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Q3 2023
PitchBook Analyst Note: Private Capital in European Football
August 2, 2023
Europe sees bonanza of private market football deals
Over a third of European football clubs in the “Big Five” leagues have private capital backing, thanks to the region's plethora of dealmaking.
Last year saw €4.9 billion worth of deals for Europe's five largest football leagues, up from just €66.7 million in 2018. Financial distress caused by COVID-19 and the growing AUM of PE firms has increased deal appetite for football ownership, notably from US investors. Our latest analyst note delves into the rationale behind the boom in European football dealmaking and its complex ownership structures.
Table of contents
Over a third of European football clubs in the “Big Five” leagues have private capital backing, thanks to the region's plethora of dealmaking.
Last year saw €4.9 billion worth of deals for Europe's five largest football leagues, up from just €66.7 million in 2018. Financial distress caused by COVID-19 and the growing AUM of PE firms has increased deal appetite for football ownership, notably from US investors. Our latest analyst note delves into the rationale behind the boom in European football dealmaking and its complex ownership structures.
Table of contents
| Key takeaways | 1 |
| Introduction | 2 |
| Football deal value booming thanks to private capital | 2 |
| Private capital ownership in football increasing | 3 |
| Rise of private capital in football explained | 6 |
| Ownership dynamics and limitations by league | 10 |