• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, July 30, 2025
Tuned In returns to NYC on September 16. Hear from the biggest names in sports media. Click here to get your spot

Exodus of Chinese Money from European Soccer

  • Just a few years ago, Chinese investors had majority stakes in over 20 European soccer teams.
  • Now those investors are selling off their stakes; Americans are partially filling the gap.
Inter Milan/Design: Alex Brooks

A sea change in European soccer is underway, with money flowing out from the East and in from the West.

From 2015 to 2018, likely following cues from Chinese President Xi Jinping, Chinese investors bought majority stakes in Southampton, West Bromwich Albion, Inter Milan, Parma, and nine other clubs. Chinese investors also took minority stakes in teams like Manchester City and Lyon, and got involved in broadcasting and stadium deals.

Now, having barely broken in their owner’s chairs, many of those investors are reversing course.

  • There are currently fewer than 10 European soccer teams with Chinese investors; in mid-2017, there were over 20. 
  • The owners of Southampton and West Bromwich Albion, both Chinese billionaires, are reportedly looking to sell some or all of their stakes, as is Nanjing-based Suning Holdings Group, which owns Inter Milan.
  • In September, the English Premier League canceled its broadcasting contract with PPTV, a subsidiary of Suning Holdings, just one year into a three-year, $700 million deal.

American investors are partly filling the void, having purchased Parma, Roma, ACF Fiorentina, Toulouse FC, and Burnley.

China is still pouring money into soccer, just within its own borders. Construction has started on a $1.7 billion, lotus-shaped soccer stadium in the Guangzhou province, and the country is believed to have ambitions to host the 2030 World Cup.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Jan 26, 2025; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (8) against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

DeAndre Hopkins Eyes Venture Capital, Team Ownership

Hopkins, a 12-year NFL veteran, is anticipating his post-career.

MLB Buys Stake in Jomboy Media

The league looks to expand its presence among digital baseball content creators.
Nov 3, 2024; New York City, New York, US; Dakota Popehn (USA) and other elite women runners begin the New York City Marathon on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.

Strava’s Buying Spree Continues With Deal for Cycling App

Strava has been focused on growth as the fitness app industry explodes.
Jun 17, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck celebrates with the Larry O’Brien Trophy after the Boston Celtics beat the Dallas Mavericks in game five of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden.

Why Sports Franchises Are ‘Recession-Proof’

Most of Bruin’s capital is invested outside the U.S.

Featured Today

Las Vegas sign

College Sports Embracing Vegas After Years of Cold Shoulder

The Big Ten became the latest newcomer to Sin City.
2000, Jupiter, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Montreal Expos pitcher Hideki Irabu in action on the mound against the New York Mets at Roger Dean Stadium during Spring Training
July 28, 2025

Dead Sports Franchises Are Alive and Well on Twitter

The Expos, Sonics, and Whalers have active social media accounts.
Limited Hype
July 27, 2025

Sneaker Reselling Was Once Easy Money. Success Is Now Complicated

Vendors need to evolve what they’re selling and how they do it.
HAPPY GILMORE 2. BTS - (L to R) Adam Sandler as Happy Gilmore and Rory McIlroy as himself on the set of Happy Gilmore2.
July 26, 2025

‘Cool As Hell’: How ‘Happy Gilmore 2’ Hooked Golf’s Top Stars

The process was “cool as hell,” Adam Sandler tells FOS.
Jun 13, 2018; Moscow, Russia; A general view of a beer stand inside of Luschniki Stadium one day prior to the start of the FIFA World Cup 2018.

Saudi Arabia Says No Alcohol at 2034 World Cup

Saudi Arabia won’t allow alcohol anywhere during the 2034 World Cup.
August 30, 2024

Premier League Transfer Spending Has Already Topped $2 Billion As Deadline Looms

Saudi Pro League teams haven’t yet matched their English counterparts.
January 13, 2025

Gavin Newsom Reveals Status of 2028 Olympics As Los Angeles Wildfires Roar

Gavin Newsom says there’s a “Marshall Plan” to rebuild Los Angeles.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Dealmaker Jeffrey Kaplan maps the evolution of sports as an asset class
Paralympics Tiktok
August 25, 2024

The Wildly Successful Paralympics TikTok Account Isn’t What You Think

A cheeky TikTok account is opening the world of Paralympic sports.
August 11, 2024

Passing of the Torch: Los Angeles Set for Olympic Firsts in 2028

The city last hosted the Summer Olympics in 1984.
August 1, 2024

Saudi Arabia Submits Bold World Cup Bid That Includes a Cliffside Arena

The Saudis are proposing a new stadium in a futuristic city called Neom.
John John Florence (USA) surfs in men’s round two competition during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Tsurigasaki Surfing Beach.
July 29, 2024

Olympic Surfers Won’t Get Their Full Paris Moment

‘We’re kind of separate off on our own little thing over here.’