Israeli Billionaire Idan Ofer Ranks Seventh Richest Football Club Owner Globally

A recent comprehensive study published in England has ranked the 50 wealthiest individuals involved in football club ownership worldwide, highlighting the immense wealth behind the sport's top teams. To qualify for this exclusive list, individuals must have a net worth of at least £2.6 billion and own at least 25 percent of a football club or hold an active managerial role. The rankings are based on public estimates and Forbes reports.

Israeli businessman Idan Ofer holds the seventh position with a net worth of £25 billion. Through his Quantum Pacific Group, Ofer controls 85 percent of Portuguese club Famalicão, which was promoted to the top league in 2019, and owns a significant 33 percent stake in Spain's Atlético Madrid. Above him in the rankings are notable names such as the Indonesian Hartono family, valued at £38 billion and owners of Italian club Como, and the French Arnault family, worth £143 billion and leading Paris FC.

The second spot belongs to Qatar's Al Thani family, with £253 billion, credited for transforming Paris Saint-Germain. At the very top is Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose public investment fund is valued at an astonishing £1.2 trillion. Since acquiring Newcastle United, Saudi wealth has helped the club become a significant Premier League force, though it has yet to establish itself among the elite.

Meanwhile, Mitch Goldhar, owner of Maccabi Tel Aviv, ranks far lower, nearly half a billion dollars shy of the 50th spot. This ranking underscores the vast financial disparities within football club ownership worldwide and the growing influence of ultra-wealthy investors in the sport.