Tech entrepreneur Alexis Ohanian has acquired a 10% stake in Chelsea FC Women, joining the club’s board as it targets global growth.
Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit and a prominent tech investor, has acquired a 10% stake in Chelsea FC Women, joining the club’s board as part of an effort to expand the reach and commercial profile of one of Europe’s most successful women’s football teams.
The deal, estimated to be worth more than £20m, values the team at approximately £245m, according to reports from The Times, making Chelsea Women the most valuable women’s football club globally.
Ohanian’s appointment comes just months after Chelsea’s women’s team was formally separated from the men’s side and brought under the direct control of BlueCo, the consortium led by US investor Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.
Chelsea FC Women, established in 1992, have dominated the domestic game in recent years, winning six consecutive Women’s Super League titles and securing a place in the UEFA Women’s Champions League final in 2021. The team is currently on track for a treble-winning season, having already claimed the League Cup and positioned at the top of the WSL.
In a statement published on LinkedIn, Ohanian wrote: “This isn’t just about winning titles. It’s about finally matching their talent with the resources, visibility, and respect they deserve.”
Ohanian previously co-founded Angel City FC in the US National Women’s Soccer League, a club that recently reached a valuation of $250m following a sale earlier this year. His investment in Chelsea reflects a continued interest in women’s sport as both a cultural and commercial opportunity, particularly among US investors who have played a growing role in European football.
“I’ve bet big on women’s sports before… and I’m doing it again,” he wrote. “I’m honoured for the chance to help this iconic club become every American’s favourite WSL team and much, much more.”
Club president Aki Mandhar, who has led Chelsea FC Women through the ownership transition and structural separation, was credited by Ohanian for setting “a standard of excellence” that made the investment a “hell yes”-type decision.
The move comes amid broader shifts in sports ownership models. While Ohanian is not a former athlete himself, his involvement highlights the increasingly diverse profile of new sports investors—tech entrepreneurs, entertainers, and venture capitalists—who are bringing alternative models of governance, digital engagement, and brand strategy to traditional clubs.
Chelsea FC Women’s restructuring into a standalone entity was designed to attract exactly this kind of dedicated investment, ensuring that the club’s success on the pitch is supported by greater autonomy and financial sustainability off it.
