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On Tuesday, 20th of February, Manchester United officially confirmed a partial sale of the club to CEO and Founder of INEOS Group, Sir Jim Ratcliffe. With a net worth of $21.2bn, Sir Ratcliffe, whose company also owns OGC Nice in Ligue 1, is the second wealthiest man in the whole of UK, and this purchase sees him become one of the wealthiest owners in the English Premier League. In fact, Sir Jim Ratcliff now becomes the third wealthiest owner in the EPL, behind Sheikh Mansour, owner of Manchester City who is worth an estimated $30bn and Mohammed bin Salman (and the Public Investment Fund), owners of Newcastle which is worth a staggering $320bn. For context, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the wealthiest man in Nigeria and Africa, is worth an estimated $13.1bn.  

In many of Europe’s top leagues, the wealthiest club owners predominantly hail from one region: the Arab nations. As oil-rich nations increasingly pivot toward diversifying their economies and allocating more resources to football, the sport has become increasingly reliant on investments from this region, especially amidst the global economic downturn. Curious to know who the top five richest Arab owners are? Let’s find out. 

**Farhad Moshiri** - (Iran/Britain) | Everton | **Net Worth:** $3.1bn  

Miami based private investment company, 777 Partners are yet to have their purchase of Everton officially approved and they’ve expressed frustration at the delays by the Premier League. 777 Partners own multiple clubs around the globe including Genoa, Standard Liege, Vasco da Gama, and Red Star FC. Amidst the many controversies Everton has had in the past 18 months, that approval might not come soon. Till then, the team remains owned by British-Iranian businessman, Farhad Moshiri who owns 94.1% of the club. Everton isn’t Moshiri’s first ride as an owner. He was a minority share-holder in Arsenal in the late 2000s to mid-2010s through Red & White Holdings, a company he co-owned with longstanding business partner Alisher Usmanov, who is worth $14.5bn.  

**Nasser bin Ghanim Al-Khelaifi** - (Qatar) | Paris Saint-Germain & Braga | **Net Worth:** $8bn 

A retired tennis player who actually played in the Davis Cup where he represented the Qatari Team, Nasser bin Ghanim Al-Khelaifi is one of the few owners in sports to have played at a professional level. Al-Khelaifi is not just wealthy but is one of the most powerful men in sports. He is the Chairman of BeIN Media Group, and the Qatar Tennis Federation, the Vice President of the Asian Tennis Federation for West Asia and is a member of the UEFA Executive Committee, currently serving his second term. However, he is most popular for his role as Chairman of the Qatar Sports Investments that owns Braga SC and most notably, PSG. Since taking over the Ligue 1 giants in 2011, PSG has won 21 trophies including 9 league titles. PSG has been a destination for some of the best footballers in the world including Lionel Messi, Neymar Jr, Sergio Ramos, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Edinson Cavani & Kylian Mbappé, and is always at the heart of football transfer news each summer.  

**Nassef Sawiris** (Egypt) | Aston Villa & Vitória S.C. | **Net Worth:** $8.6bn 

Egypt’s Nassef Sawaris is the only African on this list. With a net worth of $8.6bn, he is the richest man in Egypt and one of the richest Arabs alive. In 2018, he bought into Aston Villa while they were still in the Championship. Having seen over $350m invested under Sawiris’ ownership, Aston Villa has had some of its best years in decades. They’ve enjoyed promotions and a return to European football (the UEFA Conference League). At the moment, they’re in pole position to finish 4th and qualify for the Champions League for the first time since the 1981/82 season, and a popular football prediction in the online betting community is for them to do just that.  

