Bernaud Arnault, 2024’s world’s richest man according to Forbes, is reportedly on the verge of buying a majority stake in French football club Paris FC.
Arnualt’s family is working alongside Red Bull Group as part of a consortium that would see the family gain a 55% majority stake in the club, with a view to acquire current club President Pierre Ferracci’s 30% share in 2027.
It is believed that Red Bull will purchase a 15% stake in Paris FC which marks the international group’s first foray into french football following its work with RB Leipzig in Germany, Red Bull Salzburg in Austria, and follows the acquisition of a minority stake in English football club Leeds United this year.
If the sale is confirmed, it represents the most significant football club ownership takeover in France since Paris FC cross-city rivals Paris Saint-Germain were bought by Qatar Sports Investment (QSI) in 2011.
Arnault and family had a net worth of $233bn according to Forbes’ annual Richest People In The World list last year, making them the richest in the world. They have consistently featured within the top five of these rankings for the past several years.
Chairman and CEO of the luxury goods global conglomerate known as LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH), Arnault’s company owns an extensive list of some of the most recognisable brands in the world, from fashion, wines and spirits, jewellery and hotels.
Arnault’s net worth stands at $182.5bn, dwarfing the net worth of PSG’s Chairman, Nasser Al-Khelaifi at $6.2bn, representing the first French football league club to match and exceed PSG’s financial power of the last decade. However, QSI’s total valuation of its holdings has been reported to be worth up to $450bn.
PSG has consistently been one of Europe’s richest football clubs, attracting stars such as Lionel Messi, Neymar Jr., Kylian Mbappé and many more whilst dominating Ligue 1, winning the league title 10 times since QSI’s acquisition.
However, recently the club lost its marquee players Messi, Neymar Jr. and Mbappé in the space of a year and have consistently failed to win the UEFA Champions League during their time at the club.
Arnault’s impending arrival as Paris FC owner has the potential to knock PSG off their perch as France’s number one club, but first, the second division club will need to gain promotion back to Ligue 1.
Paris FC currently reside in Ligue 2 but this season they sit top of the table. According to renowned French sports newspaper L’Équipe, the incoming owners will not look to challenge PSG immediately if Paris FC were to be promoted to the French top-flight league next season.
Rather, the club will look to consolidate its position in Ligue 1 and potentially attain qualification to the UEFA Champions League, looking to expand its pre-existing work on scouting youth talent from Paris and its surrounding suburbs, France and the rest of the world. This is where Red Bull may play a vital role.
The Red Bull Football Group has been praised for its ability to identify youth talent from all corners of the globe. The group have scouted the likes of Erling Haaland and Sadio Mané, bringing them to Red Bull Salzburg and have continued to scout and develop young players over the last decade.
With Paris being arguably the largest hotbed of young football talent in all of Europe, producing Mbappé, N’Golo Kanté and legends such as Thierry Henry to name a few, Red Bull will undoubtedly look to France’s capital to bring the best talent available to Paris FC.
With Arnault’s financial backing, combined with Red Bull’s experience of scouting and youth development, it may not be long before the Ligue 1 title is contested between two clubs from the same city.
