New owners for Atletico Madrid! La Liga side confirm sale of majority stake to equity firm

Atletico have officially announced a significant change in ownership, with ASC acquiring a majority stake in the club. This crucial move, confirmed via a statement on the club's website, sees the current major shareholders reduce their stakes to facilitate the investment. While ASC will become the majority owner, the club confirmed that Miguel Angel Gil and Enrique Cerezo remain in their roles as CEO and chairman respectively, and will remain as shareholders.

The artnership aims to strengthen Atletico Madrid's position among football's elite and support long-term success for its millions of fans worldwide. The investment is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals, with completion expected in the first quarter of 2026. Financial terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.

The investment from ASC is set to provide substantial new capital for Atletico's ambitious long-term plans. A key focus will be further investment in all of Atletico Madrid's teams, encompassing the men's, women's and academy sides, to enhance their sporting competitiveness.

One of the most significant aspects of this investment is the funding for major infrastructure projects, notably the "development of the City of Sport." This ambitious project envisions a new sports and entertainment centre adjacent to the Riyadh Air Metropolitano Stadium. The club stated: "The aim of this project is to become a world-class destination for sport, leisure, culture, and community activity." With Apollo's extensive experience in the sports, media, and entertainment sectors, ASC aspires to create a "dynamic, transformative, and multidisciplinary urban center for the people of Madrid."

Angel Gil, Atletico's CEO, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership. "We are very proud to welcome a new partner committed to the club. Apollo Sports Capital is a great ally that respects the history, traditions, and identity of Atletico de Madrid and its fans, while bringing additional resources and enthusiasm to help maintain our growth and competitiveness," he said.

Robert Givone, partner at Apollo and co-manager of ASC, underscored the importance of this continuity. "Atletico de Madrid is one of Europe’s great sporting institutions, and it is an honour for Apollo Sports Capital to invest in this historic club and its legacy of over 120 years. Miguel Angel has done an extraordinary job transforming Atletico, and it was essential for us to invest in support of the continuity of his leadership, as well as investing in the team and the local community," Givone stated.

The new partnership aims to reinforce the club's financial stability. Gil acknowledged the contributions of previous partners, saying, "Atletico would not be where it is today without the support of Wanda Group, Quantum Pacific, and Ares, whose backing has strengthened us at crucial moments." This collaboration with ASC is designed to build on that foundation, driving "solid and sustainable growth" for the club.

ASC is a global sports investment company and a subsidiary of Apollo. Its investment strategy focuses on the sports and live events sector, primarily through credit and hybrid investment opportunities. Atletico will serve as the flagship investment for ASC, with the firm explicitly stating that it is "not part of a multi-ownership strategy to control clubs."

This clarifies that ASC's interest is specific to Atletico and the club's potential, rather than building a portfolio of clubs under common ownership. Other recent investments by Apollo Sports Capital include stakes in the Mutua Madrid Open and Miami Open tennis tournaments, in partnership with MARI, and a new company formed by Ari Emanuel and Mark Shapiro. ASC is led by CEO Al Tylis, co-managers Givone and Lee Solomon, and Chief Strategy Officer Sam Porter.

Atletico Madrid currently sit in fourth place in La Liga, with 25 points from 12 matches, including seven wins, four draws, and one loss. They are four points behind league leaders Real Madrid and three points behind second-placed Barcelona. Their recent form has been strong, with four wins and one draw in their last five league matches, including a convincing 3-1 victory over Levante in their most recent fixture, where Antoine Griezmann scored twice.

The club also confirmed that the investment extends to its affiliated clubs, Atletico de San Luis and Atletico Ottawa, which will also become majority-owned by Apollo Sports Capital. The current shareholders - Angel Gil, Cerezo, Quantum Pacific Group and funds managed by Ares Management - will retain minority stakes across these entities.

The completion of the deal in the first quarter of 2026 will usher in a new era for Atletico Madrid. The immediate impact will be the injection of capital to strengthen the squad and accelerate the City of Sport project, which aims to transform the areas around the Riyadh Air Metropolitano Stadium. On the field, Atletico will return from the international break to face Getafe in La Liga on Sunday, November 23. The continued leadership of Gil and Cerezo, combined with the new financial backing, signals a commitment to both tradition and ambitious growth, aiming to solidify Atletico Madrid's position among Europe's elite clubs in the long term.

Click here to read article