● Bet on Aston Villa to finish in the Top 4  

**Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan** (United Arab Emirates) | Owner of City Football Group | **Net Worth:** $30bn  

Sheikh Mansour is widely credited with ushering in a new era in football club ownership. His acquisition of Manchester City from former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 2008 marked the beginning of their remarkable journey to unprecedented success. Throughout the years, Manchester City has won countless titles and boasted some of the EPL top scorers, such as Erling Haaland and Sergio Aguero, while also attracting world-class talent across various positions. In 2014, Sheikh Mansour founded the City Football Group, which has since expanded its portfolio to include several teams like Melbourne City, NYCFC, Troyes, Palermo, Mumbai City, and a significant 47% stake in Girona. However, Manchester City remains their crown jewel, and are currently vying for a historic fourth consecutive Premier League title. Many betting tips lean towards their success in this endeavour, a sentiment we wholeheartedly share after witnessing their might on the field over the years. 

● Bet on Manchester City to win the EPL 

**Public Investment Fund** (Saudi Arabia) | Newcastle United, Al-Ittihad, Al-Ahli, Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal | **Net Worth:** $360bn 

When it comes to wealth, the Public Investment Fund (PIF) which is controlled by Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, stands in a league of its own. The PIF boasts a staggering worth of $360 billion, while Mohammed bin Salman’s personal net worth is estimated to hover around $800 billion, although some sources suggest it could be even higher. Since taking over Newcastle, the PIF has redirected its focus inward, injecting substantial funds into domestic sports initiatives. Notably, they’ve added four Saudi Pro League teams—Al-Ittihad, Al-Ahli, Al-Nassr, and Al-Hilal—to their portfolio, with many superstars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Riyad Marez on their payroll. Something tells me they’re far from being done adding teams.  

[Bet on the Saudi Pro League](https://m.betking.com/sports/events/prematch/football/saudi-arabia/professional-league)  

**The Future of Football**  

Together, these five owners collectively possess a net worth of $409.7 billion, which translates to ₦696.29 trillion in Naira, slightly below Nigeria’s GDP. Quite a hefty sum! But what’s the overarching strategy here? [As discussed here,](https://m.betking.com/blog/news/saudi-arabia-transfers-saudi-s-football-ambition/) the aim is to diversify the economies of Arab nations, particularly those rich in oil, such as the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. 

While it’s not uncommon for rich individuals to pour money into sports, the difference lies in the direct linkage between these investments and their respective home countries. For instance, Russian billionaires like Roman Abramovic and Dmitry Rybolovlev injected significant funds into Chelsea and Monaco, respectively, while Pakistani-American Shahid Khan, owner of Fulham, NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars, and AEW (All Elite Wrestling), boasts a net worth of $10.5 billion and has made substantial investments across multiple sports. Yet, there was never a direct link between these investments and their home countries.  

In recent years, Arab club owners have made substantial investments in European football clubs, while also leveraging their influence and power to enhance the development of sports in their homes. Qatar, for instance, has seen success on the international stage, clinching the last two AFC Asian Cup tournaments and attracting renowned footballers like Philippe Coutinho, Julian Draxler, and Marco Verratti to their domestic league, mainly through the influence of Sheikh Mansour and PSG. Meanwhile, the Saudi Pro League has flourished as a league, boasting top-tier talents such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Riyad Mahrez, and Sadio Mané. 

While they may have been relatively quiet in the January transfer window, expectation is high for increased activity during the summer. These leagues are poised to become destinations for high-earning superstars whose clubs seek to offload their hefty contracts, akin to the moves we witnessed with Kalidou Koulibaly and Sadio Mané. There’s even speculation that Manchester United duo Casemiro and Raphaël Varane could make the move in the summer. However, there’s a long-term vision to attract players in their prime, as evidenced by signings like Aleksandar Mitrović, Sergej Milinković-Savić, and Gabri Veiga. While Europe will undoubtedly remain the top choice for professional footballers, there’s an undeniable shift already underway. 

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Curious to find out which football clubs are about to become MASSIVE? The clubs some of these owners just acquired could soon become truly elite.

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Richest Arab Club Owners In Football

● Bet on Aston Villa to finish in the Top 4

● Bet on Manchester City to win the EPL