Friday 21 August 2026 5:00 am
| Updated:
Tuesday 18 August 2026 1:28 pm
The Premier League returns for its 35th season and the US is here to stay
The Premier League returns this evening for its 35th season, and clubs have become commodities traded by some of the world’s richest and most influential investors.From private equity funds to billionaires to sovereign wealth, this current crop of 20 team owners – this season seeing Hull City, Coventry City and Ipswich Town replacing Burnley, West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the top flight – could be the richest ever.So just who owns the Premier League? Premier League a US behemothWell these days it’s our friends across the pond in the United States. A total of 11 Premier League clubs have majority stakes or their most influential stake held by a US firm or individual.Arsenal is owned by Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, which includes the Los Angeles Rams, Denver Nuggets and other US franchises in its portfolio, while Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan controls Fulham.Aston Villa’s V Sports owners has major US backing, while Exeter Chiefs owner Black Knight Football Club also owns Bournemouth. Chelsea is owned by Clearlake Capital with the likes of Todd Boehly and former LA Lakers owner Mark Walter reportedly looking to offload their holdings, while Woddy Johnson’s purchase of John Textor’s shares in Crystal Palace keeps US influence at Selhurst Park.Everton play under the US flag after being bought by the Friedkin Group while Ipswich Town and Leeds United are controlled by Gamechanger 20 and 49ers Enterprises respectively.Liverpool remains under the umbrella of Fenway Sports Group despite taking investment from Jeff Bezos as part of a British-Indian-led consortium and fellow Big Six team Manchester United remains in the hands of the Glazer family despite a healthy stake being held by British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe.Home heroesBut the biggest ownership group after the Americans is the British, with 20 per cent of this year’s Premier League clubs owned by people from these shores. Brighton and Hove Albion is controlled by avid race horse owner Tony Bloom while Brentford is one of two London clubs owned by Brits.Matthew Benham’s stake in the Bees is joined by ENIC, who own the majority of Tottenham Hotspur. Returning team Coventry City is under the stewardship of Doug King.Sovereign Premier LeagueIt may surprise many but sovereign wealth is yet to penetrate the Premier League in a major way, but it has been consequential where it has.At the Etihad, the long-term ownership of Manchester City by City Football Group – under Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Abu Dhabi United Group – has seen the blue side of the northern powerhouse city dominate in the last decade.On the banks of the River Tyne the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund’s backing saw Newcastle United claim the League Cup.European footholdBut European ownership from the continent remains in the Premier League with former Arsenal investor Evangelos Marinakis in control of Nottingham Forest, French-Swiss businessman Kyril Louis-Dreyfus at Sunderland and Turkish media firm Acun Medya at newly-promoted Hull City.Who owns the Premier League?ClubKey/Majority/Most influential shareholderPrimary nationalityArsenalKroenke Sports & EntertainmentUnited StatesAston VillaV SportsUnited States/EgyptBournemouthBlack Knight Football ClubUnited StatesBrentfordMatthew BenhamUnited KingdomBrighton & Hove AlbionTony BloomUnited KingdomChelseaClearlake Capital and Todd BoehlyUnited StatesCoventry CityDoug KingUnited KingdomCrystal PalaceSteve Parish, Woody Johnson, Josh Harris, David BlitzerUnited States/United KingdomEvertonThe Friedkin GroupUnited StatesFulhamShahid KhanUnited StatesHull CityAcun MedyaTurkeyIpswich TownGamechanger 20United StatesLeeds United49ers EnterprisesUnited StatesLiverpoolFenway Sports GroupUnited StatesManchester CityCity Football Group (Sheikh Mansour)United Arab EmiratesManchester UnitedGlazer Family and Sir Jim RatcliffeUnited States/United KingdomNewcastle UnitedPublic Investment Fund (PIF)Saudi ArabiaNottingham ForestEvangelos MarinakisGreeceSunderlandKyril Louis-DreyfusFrance/SwitzerlandTottenham HotspurENIC Group (Joe Lewis family)United Kingdom
