Jeff Bezos Nears 30% Stake in Liverpool FC
Jeff Bezos is on the brink of Anfield.
After months of negotiations, a consortium featuring the Amazon founder is close to securing a 30% stake in Liverpool, in a deal worth around £1.35bn with Fenway Sports Group (FSG). The agreement is effectively in place and is expected to take up to a month to formally complete.
Billionaires at the Kop
The investment group is led by Amit Bhatia, son-in-law of Indian billionaire Lakshmi Mittal and a former shareholder at Queens Park Rangers. Alongside Bezos sits another heavyweight from the tech boom: Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin, whose wealth is estimated at $32bn.
Bezos, with a personal fortune of about $257bn (£190bn) according to Forbes, will receive equity in Liverpool as part of the deal, which Deloitte is understood to have advised on. It will be his first move into football ownership, though he has previously explored bids for NFL franchises.
For Liverpool, it marks the arrival of one of the world’s most powerful business figures at a club already accustomed to operating on a global stage. For Bezos, it is a step into a sport where his company has spent years buying influence through broadcast rights.
From Streaming Rights to a Slice of the Club
As executive chair of Amazon, Bezos has stepped back from day-to-day control since leaving the chief executive role five years ago, but his imprint on the company’s strategy remains unmistakable. Amazon has pushed aggressively into live sport, using its streaming platform to secure premium rights and shift viewing habits.
In the UK, Amazon held live rights for 20 Premier League matches per season for six seasons until the end of last year. It also broadcasts the Champions League in several European markets and carries NFL coverage in the United States. Now, instead of just screening Liverpool, Bezos is set to own a significant piece of it.
FSG’s New Era
FSG, who bought Liverpool in 2010, have presided over a modern renaissance that includes two Premier League titles and a return to the European elite. Yet they have also steadily opened the door to outside capital. In 2023, they sold a 3% stake to US private equity firm Dynasty Equity. A 30% sale represents a far bigger shift in the club’s financial landscape.
This summer has already felt like a turning point at Anfield. Andoni Iraola has come in as head coach, replacing Arne Slot. Mohamed Salah, the face of Liverpool’s attack for years, has left on a free transfer and joined Trabzonspor. Michael Edwards has departed his role as chief executive officer at FSG.
Change is not creeping into Liverpool. It is arriving at full pace.
The impending deal with the Bezos–Bhatia–Saverin consortium adds another layer to that transformation: fresh money, new power brokers, and a sharper global focus for a club that already sees itself as a worldwide institution.
FSG has been approached for comment.
