No matter what side of the pond you’re on, whether you call it soccer or football, there’s no doubting the American influence that has permeated within the European game.
While an influx of notable American players have descended onto Europe in recent years, American owners have also started to increasingly make their way onto the Old Continent.
There are currently 20 clubs in Europe’s top five leagues that are represented by 18 different American owners/ownership groups. Of those 20 teams, nine come from the Premier League, five each from Ligue 1 and Serie A, and one from La Liga.
Multi-club ownership is becoming a bigger issue within the sport, and three American owners/ownership groups (Todd Boehly, John Textor, RedBird Capital Partners) have majority stakes in multiple clubs in Europe’s top five leagues
Two owners are also at the helm of MLS or NWSL teams, while nine also have ownership stakes within non-soccer American sports franchises.
With so many Americans joining the ownership ranks of late, let’s examine the 20 teams in Europe’s top-five leagues.
Owner: RedBird Capital Partners (Gerry Cardinale)
League: Serie A
Year bought: 2022
Other investments: Ligue 1’s Toulouse FC, Premier League’s Liverpool FC (minority owner)
Highest top-flight domestic finish as owner: 4th place
Owner: Stan Kroenke
League: Premier League
Year bought: 2007
Other investments: MLS’s Colorado Rapids, NFL’s Los Angeles Rams, NBA’s Denver Nuggets, NHL’s Colorado Avalanche
Highest top-flight domestic finish as owner: 2nd place
Owner: Wes Edens
League: Premier League
Year bought: 2018
Other investments: Primeira Liga’s Vitoria SC, NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks
Highest top-flight domestic finish as owner: 7th place
Owner: Stephen Pagliuca
League: Serie A
Year bought: 2022
Other investments: NBA’s Boston Celtics
Highest top-flight domestic finish as owner: 5th place
Owner: Bill Foley
League: Premier League
Year bought: 2022
Other investments: Ligue 1’s FC Lorient (minority owner), NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights
Highest top-flight domestic finish as owner: 15th place
Owner: Alan Pace
League: Premier League
Year bought: 2022
Other investments: N/A
Highest top-flight domestic finish as owner: N/A
Owner: Todd Boehly
League: Premier League
Year bought: 2022
Other investments: Ligue 1’s RC Strasbourg, MLB’s Los Angeles Dodgers (minority owner), WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks (minority owner)
Highest top-flight domestic finish as owner: 12th place
Owner: John Textor, Josh Harris, David Blitzer
League: Premier League
Year bought: 2021
Other investments: Ligue 1’s Olympique Lyonnais (Textor), Brasileiro Serie A’s Botafogo (Textor), Belgian Pro League’s RWD Molenbeek (Textor), NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers (Harris, Blitzer), NHL’s New Jersey Devils (Harris, Blitzer), NFL’s Washington Commanders (Harris), MLS’s Real Salt Lake (Blitzer), NWSL’s Utah Royals (Blitzer)
Highest top-flight domestic finish as owner: 11th place
Owner: Rocco Commisso
League: Serie A
Year bought: 2019
Other investments: N/A
Highest top-flight domestic finish as owner: 7th place
Owner: Shahid Khan
League: Premier League
Year bought: 2013
Other investments: NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars
Highest top-flight domestic finish as owner: 10th place
Owner: 777 Partners (Josh Wander, Steve Pasko)
League: Serie A
Year bought: 2021
Other investments: 2.Bundesliga’s Hertha Berlin, La Liga’s Sevilla (minority owner)
Highest top-flight domestic finish as owner: 19th place
Owner: Vincent Volpe
League: Ligue 1
Year bought: 2015
Other investments: N/A
Highest top-flight domestic finish as owner: N/A
Owner: Fenway Sports Group (John Henry, Tom Werner)
League: Premier League
Year bought: 2010
Other investments: MLB’s Boston Red Sox
Highest top-flight domestic finish as owner: 1st place
Owner: John Textor
League: Ligue 1
Year bought: 2022
Other investments: Premier League’s Crystal Palace, Brasileiro Serie A’s Botafogo, Belgian Pro League’s RWD Molenbeek
Highest top-flight domestic finish as owner: 7th place
Owner: Andy Kohlberg
League: La Liga
Year bought: 2023
Other investments: N/A
Highest top-flight domestic finish as owner: N/A
Owner: Glazer family
League: Premier League
Year bought: 2005
Other investments: NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Highest top-flight domestic finish as owner: 1st place
Owner: Frank McCourt
League: Ligue 1
Year bought: 2016
Other investments: N/A
Highest top-flight domestic finish as owner: 2nd place
Owner: Dan Friedkin
League: Serie A
Year bought: 2020
Other investments: N/A
Highest top-flight domestic finish as owner: 6th place
Owner: Todd Boehly
League: Ligue 1
Year bought: 2023
Other investments: Premier League’s Chelsea, MLB’s Los Angeles Dodgers (minority owner), WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks (minority owner)
Highest top-flight domestic finish as owner: N/A
Owner: RedBird Capital Partners (Gerry Cardinale)
League: Ligue 1
Year bought: 2020
Other investments: Serie A’s AC Milan, Premier League’s Liverpool (minority owner)
Highest top-flight domestic finish as owner: 13th place