It is an open secret that football is fast becoming a highly lucrative venture for club owners and investors as certain commercial moguls ensure that the marketability and widespread acclaim of the game of football is preserved. These business moguls invest in clubs so that they can compete in the transfer market and also compete with other clubs for the biggest trophies.
The financial power of the beautiful game cannot be overemphasised, and it is undeniable that football leads the list of the most valuable sports.
This article, per rankings from CelebrityNetWorth, will explore the ten richest football club owners in the world, based on individual wealth.
1. Sheikh Mansour (Manchester City)
The 53-year-old billionaire holds stakes in a variety of football clubs through City Football Group, including current Premier League winners Manchester City F.C.
He is the richest football club owner in the world, with an individual reported net worth of $30 billion.
The City Football Group owns Manchester City, of which Mansour’s Abu Dhabi United Group has 86.21% shares.
2. Sir Jim Ratcliffe (Manchester United)
Sir Jim Ratcliffe is a British billionaire and industrialist, known for his leadership of the multinational chemical powerhouse Ineos Group.
In December 2023, Manchester United announced that it had entered into an agreement under which Chairman of INEOS, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, will acquire 25 per cent of Manchester United’s Class B shares and up to 25 per cent of Manchester United’s Class A shares and provide an additional $300 million intended to enable future investment in Old Trafford.
The former chemical engineer has a 25% stake in Old Trafford (major shareholder) and a reported net worth of $26.6 billion.
3. David Tepper (Charlotte FC)
Tepper is the owner of Charlotte FC in Major League Soccer (MLS) and the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL).
The owner of the MLS outfit has a reported net worth of $18 billion.
4. Philip Anschutz (LA Galaxy)
Anschutz is an American billionaire businessman who owns or controls companies in a variety of industries, including energy, railroads, real estate, and sports.
He is the owner of MLS side, Los Angeles Galaxy, and has a reported net worth of $13 billion.
5. Shahid Khan (Fulham)
Khan is a Pakistani-American billionaire businessman and sports tycoon.
He is the owner of the London-based Fulham F.C. and has a reported net worth of $12 billion.
The sports tycoon is the owner of Fulham F.C. of the Premier League, the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL), and co-owner of the American wrestling promotion All Elite Wrestling (AEW).
6. Stan Kroenke (Arsenal)
The 77-year-old American billionaire businessman is one of the world’s richest football club owners, with a reported net worth of $7.7 billion.
Kroenke is the owner of Arsenal Holdings plc, which owns soccer clubs Arsenal F.C. of the Premier League and Arsenal W.F.C. of the WSL.
His sports empire also includes the Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, and Colorado Rapids.
7. Joe Lewis (Tottenham Hotspur)
The majority owner of Tottenham Hotspur and the previous majority owner of ENIC Group has a reported net worth of $7.6 billion.
Lewis owns the Tavistock Group, which has more than 200 assets across 13 countries.
Through Tavistock, Lewis owns Premier League soccer team Tottenham and has a stake in U.K. pub operator Mitchells & Butlers.
8. Dietmar Hopp (Hoffenheim)
Hopp is one of the richest individual owners in the world. The Hoffenheim owner has a reported net worth of $7.1 billion.
Hopp is the chief financier of the German football club TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, a club located close to his childhood home and which he played for as a teenager.
9. Francois-Henri Pinault (Reims)
Pinault is a French businessman and the son of billionaire François Pinault, who founded what would eventually become Kering.
He is the owner of Ligue 1 side Stade Reims, with a reported net worth of $7 billion.
10. Nassef Sawiris (Aston Villa)
The Aston Villa chairman completes the top 10 list of richest football club owners with a reported net worth of $6.1 billion.
Alongside billionaire Wes Edens, Sawiris owns the football club holding company V Sports, owners of Premier League team Aston Villa, and he also has a 29% stake in Primeira Liga team Vitória S.C.
In July 2018, a consortium consisting of Sawiris and fellow billionaire Wes Edens, referring to themselves as NSWE, purchased a 55% controlling stake worth £30m in English Championship club Aston Villa.
Sawiris has invested immensely in the ownership of sports teams, particularly within football.
These men are just packing it. Aston Villa 4 life