Ranking The Eleven Wealthiest Football Club Owners in 2023

Since the turn of the century, football has become a lucrative business and the beautiful game has become flush with cash from some of the world's richest business persons and states.

For the filthy rich, the sport has become an attractive package to flex their wealth and financial muscle in exchange for praise and prestige.

Manchester City, PSG and, more recently, Newcastle United have championed this course and are flying the flag of football clubs with the wealthiest owners. In this piece, we take a dive into football’s wealthiest club owners and their source of income.

Nasser Al-Khelafi, Paris Saint-Germain (£6.3bn)

According to Goal, Paris Saint-Germain's owner is worth an estimated £6.3 billion, something which has seen the French giants evolve into a money-making machine.

Al-Khelafi is the head of Qatari Sports Investments and also the chairman of the BeIN media group, which showcases sports around the globe to eager fans.

Under his watchful eye, Les Parisiens have seen the blockbuster signings of Neymar, Lionel Messi and big-money brand partnerships with Nike and Jordan.

Nevertheless, it isn't just football that has caught the interest of Al-Khelafi, the PSG owner also has a massive passion for the game of tennis, so much so he is the second most successful member of the Qatari Davis Cup team.

Stan Kroenke, Arsenal & Colarado Rapids (£7.1bn)

American billionaire Stan Kroenke is the owner of Arsenal and MLS club Colorado Rapids and has an estimated net worth of £7.1 billion, according to Goal.

Kroenke isn't just involved in the world of football however, his company also owns the NFL side Los Angeles Rams, the NBA's Denver Nuggets, and the Colorado Avalanche in the NHL.

The American tycoon owns a vast amount of land in the US and Canada, an amount that stretches over 1.5 million acres, Forbes revealed.

The Arsenal owner is also married to another billionaire, Walmart heiress Ann Walton Kroenke, just in case he ever lost a few of his own quid.

Philip Anschutz, LA Galaxy, (£8.6bn)

Anschutz owns a stake in MLS side LA Galaxy alongside a majority ownership in the NHL team the Los Angeles Kings. The Mirror confirmed he has a net worth of around £8.6 billion, making him one of the richest owners in world football.

The Billionaire Galaxy owner built his fortunes in oil, railroads, telecom, real estate, and entertainment. His Anschutz Entertain Group operates more than 350 owned or affiliated arenas and concert venues worldwide.

A six-year-old Anschutz sold Kool-Aid on a nearby college campus using a wheel stand he built, proving he was always cut out for the business way of life.

Shahid Khan, Fulham (£9.5bn)

The Mirror reports that Fulham owner Shahid Khan has a net worth of around £9.5 billion which puts him firmly in the number eight position on our rich list.

Known for his eccentric looks and marvellous moustache, the Fulham owner also owns the NFL franchise, the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the All Elite Wrestling organisation.

Dietmar Hopp, Hoffenheim (£10bn)

Hopp is the owner of Bundesliga outfit Hoffenheim and has a pocket flush with cash, £10 billion to be exact, according to Goal.

The German Billionaire founded SAP SE and has reportedly invested nearly £347m in Hoffenheim during his ownership reign.

In March 2023, Hopp decided to give back the majority voting rights of Hoffenheim while retaining his position as the club's majority shareholder.

This perhaps is a bit of a power move from Hopp with the club currently lingering above the relegation zone he may be looking for a route out.

David Tepper, Charlotte FC (£14.6bn)

Tepper only recently dipped his toes into the world of football through his MLS expansion side Charlotte FC, who made their debut in the competition in 2022.

He's the owner of NFL side Carolina Panthers and will be relatively unknown to fans of the beautiful game around the world, nevertheless, the big Tepper made his way onto our list.

Sheikh Mansour, Manchester City (£17bn)

Now, some of you may be surprised to see Manchester City's infamous owner not at the very top of this list, considering the money and wealth he has poured into the club during his tenure.

Nevertheless, The Sun reported that the Sheikh has a £17 billion wealth which he has spread out among his City Group investments at other football clubs like New York City FC and Melbourne City.

It's fair to say that Mansour has changed the landscape of English football in recent years, however, many would argue that this has been to the detriment of most teams in the Premier League.

Jim Ratcliffe, OGC Nice (£18bn)

INEOS chief and Manchester United bidder Ratcliffe is a name a majority of Premier League fans will have heard about in recent months.

The Red Devils will be excited by the fact that Ratcliffe already has years of experience owning sports teams, with his ownership of Ligue 1 side OGC Nice and Swiss club Lausanne-Sport.

According to Forbes, Ratcliffe mortgaged his house back in 1992 to lead a buyout of a BP chemicals business, six years after he bought a plant from that firm to form chemical powerhouse INEOS.

Mark Mateschtiz, RB Leipzig, & New York Red Bulls (£27.4bn)

According to The Mirror, Mateschtiz is worth a whopping £27.4 billion at the grand old age of 31, making him the youngest football club owner on our list.

Mateschtiz inherited stakes in RB Leipzig and New York Red Bulls after his father Dietrich passed away in 2022 alongside part-ownership of the Red Bull Formula 1 team.

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Forbes unveiled that Red Bull sold 11.6 billion cans worldwide in 2022, which is enough to caffeinate Mateschtiz and every other person on planet Earth.

Francois-Henri Pinault, Stade Rennais (£31.6bn)

The owner of Stade Rennais in Ligue 1 isn't short of cash to splash and is the honorary chairman of the luxury group Kering, which owns brands like Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen, and Gucci.

According to The Mirror, Pinault is worth a staggering £31.6 billion, but his money and investment have done little to bring success to Stade Rennais in recent years.

Kering, the company Pinault founded in 1963 was originally a wood and building materials company, however, in 1999 the Frenchman decided to change the direction of the business towards luxury goods.

Public Investment Fund, Newcastle United (£343bn)

The sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia purchased Newcastle United back in October 2021 and is headed by the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman.

Goal reports that the fund has assets of over £343 billion, something which has been acquired through major investments in companies and projects around the world.

Now, whilst some may argue that it is unfair to put a public investment fund on this list, the fact that it is headed by the Crown Prince himself means it was impossible to ignore.

Fans have yet to see the full scope of what Newcastle United may become under the Saudi-backed fund, but the 2022/2023 season has given a glimpse of the heights they could reach.

Newcastle United's top four hopes

Earlier Sports Brief reported that Newcastle boss Eddie Howe says he does not feel as if his team are being "hunted" as he seeks to fend off charging Liverpool and finish in the Premier League's top four.

The Magpies, seeking to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in two decades, host high-flying Brighton at St James' Park on Thursday.

Eddie Howe's side fresh who are now under a new, high-spending management are set to qualify for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in two decades.