American Owners of European Football Clubs (2026 List)

American investors control 11 of the 20 clubs in the 2026/27 Premier League, with further controlling or co-controlling stakes in Serie A, La Liga and Ligue 1. This list sets out those top-five league clubs, the buyer, the year of acquisition and the price where a reputable source has stated it.

Key facts

• Scope: clubs in Europe's five largest men's leagues where a US person, family, sports group or investment firm is the controlling owner or a co-controlling partner, as of 12 November 2026.
• Eleven 2026/27 Premier League clubs meet that test. Ipswich Town's promotion and Burnley's relegation left the count unchanged from the previous season's leading US group.
• There is no US controlling owner in the Bundesliga in this edition, consistent with Germany's 50+1 rule.
• Several owners also appear in our lists of clubs owned by private equity and multi-club ownership groups. Those pages remain the rankings for those topics.
• A purchase price is included only where a club statement or a reputable news organisation has stated it, with the year. If the official announcement is silent, the entry says so.

11 of 20 2026/27 Premier League clubs with a US controlling or co-controlling owner.25 clubs Entries in this edition across the Premier League, Serie A, La Liga and Ligue 1.0 in Bundesliga No US controlling owner in Germany's top division in this edition.

Premier League

1. Arsenal: Kroenke Sports & Entertainment

Stan Kroenke's KSE is the sole owner of Arsenal. After building a majority holding, it took full control in August 2018 by buying Alisher Usmanov's 30 percent stake. The Guardian reported that Usmanov accepted £550m for that block, in a deal that valued the club at £1.8bn.

2. Liverpool: Fenway Sports Group

John W. Henry's Fenway Sports Group, then named New England Sports Ventures, completed its takeover on 15 October 2010. The Guardian described it as a £300m deal. FSG remains the controlling owner.

3. Manchester United: the Glazer family

The Glazer family has been the controlling owner since May 2005. BBC News reported the offer at 300p a share, valuing the club at £790m. Sir Jim Ratcliffe's INEOS later bought a minority stake and was given charge of football operations, but the Glazers have retained overall ownership.

4. Chelsea: Clearlake Capital

A consortium led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital completed the purchase of Chelsea in May 2022. BBC News, citing the club, said the buyers would pay £2.5bn for the shares and commit a further £1.75bn of investment, for a £4.25bn package. On 16 September 2026, Chelsea and Clearlake announced that Clearlake would buy the stakes of Boehly and Mark Walter and take full control of the club. The club did not publish a price for that second step. CNBC, citing the Financial Times, reported a combined £950m for those two stakes, valuing Chelsea at £5bn including debt. Swiss investor Hansjorg Wyss remains a shareholder.

5. Fulham: Shahid Khan

Shahid Khan, owner of the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars, bought Fulham from Mohamed Al Fayed in July 2013. BBC Sport said the financial details were not officially disclosed, and that media estimates at the time ranged from £150m to £200m. No official figure is used here.

6. Aston Villa: Wes Edens and Nassef Sawiris

Aston Villa is co-owned through V Sports by US investor Wes Edens and Egyptian businessman Nassef Sawiris. In July 2018 they bought a controlling 55 percent stake. Birmingham Live reported that the pair paid £30m for that stake. This is a US-Egyptian partnership, not a solely US takeover.

7. Bournemouth: Bill Foley and Black Knight

William Foley II's Black Knight Football Club completed its takeover of Bournemouth in December 2022. The Financial Times reported the deal at £120m. Foley remains the majority owner.

8. Everton: The Friedkin Group

Dan Friedkin's group completed its purchase of Everton in December 2024 through UK vehicle Roundhouse Capital Holdings, which acquired 98.8 percent of the club. Filed accounts analysed in our explainer on the later sale process show the shares themselves cost £67.4m, with total consideration of about £331.3m once lender repayments and deal costs are included. On 9 October 2026, TFG said it was exploring a possible sale of a controlling interest. No sale has completed. The group also owns AS Roma.

9. Leeds United: 49ers Enterprises

The investment arm of the San Francisco 49ers moved from a minority holding to full control in July 2023, when it bought Andrea Radrizzani's remaining shares. BBC Sport reported that the EFL approved the £170m takeover on 17 July 2023.

10. Crystal Palace: Woody Johnson

New York Jets owner Woody Johnson bought the Crystal Palace stake held by John Textor's Eagle Football Holdings. Reuters reported that the club confirmed completion on 24 July 2025. The club did not publish a price. The Guardian reported a £190m agreement for Textor's holding, which contemporaneous reports put at around 43 to 45 percent. Johnson is the largest shareholder, not a disclosed 50 percent-plus majority owner.

11. Ipswich Town: GameChanger 20 and Portman Holdings

A US-backed vehicle, GameChanger 20, bought Ipswich Town in April 2021. The Guardian reported that takeover at £40m. The controlling structure has since been described as Portman Holdings, a US company standing behind GameChanger 20. Ipswich were promoted to the Premier League for 2026/27.

Serie A

12. AC Milan: RedBird Capital Partners

Gerry Cardinale's RedBird completed its purchase of AC Milan on 31 August 2022. The club's official announcement put the price at €1.2bn. RedBird also owns Toulouse.

13. Inter Milan: Oaktree Capital Management

Oaktree did not buy Inter in a conventional auction. On 22 May 2024 it enforced security after the then owner missed a loan repayment, and the club said Oaktree had acquired indirect control of 99.6 percent of the shares. That statement does not give a negotiated equity price, so none is recorded here.

