Football has long played a secondary role in the American sports landscape, trailing behind soccer, basketball, and baseball in cultural importance. However, with the 2026 World Cup arriving on American soil, American capital is exerting enormous influence on the global game.
The influx of investment from US billionaires underscores the stark contrast: while the domestic fan base has historically lagged, American money is deeply rooted in soccer’s growth around the world. From English Premier League giants to expansion teams in Major League Soccer, these investors are increasingly viewing sports as one of the most profitable frontiers in modern entertainment.
Over the past two decades, they have funded transformations, driven expansion, and helped take clubs and players to new heights. Together, these owners show how American wealth is quietly reshaping the world’s most popular sport.
Stan Kroenke, real estate mogul
Net worth: 22 billion dollars
Owned teams: Arsenal, Colorado Rapids
The 78-year-old Missouri native owns nearly 60 million square feet of real estate and 1.6 million acres of farm land, making him One of the largest private landowners in the United States He is married to Walmart heiress Anne Walton.
Kroenke bought the Colorado Rapids in 2004 from fellow billionaire Phil Anschutz. He owned a stake in Arsenal’s parent company. arsenal holdings, Since the early 2000s and It completed the full acquisition in 2018The club is valued at £1.8 billion ($2.3 billion) after the buyout by minority shareholders, including Alisher Usmanov.
His broader sports portfolio includes teams like the Rams (who moved from St. Louis to Los Angeles in 2016). It is offline In a dispute with the city of Englewood More than $400 million in public funding to improve the stadium.
Todd Bohle, investor
Net worth: $9.3 billion
Owned teams: Chelsea, RC Strasbourg
The 52-year-old Eldridge Industries founder will enter world football in 2022 as part of a consortium that… He bought Chelsea for $2.15 billion. He briefly served as interim president before stepping down. Chelsea will win the FIFA Club World Cup in 2025.
In 2023, Buhle acquired a majority stake in French Ligue 1 club Strasbourg for around £65 million ($82 million).
He is known for reshaping the player recruitment strategy, introducing long-term contracts – often up to eight years – to spread costs and manage accounting more efficiently.
John W. Henry, investor
Net worth: $5.7 billion
Owned teams: Liverpool
The 76-year-old built his fortune in agricultural futures before founding John W. Henry & Co in 1981. Through Fenway Sports Group, he bought Liverpool in 2010 for £300 million ($476 million), rescuing the debt-ridden club. Liverpool are now worth around £4.6 billion ($6.5 billion) and won the Champions League in 2019 and the Premier League in 2020.
In 2021, Henry supported Liverpool’s participation in the European Super League, a plan that quickly collapsed Amidst backlash from fans. He has since faced repeated criticism for his lack of interaction with the club. As Tony Evans, host The athlete Walking on the podcast, put it: “When he’s engaged, things happen. When it’s not, the club drifts“.
Dan Friedkin, businessman
Net worth: $11.3 billion
Owned teams: Roma, Everton
The 61-year-old Friedkin Group CEO oversees a portfolio that includes automotive, hospitality and entertainment. He is the grandson of Pacific Southwest Airlines founder Kenny Friedkin.
Friedkin He took over the Roma club In 2020, for 591 million euros ($700 million); The club won the UEFA Conference League in 2022. In 2024, it expanded its holdings by Buying 94% of Everton shares For about 400 million pounds ($500 million).
He also pursued US sports investments, including… Failed bids For the MLB team San Diego Padres and the NBA team Boston Celtics.
The Glazer family, real estate dynasty
Net worth: $10 billion combined
Owned teams: Manchester United
The family built its fortune through First Allied Corporation, founded by patriarch Malcolm Glazer. I buy Tampa Bay Buccaneers for $192 million in 1995, an NFL record at the time, and he led them to the Super Bowl in 2003.
In 2005, Glazer He acquired Manchester United for £790 million ($1.4 billion), a highly controversial deal that left the club in debt. After his death in 2014, ownership passed to his six children: Avram, Joel, Kevin, Brian, Darcy and Edward.
In 2024, Sir Jim Ratcliffe It bought a 27.7 percent stake for £1.25 billion ($1.65 billion) and assumed control of football operations, while the Glazer family retained majority ownership.
Jorge Mas, Miami development titan
Net worth: $4.8 billion
Owned teams: Inter Miami
The 63-year-old Chairman of MasTec, A construction and engineering company founded by his father, He joined David Beckham’s Inter Miami ownership group in 2018, and along with his brother Jose assumed majority control in 2021.
The club signed Lionel Messi in 2023 and won the inaugural League Cup. Inter Miami is now worth $1.45 billion, the highest in Major League Soccer. Mas also serves as president of Spanish club Real Zaragoza.
He is active in Cuban American political advocacy and has done so It supported the Trump administration’s efforts To accelerate political change in Cuba.
Other notable American billionaires who own soccer clubs
- Shahid Khan (Fulham): The Pakistani-American owner of auto parts supplier Flex-N-Gate is worth $12.2 billion. He bought Fulham in 2013 for $300 million.
- Gerry Cardinale (Milan): The RedBird Capital Partners founder led the $1.2 billion acquisition of AC Milan in 2022.
- Bill Foley (Bournemouth, Auckland): The $2.6 billion head of Fidelity National Financial bought AFC Bournemouth in 2022 for £120 million ($148 million) through the Black Knight Football Club consortium. Actor Michael B. Jordan is a minority owner. Foley also acquired the Auckland Football Club in 2023 for an undisclosed sum.
- Wes Edens (Aston Villa): The founder of Fortress Investment Group, worth $2.5 billion, bought a 55 percent stake in Aston Villa in 2018 for £30 million ($39 million) and took full control in 2019 at a valuation of £54.5 million ($73 million).
- Arthur Blank (Atlanta United): The Home Depot co-founder, worth $10.2 billion, launched Atlanta United as an MLS expansion team in 2014, paying a $70 million fee.
