every fact links to its source.
- Buyers
- 50
- Deal in 2025–26
- 24
- Said they want to buy
- 5
- Decision-makers
- 69
Who is looking now
Buyers that said in public they want to buy or invest in more clubs.
“We target assets globally that offer unique potential for growth”brightpathsports.com ↗
“Partner with new control owners or diversified platform builders to acquire sports franchises”arctospartners.com ↗
“and growing this stable of clubs over time”mercury13.com ↗
“We really want to be buying, going in and investing into a club again very soon.”news.sky.com ↗
All buyers
| Buyer | Type | Clubs and stakes | Last deal | Buys in | People |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qatar Sports InvestmentsQatar | Multi-club group | KAS Eupen · 100%Paris Saint-Germain · majoritySC Braga · minority | KAS Eupen17 Sep 2026 | Europe | 1 |
| Clearlake Capital / BlueCo ownership groupUnited States | Fund / PE | Chelsea · majority, further control acquisition agreed | Chelsea16 Sep 2026 | Europe | 2 |
| Krause GroupUnited States | Multi-club group | Parma Calcio 1913Des Moines Menace | Casa Pia AC17 Jul 2026 | North America, Europe, Global | — |
| Michele KangHQ not public | Individual | Olympique Lyonnais Groupe · 87.78% | Olympique Lyonnais Groupe26 Jun 2026 | Europe | 1 |
| Sixth Street / Bay CollectiveUnited StatesSays it is buying | Fund / PE | Bay FC · lead investor | Sunderland AFC Women7 Apr 2026 | North America, Europe, Global | 1 |
| Apollo Sports CapitalHQ not public | Fund / PE | Atlético de Madrid · majorityWrexham AFC · minority | Atlético de Madrid12 Mar 2026 | Global | 2 |
| Mercury13United KingdomSays it is buying | Multi-club group | FC Como WomenBristol City Women · majorityFC Badalona Women · majority | FC Badalona Women10 Mar 2026 | Europe, Global | 2 |
| Black Knight Football ClubHQ not public | Multi-club group | AFC Bournemouth · 100%FC Lorient · 100%Moreirense · majority | FC Lorient28 Jan 2026 | Europe | 1 |
| Crux FootballUnited Kingdom | Multi-club group | FC Rosengård Elitfotboll · association retains >51% votesMontpellier HSC Féminines / Montpellier FC | FC Rosengård Elitfotboll15 Jan 2026 | Europe, Global | 2 |
| Blue Crow Sports GroupUnited States | Multi-club group | Cancún FCLe Havre ACLe Havre AC Féminines | Le Havre AC Féminines2026 | Global | — |
| Knighthead Capital ManagementUnited States | Fund / PE | Birmingham City (via Shelby) · 96.64% | Birmingham City Limited10 Nov 2025 | Europe | 1 |
| Monarch CollectiveUnited States | Fund / PE | FC Viktoria Berlin WomenAngel City FCSan Diego Wave+1 | FC Viktoria Berlin Women5 Nov 2025 | North America, Europe, Global | 2 |
| Velocity Sports Partners / ALK CapitalUnited States / United Kingdom | Multi-club group | RCD Espanyol · majorityBurnley | RCD Espanyol8 Oct 2025 | Europe | 1 |
| Beckett Layne VenturesUnited States | Fund / PE | AC Monza · 80% confirmed at first closing | AC Monza25 Sep 2025 | Europe | 2 |
| Woody JohnsonUnited States | Individual | Crystal Palace · 42.92% | Crystal Palace24 Jul 2025 | Europe | 1 |
| Innovatio CapitalUnited States | Consortium | Querétaro | QuerétaroJul 2025 | Latin America | 1 |
| Tony BloomHQ not public | Individual | Heart of Midlothian · 29%Royale Union Saint-GilloiseMelbourne Victory | Heart of Midlothian25 Jun 2025 | Europe, Asia-Pacific | 2 |
| 49ers Enterprises / Andrew Cavenagh consortiumUnited States | Consortium | Rangers · 51% at acquisition | Rangers30 May 2025 | Europe | 2 |
| Redwood Holdings / DogwoodUnited States | Consortium | Reading · 100% | Reading14 May 2025 | Europe | 2 |
| Alexis Ohanian / Seven Seven SixHQ not public | Individual | Chelsea Women · minorityAngel City FC · founding control owner | Chelsea WomenMay 2025 | North America, Europe, Global | 1 |
| Miller Sports + EntertainmentUnited States | Family office | Real Salt Lake · controllingUtah Royals · controllingReal Monarchs · via holding | RSL Football Holdings18 Apr 2025 | North America | 2 |
| Acun Ilıcalı / AcunmedyaSlovenia | Individual | NK Maribor d.o.o. · 74% | NK Maribor operating company30 Jan 2025 | Europe | 1 |
