Sporting Kansas City
Peter Mallouk (Creative Planning) acquisition · 16 Jan 2026
- Seller
- Illig family and OnGoal principal owners
- Stake acquired
- 71%
- Control
- No
- Reported consideration
- Undisclosed
- Implied equity value
- —
- League
- MLS
- Country
- United States
- Confidence
- MEDIUM
Peter Mallouk (Creative Planning) acquired a 71% majority stake in Sporting Kansas City from Illig family and OnGoal principal owners, announced 16 Jan 2026, closing 31 Dec 2025.
The purchase consideration was not disclosed. Reporting placed the club's value at ~€598m. Announced enterprise value was ~€598m.
Nearest pre-acquisition revenue was €69.3m (FY 2024).
- Announced
- 16 Jan 2026
- Closed
- 31 Dec 2025
- Stake after transaction
- 80%
- Status
- completed
Reported consideration
What the buyer reportedly paid for the stake
Implied 100% equity value
Calculated: consideration ÷ stake acquired
Reported club valuation
Enterprise value
Only shown when debt/cash near the transaction date is established
Debt assumed / restructured
Primary capital injection
Total announced investment commitment
Commitments are not purchase price and not valuation
Nearest pre-acquisition financial year: 2024
Revenue
Wages
EBITDA
Net debt
Net income
Existing LP Peter Mallouk bought 71% of Sporting KC from the Illig-led OnGoal group in a deal that closed in December 2025 and became public on 16 Jan 2026, lifting him to ~80% while the Illigs kept just under 10%. Unusually, the Illigs remain governor and day-to-day managers — MLS's 35% control-owner norm was waived by board approval — so we mark control_acquired=false despite majority equity.
Forbes reports an enterprise value of ~$700m subject to final debt; the cash consideration for the 71% is undisclosed and the equity/debt split is unknown, so we do not derive an equity value. Revenue is Forbes' 2024 estimate ($75m). FX: USD→EUR 0.855. Franchise-model caveat: MLS/NWSL/Liga MX values are closed-league franchise prices (no relegation risk, league-controlled entry, single-entity revenue sharing in MLS) and are NOT comparable to European open-pyramid club prices, where sporting risk and player-trading economics drive value.
2026-01-16 — “Illig family agreed to sell a majority stake to an existing limited partner at an enterprise value of roughly $700 million; price could be slightly higher or lower based on final debt calculation; Illigs sell 71% and keep just under 10%.”
- Sports Business Journal: Illig family sells majority interest in Sporting KC at $700M valuation ↗Tier 4 · media
2026-01-19 — “Mallouk now owns more than 80% of equity; no plan to replace Cliff Illig as governor; transaction closed in December; highest valuation for a majority-change MLS deal.”
2026-01-16 — “Club statement: 'Peter Mallouk is now the majority shareholder of the club'; Illig family continues to manage day-to-day and represent the club on the MLS Board of Governors; valued at roughly $700m per Forbes.”
2026-01-19 — “Illigs selling a 71 percent stake to Mallouk, bringing his stake to 80 percent; price based off a $700 million valuation.”
- Forbes: The Most Valuable MLS Teams 2025 ↗Tier 3 · media
2025-02-21 — “#16 $650 million Sporting Kansas City — Revenue: $75 million | Operating Income: -$2 million | One-Year Change: 3% (verified via Exa index highlights; paywalled to direct fetch).”