October 31 – A Football Benchmark report into investment in clubs in in 2025 says the market is “entering a more mature and diversified phase”. While the number of transactions is similar to previous years, what is changing is the mix of minority investments, multi-club expansion, and lower-tier acquisitions.
“Investor strategies are becoming more targeted, with growing interest in portfolio building and long-term value creation across the football pyramid and diverse markets,” says the report.
US investors have rapidly become the dominant force in European club ownership in recent years, while activity from Asia, the Middle East and Latin America is evidence of football’s globalisation as an investment asset.
“Parallel growth in women’s football further signals how capital in the game is deepening and diversifying,” finds the report.
Between January and October 2025, Football Benchmark’s Club Transaction database recorded 76 acquisitions at all levels of the European game – 72% were majority acquisitions, while 28% involved minority investments.
England and Italy lead in terms of volume of deals with 20 transactions recorded in England, more than a quarter of all European deals tracked. The Premier League is the big attraction but activity extended deep into the English football pyramid and to a wide range of investors.
Foreign buyers were involved in 55 of the 76 transactions, equivalent to 72% of all deals tracked.
US investors accounted for 28 of those transactions, 51% of all cross-border investments, with activity spanning “both majority and minority stakes, driven by a mix of private investors, funds, and multi-club ownership groups expanding their European presence.”
There were no mega deals in 2025 comparable to Everton’s €480 million sale to the Friedkin Group in 2024 or Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s £1.65 billion Manchester United buy-in in 2023. The sale of John Textor’s 43% stake in Crystal Palace at just over €200 million led the way, followed by RCD Espanyol’s €130 million sale to ALK Capital in the US.
The report concludes: “The recent wave of sports-focused initiatives launched by institutional investors, including CVC Global Sport Group, Apollo Sports Capital, and Avenue Sports Fund, signals a sustained appetite for structured investment in sports, particularly within football. Alongside ongoing rumours of transactions such as the prospective sale of Sheffield Wednesday, Fenway Sports Group’s potential multi-club project, and Apollo Global Management’s reported interest in Atlético de Madrid, the coming year is likely to bring continued momentum across the industry.”
To see the full report click here.
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