14. AS Roma: The Friedkin Group

The Friedkin Group completed its takeover of AS Roma in August 2020. France 24 reported the deal at €591m. Friedkin remains the owner.

15. Atalanta: Stephen Pagliuca

Boston Celtics co-owner Stephen Pagliuca led an investor group that bought into Atalanta in February 2022. Reuters reported the group taking a majority stake, with the Percassi family remaining as a partner. Pagliuca's holding is personal, not a fund vehicle. Official announcements reviewed for this piece did not state a single headline price.

16. Fiorentina: Rocco Commisso

US businessman Rocco Commisso bought Fiorentina in June 2019. Reuters confirmed the sale. A headline purchase price was not stated in that report and is not used here.

17. Hellas Verona: Presidio Investors

Texas-based private equity firm Presidio Investors completed its acquisition of Hellas Verona and owns the club in full. The club's completion announcement did not state a price.

18. Parma: Krause Group

Iowa-based Krause Group, led by Kyle Krause, bought a majority stake in Parma in 2020 (The New York Times) and later rose to 99 percent ownership, according to the club. Contemporaneous reports described the original deal value in different ways, so no single figure is treated as official here.

La Liga

19. Atletico Madrid: Apollo Sports Capital

Apollo Sports Capital, an affiliate of US firm Apollo, completed its transaction to become Atletico Madrid's majority shareholder on 12 March 2026. Quantum Pacific remained the second-largest shareholder, and Miguel Angel Gil, Enrique Cerezo and Ares funds stayed on the register. Shareholders approved up to an additional €100m of equity and strategic capital. The purchase price of Apollo's stake was not disclosed in that statement.

20. Espanyol: ALK Capital / Velocity Sports Partners

Velocity Sports Partners, the sports arm of Alan Pace's US firm ALK Capital, completed the acquisition of a majority shareholding in Espanyol on 8 October 2025. The official announcement did not state a price. ALK already controlled Burnley, now in the Championship.

21. RCD Mallorca: Andy Kohlberg and partners

A US group led by Andy Kohlberg, with partners including Steve Nash, has controlled Mallorca since 2016, when ESPN reported that the group sealed its takeover. Kohlberg remains club president, as he described in a 2025 Guardian interview. No official headline price is recorded here.

Ligue 1

22. Olympique de Marseille: Frank McCourt

Former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt bought Marseille from Margarita Louis-Dreyfus in 2016. L'Equipe reported the sale at €45m. McCourt remains the owner.

23. Olympique Lyonnais: Michele Kang

US businesswoman Michele Kang became the controlling owner in June 2026 after Eagle Football's holding company went into administration. An Eagle Football Group press release dated 23 June 2026 said her vehicle, Olympe Bidco, agreed to buy Eagle Bidco's 87.78 percent stake for $30m, and to provide up to €71m of new money over two seasons, including €31m at closing. John Textor's Eagle group is no longer the owner.

24. RC Strasbourg: Clearlake and the Chelsea ownership group

Chelsea's owners bought a majority stake in Strasbourg in 2023 (BBC Sport). On 17 September 2026, the club said the existing majority owners would acquire the interests of Todd Boehly and Mark Walter and take full control, with Hansjorg Wyss remaining a stakeholder. No price was stated in that 2026 announcement.

25. Toulouse: RedBird Capital Partners

RedBird announced the acquisition of a majority stake in Toulouse on 20 July 2020. That official statement did not include a headline price. RedBird later used a separate holding arrangement because it also owns AC Milan, then resumed direct control in 2026.

What this list does not include

Clubs with only a US minority investor are excluded. That is why West Ham United is not an entry: a US investor has sat on a wider, non-US-controlled register. US capital is also visible outside the top five leagues, including ALK Capital at Burnley, now in the Championship. The Independent reported in 2026 that Americans own more than 40 European clubs once lower-league sides are counted. They are noted here for context, not as extra numbered entries. Announced deals that have not completed, including the US-backed attempt to buy Shrewsbury Town, stay off this list until control changes, and belong instead with our coverage of takeovers that stalled or collapsed.

Methodology

Last updated 12 November 2026. A club is included if, on that date, it played in the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, the Bundesliga or Ligue 1 and a US person, family office, sports group or investment firm was the controlling owner or a co-controlling partner. Joint control with a non-US partner is included and labelled, as at Aston Villa. Largest-shareholder cases below a disclosed majority, as at Crystal Palace, are labelled as such. League status uses the 2026/27 season.

Dates and prices come from club or issuer statements first, then from contemporaneous reporting by BBC News, The Guardian, Reuters, the Financial Times, L'Equipe, France 24, Birmingham Live and The New York Times. Where those sources disagree, or where only unofficial estimates exist, the entry says so and does not pick a number. Figures are stated in the currency and year used by the source. This page will be refreshed after any completed US-backed takeover or stake sale in these leagues.

Sources

Primary sources are linked in the entries above, including club or issuer statements from Chelsea, Clearlake, AC Milan, Inter, Apollo, ALK Capital, RC Strasbourg, Eagle Football Group and RedBird, plus reporting from BBC News, The Guardian, Reuters, the Financial Times, L'Equipe, France 24, Birmingham Live and The New York Times. Related reading: clubs owned by private equity, multi-club ownership groups, Clearlake's Chelsea buyout, Everton's reported asking price and failed takeovers.