Soccer
7 Big Football Clubs Owned by Asians
Ownership of football clubs is on the rise thanks to these sports-crazy billionaires.
The stadium entrance of Leicester City FC
© Leicester City
Investing and buying into professional football clubs seem to be the new trend for Southeast Asian billionaires. Fuelled by passion and a thirst for victory, these rich and powerful tycoons are taking their love for football to the next level – by buying their favourite football clubs. Here are some of the big name clubs that are currently being backed by this region’s richest.
Leicester City (UK)
Owner: Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha
Club Market Value: £95 million
2021 Results: 5th English Premier League
CEO of King Power Duty Free and Thai billionaire Srivaddhanaprabha purchased Leicester City F.C. in 2010 for an undisclosed amount whilst they were competing in the Championship. Under the tycoon’s reign, the Foxes were promoted to the Premier League in 2013. Their run in the BPL in 2014 was less than stellar as they constantly fought for survival but the 2015/16 season saw Leicester run away with the coveted BPL trophy. Srivaddhanaprabha is sitting pretty as one of English football’s most successful owners.
Tony Fernandes bought over QPR in 2011
© AirAsia Berhad
Queen's Park Rangers (UK)
Owner: Tan Sri Tony Fernandes (Malaysia)
Club Market Value: £35 million
2021 Results: 9th English Championship
The AirAsia owner set his sights on owning a football club in 2011 and settled on Queens Park Rangers following their promotion to the Premier League. Fernandes purchased the West London club for £35 million and gained a vast majority of the ownership. His tenure as the owner has been tumultuous at best following a near disastrous 2012 season that left the club tattering on relegation. Their survival would only prove to be a stay of execution as QPR dropped back to the Championship the following year, where they’ve been ever since.
Vincent Tan has three European clubs to his name
© SkySports
Cardiff City (UK)
Owner: Tan Sri Dato’ Vincent Tan (Malaysia)
Club Market Value: £30.5 million
2021 Results: 8th English Championship
Tan has amassed a collection of European clubs, which includes FK Sarajevo, which he bought in 2013, Belgium’s KV Kortrijk, which he purchased last year and Cardiff City F.C, a club he bought into in 2010 for £6 million when they were languishing in the Championship. His tenure as owner has been marred with controversy following his decision to change the club’s colours from blue to red. The Bluebirds, as they are affectionately known as, also managed to survive one year in top flight football in 2013/14 before being relegated. But Tan is headstrong in his efforts to turn Cardiff into a successful and profitable club and he’s managed to reduce their £140 million debt by half this year with a promise to make Cardiff City F.C. debt-free by 2021.
Inter Milan (Italy)
Owner: Zhang Jindong (China)
Club Market Value: £186 million
2021 Results: Serie A Champions
Chinese entrepreneur Zhang Jindong purchased 70% stake in the Italian club in 2016, acquiring the club from the previous Asian owner, Indonesian media mogul Erick Thohir. Under Jindong, the Milan club have done well, capping off a climb to the top by claiming the scudetto as Italian champions in 2021, for the first time in 11 years.
Valencia CF (Spain)
Owner: Peter Lim
Club Market Value: £182 million
2021 Results: 13th La Liga
Singaporean billionaire Lim purchased the Spanish club in 2014 for £420 million and he immediately tasted success with a fourth place finish in La Liga. But Valencia has sputtered on the field during recent times. They were knocked out of the Champions league group stage and only managed to reach the semis of the Copa Del Ray. The real estate tycoon will likely have to inject more cash into the Spanish club in order for them to climb up the domestic league and improve on their 13th table position in the coming season.
Reading (UK)
Owners: Dai Yongge (China)
Club Market Value: £24.4 million
2021 Results: 7th English Championship
Chinese businessman and investor Yongge purchased 75% shares in the club with his sister Dai Xiu Li. The majority shares in the club were purchased from previous Asian owner Narin Niruttinanon of Thailand, who still retains a 25% stake in the club. There have been several fans voicing their opinion on the ownership of the club while Yongge has mostly kept out of the public eye in led backroom development with opening a new training ground for the first team.
Chansiri wants to bring Sheffield Wednesday back
© Sheffield WednesdayFC
Sheffield Wednesday (UK)
Owner: Dejphon Chansiri
Club Market Value: £33.2 million
2021 Results: 24th English Championship
Reportedly, it cost Chansiri £37.5 million to purchase Sheffield Wednesday in 2015 and the tycoon who has made his fortunes in the tuna business is eager for the club to find success again. He started by clearing the club’s debt and most recently changed its crest to celebrate Sheffield Wednesday’s heritage in English football. His vision to take Sheffield Wednesday to the English premier League hit a snag when the club was relegated to the third tier of English football at the end of the 2020-21 season.