| Rob Cohen / Project Level / FirstTracks Denver consortiumUnited States | Consortium | Denver Summit FC · Cohen controls | Denver NWSL expansion franchise30 Jan 2025 | North America | 2 |
| Presidio InvestorsUnited States | Fund / PE | Hellas Verona · 100% | Hellas Verona16 Jan 2025 | Europe | 2 |
| The Friedkin Group / Pursuit SportsUnited States | Multi-club group | Everton · majorityAS RomaAS Cannes | Everton19 Dec 2024 | Europe | 2 |
| Dan ȘucuRomania | Individual | Genoa · approximately 77%Rapid București · 90% | Genoa18 Dec 2024 | Europe | 1 |
| Trivela GroupUnited States | Multi-club group | Silkeborg IF · 80%WalsallDrogheda United | Silkeborg IF11 Dec 2024 | Europe | 1 |
| Agache SportHQ not public | Family office | Paris FC · 52.4% at completion | Paris FC29 Nov 2024 | Europe | 1 |
| Red BullAustria | Multi-club group | Paris FC · 10.6%Omiya Ardija (operating company) · 100% agreed | Paris FC29 Nov 2024 | Europe, Asia-Pacific, Global | 1 |
| Wilton Rancheria / Sacramento Republic joint ventureUnited States | Strategic | Sacramento Republic · majority | Sacramento Republic FC7 Nov 2024 | North America | 2 |
| Levine Leichtman Family OfficeHQ not public | Family office | San Diego Wave · controlling | San Diego Wave17 Oct 2024 | North America | 2 |
| Willow Bay and Bob IgerUnited States | Consortium | Angel City FC · controlling | Angel City FC5 Sep 2024 | North America | 2 |
| Bright Path Sports PartnersUnited StatesSays it is buying | Fund / PE | Ipswich Town (via Gamechanger) · 44% reported by investor | Ipswich Town / GamechangerAug 2024 | Global | — |
| Interconnected Ventures / Coalition CapitalHQ not public | Individual | SM Caen · 80% reported | SM Caen31 Jul 2024 | Europe | 2 |
| Custodians of Southend UnitedHQ not public | Consortium | Southend United · control | Southend United19 Jul 2024 | Europe | 1 |
| Public Investment FundHQ not public | Strategic | Newcastle United · approximately 85% | Newcastle United12 Jul 2024 | Europe | 1 |
| Kilmer Sports VenturesCanada | Family office | AS Saint-Étienne · 100% at holding-company level | AS Saint-Étienne3 Jun 2024 | Europe | 2 |
| Oaktree Capital ManagementUnited States | Fund / PE | Inter · 99.6% indirect control acquired in 2024 (later Marotta dilutioncurrent percentage unknown) · 2024 | Inter22 May 2024 | Europe | 1 |
| Pedro LourençoBrazil | Individual | Cruzeiro SAF · 90% | Cruzeiro SAF29 Apr 2024 | Latin America | 1 |
| INEOS / Sir Jim RatcliffeUnited Kingdom | Multi-club group | Manchester United · approximately 27.7% at February closingOGC NiceLausanne-Sport | Manchester United20 Feb 2024 | North America, Europe | 1 |
| RAJ SportsUnited States | Family office | Portland Thorns · controlling | Portland Thorns3 Jan 2024 | North America | 2 |
| Ares ManagementHQ not public | Fund / PE | Inter Miami · preferred equityAtlético de Madrid · retained stake | Inter Miami8 Aug 2023 | North America, Europe | 1 |
| Sport RepublicUnited Kingdom | Multi-club group | Valenciennes · majoritySouthamptonGöztepe | Valenciennes25 Jul 2023 | Europe | 1 |
| Kyril Louis-DreyfusHQ not public | Individual | Sunderland · 64% following 2023 transaction | Sunderland27 May 2023 | Europe | 1 |
| Mohamed Mansour / Man Capital and Sycuan consortiumUnited Kingdom / United States | Consortium | San Diego FC | San Diego MLS expansion franchise18 May 2023 | North America | 2 |
| City Football GroupUnited Kingdom | Multi-club group | Bahia SAF · 90% | Bahia SAFMay 2023 | Latin America | 1 |
| Arctos PartnersUnited StatesSays it is buying | Fund / PE | Paris Saint-Germain · 12.5% reported | Paris Saint-Germain2023 | Global | 2 |
| Treecorp InvestimentosBrazil | Fund / PE | Coritiba SAF · 90% | Coritiba SAF2023 | Latin America | 2 |
| RedBird Capital PartnersUnited States | Fund / PE | AC Milan · control | AC MilanAug 2022 | Europe | 1 |
| Amanda Staveley / PCP Capital PartnersHQ not publicSays it is buying | Consortium | unknown | unknown (no new completed club investment verified after Newcastle exit)Date not public | Europe | 1 |
Updated 15 Oct 2026. This is a research list, not a claim that every buyer has an open mandate. See also football clubs for sale: who buys and what they pay, the club owners list, investors by deal and all club transactions.