Find out the owner of Chelsea FC, their net worth, source of wealth, and ownership history of the club.
Chelsea is one of the biggest teams in English football and in European football. The team has been outstanding over the years, even though a change of ownership was made unexpectedly. The London-based club is one of the global brands with a significant fan base, especially in Asia, Africa, and North America.
Who owns Chelsea FC (current owners)?
As of December 2024, the current owners of Chelsea FC are BlueCo, a consortium led by Clearlake Capital, Todd Boehly, Mark Walter, and Hansjörg Wyss.
Clearlake Capital owns over a 61.5% stake in Chelsea. The remaining 38.5% is split between Todd Boehly, Mark Walter, and Hansjörg Wyss, as each investor holds approximately 13%.
However, Todd Boehly is the controlling owner with a 13% stake.
BlueCo bought Chelsea FC for a fee around £4.25 billion and took over the team from its former owner, Roman Abramovich.
A lot of Chelsea and football fans did not realise that the club is not owned by an individual, rather a collection of a group of people under one umbrella. Chelsea is currently one of the most valuable teams, even as Transfermarkt values the team at €1.01bn.
Chelsea FC ownership structure and owners net worth
Chelsea is not owned by one person, even though it is perceived to be owned by Todd Boehly due to his front-row appearances at the club. So here is a complete breakdown of the team's ownership.
Todd Boehly (net worth and source of wealth)
Apart from his ownership of Chelsea, he is also the co-owner of the French football club Strasbourg Alsace through his stake in BlueCo.
Another sports team owned by Todd Boehly is the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was one of the co-owners of the team when he became part of the ownership group in 2012.
According to figures from Forbes, he is worth US$8.5 billion. His main sources of wealth include the ownership of Eldridge Industries and other assets.
Clearlake Capital (owners and valuation)
Clearlake Capital Group, or simply Clearlake Capital, is a private equity firm with a core focus on industrial, technology, and consumer sectors.
The company joined hands with other investors that led to the purchase of Chelsea FC in 2022 and thus the formation of BlueCo, which owns the London-based football club.
Clearlake owns about 60% of Chelsea FC, but the control and governance of the club are shared equally with Todd Boehly.
Clearlake Capital is one of the big private equity firms in the world. The company is in charge of the asset management for various multinationals globally.
Clearlake Capital was founded by a group of investors which includes Steven Chang, Behdad Eghbali and José Feliciano. It was founded in 2006 with heating in California.
Aside from asset management, Clearlake Capital boosts ownership of several other industries, including clothing. According to figures from Forbes, the company is worth $70 billion.
Mark Walter (net worth and source of wealth)
Mark Walter is an American businessman who is the CEO of private global financial service provider Guggenheim Partners. He was part of the consortium (BlueCo) that purchased the Chelsea FC from its previous owners.
Mark Walter reportedly owns around 13% of the ownership of Chelsea FC following the takeover in 2022.
Walter has numerous businesses across the United States but has invested heavily in sports businesses and owns major American franchises, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Professional Women's Hockey League, and a Formula One team Cadillac Formula 1.
According to figures from Fortune, Mark Walter has a net worth that is estimated to be around $12 billion.
Hansjörg Wyss (Net worth and source of wealth)
Hansjörg Wyss is a Swiss businessman and the founder of Synthes, a medical device manufacturer. He is also one of the main shareholders of Lalique Group.
He is also one of the investors of BlueCo that purchased Chelsea FC. His stake in the club is estimated to be 13%, which is the same as other investors in BlueCo.
According to figures from Forbes in 2023, Wyss's net worth was US$4.7 billion.
Chelsea FC ownership history
Gus Mears
Chelsea FC was founded in 1905 by Gus Mears, and the ownership of the club continued to be with his descendants until it was purchased by Ken Bates in 1982.
Ken Bates
Ken Bates continued to own the club until the mid-1990s, when Matthew Harding reportedly loaned over £26 million to the club and became a significant investor.
Roman Abramovich
Roman Abramovich came into the picture in 2003 and purchased over a 50% stake in the club for around £30 million. However, he bought the remaining shares for £140 million to become the new owner of the club.
Roman Abramovich continued ownership of the club and spent significantly on the development of the club's infrastructure, debt repayment, and signing of new players into the team.
BlueCo
In May 2022, the ownership of the club changed hands once again when BlueCo, led by investors, acquired the club.
Chelsea history—when was the club founded?
Chelsea Football Club was founded in 1905.
Club stadium
Chelsea FC Achievements and Trophies
Chelsea is one of the most successful teams in the history of English football. The club has won numerous trophies domestically and at the international level.
In the domestic scene, Chelsea have won the Premier League up to six times. Other trophies include the FA Cup, League Cup, and Community Shield.
At the international stage, Chelsea have won the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.