More information emerges on how family offices are enthusiastic investors into sports teams such as soccer clubs in Europe and Africa.

Brera Holdings, an Ireland-based firm owning men’s and women’s football, aka soccer, clubs, reports that eight family offices took part in its recently closed Series A fundraising, showing that these entities are becoming particularly keen on professional sports as an investment area.

The report chimes with this publication’s report about how buying and selling sports teams is an important area for ultra-high net worth individuals and family offices.

Brera recently announced that its 52 per cent-owned portfolio club SS Juve Stabia, “The Second Team of Naples,” has recorded the highest market value increase in Italy’s Serie B football league over the 2024-25 season (source: Virgilio Sport). Juve Stabia’s valuation has risen by 245 per cent to $32 million.

The firm has made other acquisitions in recent years. Brera expanded into Africa in March 2023 by establishing Brera Tchumene FC in Mozambique, now in the First Division after winning its post-season tournament. In April 2023, Brera acquired a 90 per cent stake in the North Macedonian first-division team Fudbalski Klub Akademija Pandev, now known as Brera Strumica FC. 

Additionally, in June 2023, Brera made a strategic investment in Manchester United, realising a 74 per cent gain. The company increased the diversification of its portfolio in July 2023, by assuming control of Bayanzurkh Sporting Ilch FC, a Mongolian National Premier League team, which became Brera Ilch FC. In September 2023, it established a joint stock company for the North Macedonian women's football club Tiverija Strumica, now known as Brera Tiverija FC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Brera Strumica FC, in June 2024.

Ownership of professional sports teams is a major investment area, drawing private client finance. 

In the US, for example, activity around sports teams corporate finance is particularly vigorous. Steve Cohen, chairman and CEO of the hedge fund firm, Point72, owns the New York Mets; Josh Harris, co-founder of Apollo Global Management, led the group that bought the Washington Commanders, while David Blitzer, chairman of Blackstone’s tactical opportunities division, owns stakes in the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Jersey Devils. Dan Gilbert, who made his money in financial services, bought the Cleveland Cavaliers for $375 million in 2005. He operates the Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. A group including Man Capital, the London-based, family office of entrepreneur Mohamed Mansour, bought a new team in San Diego that competes in Major League Soccer.

American investment firms have also widened their horizons by buying into foreign sports teams. The English soccer world has been a big area. For example, Liverpool Football Club is owned by Fenway Sports Group (FSG). The principal owner of FSG is John W Henry, who is also the principal owner of Liverpool. Before FSG came along, the UK football team – one of the most successful in the country’s history – was owned by US businessmen George Gillett and Tom Hicks. In another case, back in April 2021, Gamechanger 20 Limited, with US ties, bought Ipswich Town, a soccer team in the east of the UK. Subsequently, Bright Path Sports Partners, a US private equity firm, obtained a 40 per cent stake in it, cutting ORG's (majority shareholder) stake to 50 per cent. Buyers from Asia and the Middle East have been in the mix in recent years also.