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One of Qatar’s biggest sports endeavors has now made a significant financial partnership with a leading U.S.-based sports investment fund — continuing a trend of American money being poured into European soccer.
Dallas-based Arctos Sports Partners has acquired a minority stake in Paris St. Germain, the most successful club in France’s Ligue 1 and majority-owned by Qatar Sports Investments. Terms weren’t disclosed, but multiple reports indicate Arctos is buying a 12.5% team stake that values PSG at $4.59 billion, making the firm’s investment worth about $573 million.
Other recent deals involving U.S. money pouring into European soccer include:
- Miami-based 777 Partners’ ongoing takeover of Everton
- Los Angeles-based Ares Management investing $500 million in Chelsea
- New York-based Dynasty Equity buying a $200 million stake in Liverpool
PSG’s new valuation is slightly higher than the $4.21 billion Forbes estimated earlier this year, which pegged the French powerhouse as the seventh-most valuable soccer club in the world.
While Arctos won’t influence any of PSG’s on-field soccer operations, the firm will provide some strategic advising for QSI, a subsidiary of the state-run sovereign wealth fund Qatar Investment Authority. QIA — not QSI — recently became the first sovereign wealth fund to invest in major U.S. sports teams thanks to its deal with Washington Capitals and Wizards parent company Monumental Sports & Entertainment.
Growing The Pot
PSG is just the latest investment for Arctos, which has announced funding deals with more than 20 franchises across the NBA, NHL, MLB, MLS, Formula 1, and European soccer.
Just last month, Arctos invested an undisclosed amount in the Aston Martin F1 team, taking the latter’s valuation past $1 billion. Arctos was also reportedly among the American investors interested in partnering with the PGA Tour, potentially alongside Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
