Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on November 10, 2025
1 min readLast updated: January 21, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleApollo Sports Capital acquires majority stake in Atletico Madrid, valuing the club at €2.5 billion. Key executives remain in their roles.
MADRID (Reuters) -U.S. fund Apollo's sports investment arm Apollo Sports Capital has agreed to become the majority shareholder in top-tier Spanish football club Atletico Madrid, the club said on Monday, without disclosing any financial details.
A source close to the deal said it would value the whole of the club at approximately 2.5 billion euros ($2.92 billion).
The deal marks the latest venture into sports by private equity firms, attracted by their stable and predictable revenue streams.
The club's CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin and President Enrique Cerezo will remain in their roles and as shareholders, Atletico said, and the investment is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2026.
Sources told Reuters in September the U.S. firm sought to take control of the club by acquiring part of stakes owned by Gil Marin, Cerezo, and, possibly, from investment fund Ares Management.
A&O Shearman acted as legal counsel to Apollo Sports Capital. ECIJA acted as legal counsel to Gil Marin and Cerezo.
($1 = 0.8575 euros)
(Reporting by Jesus Calero and Andres GonzalezEditing by Andrei Khalip and Frances Kerry)
Private equity refers to investment funds that buy and restructure companies not listed on public exchanges. These funds typically invest in private companies or buy out public companies to delist them.
Equity represents ownership in a company, typically in the form of shares. When investors buy equity, they gain a stake in the company's profits and assets.
A shareholder is an individual or institution that owns shares in a company. Shareholders have a claim on part of the company’s assets and earnings.
Sports investment involves funding sports teams or organizations with the expectation of financial returns, often through revenue generated from ticket sales, merchandise, and broadcasting rights.
A football club's valuation is an estimate of its worth based on various factors, including revenue, market size, and brand value. It reflects how much the club would sell for in the market.
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