Over recent decades, European football clubs have shifted from being viewed as community assets or personal ventures to increasingly sophisticated business enterprises. Revenue from top clubs has expanded far beyond ticket sales, encompassing long-term broadcast deals, global sponsorships, merchandise, and stadiums that operate year-round.

In this article, we explore how football’s increased growth has provided an opportunity for private credit lenders able to underwrite complexity and structure around specific assets or revenue streams. Rather than displacing traditional lenders, these private credit providers often work alongside banks to complement their offerings with longer-term, flexible capital solutions. As the sport continues to broaden its global reach and structural sophistication, capital providers equipped to navigate the sector’s complexities could be well-positioned to provide crucial financing support.

“Institutional lenders have become increasingly central to sports financing, bringing long-term, flexible capital to a sector that has grown in scale, complexity, and scrutiny. Private credit’s ability to invest across the credit spectrum, structure bespoke solutions, and support both club-level and stadium financings aligns closely with the sector’s evolving financing needs.” Josh Shipley, Managing Director and Head of Private Credit

To find out more, download the paper below