Ligue 1: Private Equity Links within French Football

PSG:  Arctos  & Qatar Holding:

• Industry experts describe Arctos-Hayfin partnership as a "trillion-dollar opportunity

• Arctos Partners completed its acquisition of a controlling stake in Hayfin Capital Management in February 2025, following an initial agreement announced in July 2024. This transaction valued Hayfin at approximately €1.2 billion

• Hayfin's focus on European middle-market lending positions it well to serve the growing demand for alternative financing in European sports, particularly as clubs seek non-traditional funding sources beyond traditional banking relationships.

• Qatar Holding LLC – owns 10.4% in Volkswagen AG (Qatar Holding & Qatar Sports Investment are subsidiaries of Qatar Investment Authority, and share key executives)

RC Strasbourg Alsace:  BlueCo

• Guggenheim Partners through Mark Walter owns 12% of BlueCo 

• The BlueCo consortium, the parent company of Strasbourg also owns Chelsea

• Udinese Calcio: Guggenheim Partners have a preliminary agreement signed in April 2025 to acquire Udinese for €180 million, formal ratification pending, deal does not include Watford

Marseille:  McCourt Capital / McCourt Global

• Guggenheim Partners acquired McCourt LA Dodgers in 2012 for $2.15bn and have maintained an extensive collaborative relationship since 2012

• McCourt and Mark Walter established McCourt Partners, a private investment platform with over $1 billion in permanent capital 

• TikTok & sports Media Bid: $20 billion consortium (includes McCourt & Guggenheim Partners) announced in 2024/25, still in discussions.

AS Monaco:  Juan Sartori /

• Juan Sartori - Uruguayan investor, married to Rybolovlev daughter ‘Ekaterina’ AS Monaco Vice President. Is also a VP at Monaco, 

• 2025 Juan became advisor for Tether Sports Investment, Tether announced its strategic minority stake 6.18% in Juventus Football Club already had a partnership with FC Lugano (Switzerland).

• Sartori remains chairman and founder of Union Group International Holdings AuM $495bn, Adecoagro S.A. is a key subsidiary of Union Group, 70% stake in Adecoagro was acquired by Tether Investments.

• Juan is co-owner alongside Kyril Louis-Dreyfus of AFC Sunderland

• Kyril Louis-Dreyfus family own 5% in Marseille:

 LOSC Lille:  Merlyn Partners SCSp

• 100% owned by 100% Merlyn Partners which operates through its subsidiary Callisto Sporting SARL, which holds the club's debt and manages day-to-day operations

• Co founder Maarten Petermann was an advisor to Elliott Management

• Elliott Management became major creditor to Lille in December 2020, holding €123 million debt.

• Elliott sold shares to Merlyn Partners SCSp through subsidiary Callisto Sporting

• Callisto Sporting control structure includes Birch International I LLC and Birch Associates I LLC (registered at Elliott's West Palm Beach, Florida address) hold A2 preferred shares with veto rights in Callisto Sporting

• Elliot Management owned AC Milan until 2022 when they sold to RedBird Capital partners, RedBird Cash paid €600 million upfront, Elliott Vendor Loan: €550-560 million financed by Elliott at 7% annual interest Loan Maturity: Originally due August 2025, extended to 2028.

• RedBird Capital also own 85% of Toulouse FC

• Italian Financial Police Investigation (2024): Examined whether sale was merely a "front" with Elliott maintaining effective control, also accusing them of market manipulation, Circular 47% Finance, AC Milan sale generated higher returns than typical distressed debt investments:

• Football Benchmark Algorithm: Assigned €578 million enterprise value to AC Milan in 2022, which supports the $600m RedBird paid upfront. 

Olympique Lyonnais:  Iconic Sports

• Iconic Sports made a $75 million equity investment in Eagle Football Holdings in return for 16.8% of which until August 2025 included 7.5% in John Textor Crystal Palace stake.

• Founded 2021 registered in Cayman Islands, key figures include Alexander Knaster

• Alexander Knaster owns Serie A side Pisa FC

• Knaster founded Pamplona Capital Management 2005 which receives significant financial banking from Russian oligarchs, 2005 received £2bn from Alfa Group led by Russian Mikhail Fridman’s, 2013 Pamplona partnered with LetterOne Investment Holdings (Mikhail company) and has overseen £3bn+ of investments.

• 2022 EU sanctioned Mikhail Fridman, Pamplona announced decision to "disentangle itself" from LetterOne, three years later there are still complications

Stade Rennais F.C: Groupe Artémis

• Groupe Artémis, the investment holding company of the Pinault family

• Atémis owns a 28.7% stake in Puma SE through its Kering divestment strategy

• 54% stake in leading agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA) - value $7bn, player agency includes: Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Son Heung-min & James Madison (Tottenham), Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Carlo Ancelotti (Real Madrid manager)

Angers SCO: Global Football Capital

• Global Football Partners through its UK subsidiary 'SE7 Partners’ owns Charlton Athletic (England)

• Key person Jeffrey Saunders works directly with several major financial companies as a sports investment advisor of which he personally supports Bolt Ventures (David Blitzer), RedBird Capital Partners and Blue Pool Capital / JSportsai (Joe Tsai)

• Jeffrey Saunders is  also club president of Yverdon Sport FC (Switzerland, Super League).