Since its inception, football has remained fundamentally Eurocentric in both its structure and cultural dominance.
As football expanded from England into Western Europe, foundational institutions such as IFAB, FIFA, and UEFA were formed under established European models of governance, cultural traditions and sporting philosophy.
However, a transatlantic threat in the form of American involvement in boardroom negotiations, network acquisitions, and media rights portfolios looms over these European models.
A subtle but systemic Americanisation of football is now underway, with American capital inserting itself into European football more than ever.
As of the 2025/26 season, 10 of the 20 Premier League clubs, 9 of the 20 Serie A clubs, and a quarter of Ligue 1 clubs are majority US-owned.
This year, American investors have been involved in 19 of the 30 ownership transactions recorded in Europe.
Even lower-league clubs and merging football markets are becoming increasingly targeted by US investors in pursuit of undervalued assets with high growth potential.
Growing transatlantic interest in football extends beyond investors. The US Government utilises sport, especially football, as a geopolitical tool for projecting American power and identity.
Chelsea’s victory and subsequent trophy-lift featuring Donald Trump at the US-hosted 2025 Club World Cup offers the most visible example yet.
The Trump administrations use of sport as a platform for political messaging and national branding highlights the inseparability of sport and politics.
Implications of increased US involvement
US capital is normalising and enforcing operations that contradict traditional European models.
Investors are partaking in multi-club ownership to create operational efficiencies across player transfers, global brand development and content dissemination.
This goes against the values of local identity and member governance that constitute traditional club ownership models.
A report published by the International Centre for Sports Studies highlights the rising prevalence of multi-club ownership in the ten European leagues it examined.
A total of 78 multi-club ownership investments were finalised between 2019 and 2023.
Close to 40% of the 341 clubs analysed in the report were directly connected to another football club through shared ownership.
Moreover, European leagues are experiencing the introduction of profit-driven, scalable business models inspired by American sports.
It is global brand building and revenue maximisation strategies like this that are replacing traditional European models.
Governing bodies have already faced challenges surrounding American investment, which now extends beyond individual clubs and encompasses entire commercial frameworks.
Most recently, UEFA was forced to deny Crystal Palace entry into the Europa League due to ownership conflicts involving American shareholder John Textor, who at the time held significant shares in both the English club and Olympique Lyonnais.
The situation highlights how the influx of American capital, and the multi-club ownership models it introduces, can create regulatory complications even when sporting merit has been earned.
What does the future of European football look like?
US capital has already reshaped the operational frameworks of European football clubs.
If things continue as they are, we could see a sport-wide shift to American entertainment industry models, characterised by broadcast revenue optimisation.
Football clubs tend to have deeply rooted fan bases and strong cultural significance, offering investors access to new markets to extend their influence.
Given this reality, club acquisition could soon become little more than a vessel for commercial strategy for corporations.
Recent developments in the La Liga indicate that this idea may be closer to reality than expected.
Barcelona vs Villarreal is currently being planned to be played in Miami as a standalone international league fixture, with Real Madrid and many other clubs ‘strongly’ rejecting the concept.
Private equity firms are now targeting not only clubs, but also the organisations that manage and control broadcast and commercial rights.
In doing so, these companies place themselves at the core of the revenue-generating aspect of football.
The International Centre for Sports Studies report shows that private equity comprised the majority share of all foreign investment deals in European football between 2019 and 2023. US-based investors were responsible for just under 90% of transactions.
Should this trajectory of US investment and the search for global commercial success continue, the beautiful game will inevitably risk losing its traditional values.
As US influence grows, it will become harder to balance profit with football’s traditions. To protect the game, investors must show both long-term vision and respect for its culture.
