Key Takeaways
- • Henry Kravis and George Roberts, KKR co-founders, have joined a group of investors acquiring a 42% stake in Spanish football club Valencia at an enterprise value of €1.25 billion ($1.4 billion).
- • Pitchwise Holdings, a consortium of private family offices and institutional investors led by sports executives Ann Rodriguez and Corey Woolfolk, is buying the stake from majority owner Meriton Holdings, according to a statement released Friday.
- • The incoming investors will provide €100 million in fresh capital for immediate investment in the club, which has struggled at the top level of Spanish football in recent years.
- • Meriton, led by Singaporean billionaire Peter Lim, retains majority ownership, and Kiat Lim will remain club president.
Summary
Henry Kravis and George Roberts, co-founders of private equity firm KKR, have joined a group of investors acquiring a 42% stake in Spanish football club Valencia. The transaction values the club at an enterprise value of €1.25 billion ($1.4 billion), according to the primary report.
Pitchwise Holdings, a consortium of private family offices and institutional investors led by sports executives Ann Rodriguez and Corey Woolfolk, is buying the stake from Meriton Holdings, the club's majority owner. The deal was disclosed in a statement released on Friday. Meriton, led by Singaporean billionaire Peter Lim, will retain majority ownership, and Lim's son, Kiat Lim, will remain club president under the new arrangement.
The incoming investors will provide €100 million in fresh capital for immediate investment. Valencia, once a major force in Spanish football, has faced sporting difficulties under the Lim family, which has owned the club since 2014. The team currently sits second-to-last in La Liga. The investment is also aimed at supporting infrastructure, including the planned move from the Mestalla stadium to Nou Mestalla, a new 70,000-capacity venue. Pitchwise said the project would give the club, based in Spain's third-largest city, a stadium that matches its ambitions.
The transaction reflects growing institutional interest in European football. Apollo Global Management has been majority owner of Atletico Madrid since March 2026, Clearlake Capital Group owns Chelsea, RedBird Capital Partners controls AC Milan, and Silver Lake Capital holds a minority stake in Manchester City's parent company. Dynasty Equity also holds a minority stake in Liverpool.
Roberts said investors saw significant potential in the club and its leadership. "We have gotten to know Kiat very well and believe that this new partnership and Valencia represents the most exciting opportunity in European football," he said in the statement. "We look forward to supporting Ann, Corey and Kiat as they take the club into a bright future."
Pitchwise Holdings, a consortium of private family offices and institutional investors led by sports executives Ann Rodriguez and Corey Woolfolk, is buying the stake from Meriton Holdings, the club's majority owner. The deal was disclosed in a statement released on Friday. Meriton, led by Singaporean billionaire Peter Lim, will retain majority ownership, and Lim's son, Kiat Lim, will remain club president under the new arrangement.
The incoming investors will provide €100 million in fresh capital for immediate investment. Valencia, once a major force in Spanish football, has faced sporting difficulties under the Lim family, which has owned the club since 2014. The team currently sits second-to-last in La Liga. The investment is also aimed at supporting infrastructure, including the planned move from the Mestalla stadium to Nou Mestalla, a new 70,000-capacity venue. Pitchwise said the project would give the club, based in Spain's third-largest city, a stadium that matches its ambitions.
The transaction reflects growing institutional interest in European football. Apollo Global Management has been majority owner of Atletico Madrid since March 2026, Clearlake Capital Group owns Chelsea, RedBird Capital Partners controls AC Milan, and Silver Lake Capital holds a minority stake in Manchester City's parent company. Dynasty Equity also holds a minority stake in Liverpool.
Roberts said investors saw significant potential in the club and its leadership. "We have gotten to know Kiat very well and believe that this new partnership and Valencia represents the most exciting opportunity in European football," he said in the statement. "We look forward to supporting Ann, Corey and Kiat as they take the club into a bright future."
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