[SINGAPORE] Billionaires and corporations from countries such as Thailand and Singapore have injected substantial funding into well known football teams in England, Spain and elsewhere. Here is a snapshot of some prominent Asians who own the following clubs:
1. Peter Lim – Valencia
Singapore billionaire and former remisier king Peter Lim made headlines in 2014 when he purchased Valencia then for 420 million euros. Just a year later, the Spanish club finished fourth in La Liga, a position that allowed them to qualify for the lucrative Champions League.
In recent seasons, however, Valencia has sputtered on the field. The last three seasons have seen the club flirt with relegation, and they have also sold some of their best players every summer.
The former stockbroker is now a private investor focused on healthcare, property, education and sports.
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2. Vincent Tan – Cardiff City
Malaysian tycoon Vincent Tan acquired Cardiff City in 2010 for £6 million when the Wales-based club was struggling in the second-tier English Championship. Under his ownership, Cardiff secured promotion to the English Premier League (EPL) for the first time in 2013.
Beyond Cardiff, Tan has built a portfolio of European football clubs, including FK Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and Belgium’s KV Kortrijk, both of which he has since sold.
With a net worth of US$730 million, Tan ranks as the 29th richest individual in Malaysia, according to Forbes’ Malaysia’s 50 Richest List.
Tan is the founder of Berjaya Corporation, a diversified conglomerate with interests spanning telecommunications, hospitality, food and beverage, gaming and lottery management, property development, and financial services.
3. Ruben Emir Gnanalingam – Los Angeles FC
Malaysian businessman Ruben Emir Gnanalingam was appointed co-chairman of English team Queens Park Rangers in 2015, alongside AirAsia founder Tony Fernandes, before stepping down in 2018. A year later, he became part of the ownership group of Los Angeles FC in the US.
Ruben became CEO of Westports Holdings in 2009, a company founded by his late father that is now one of three main port operators in the Straits of Malacca. In 2023, following his father’s death, he was redesignated as executive chairman.
According to Forbes, the Gnanalingam family has an estimated worth of US$1.6 billion, making them Malaysia’s 12th wealthiest family. They get the bulk of their wealth from their stake in Westports.
4. Dai Yongge – Reading
Chinese businessman Dai Yongge became Reading’s majority shareholder for £25 million in 2017 through his company, Renhe Sports Management. Alongside his sister Dai Xiu Li, he completed the takeover with ambitions to return the club to the EPL.
However, his ownership has been marred by financial instability and controversy, with Reading suffering multiple point deductions due to breaches of the English Football League’s (EFL) financial regulations.
Dai is the founder and chairman of Renhe Commercial Holdings, a company specialising in the redevelopment and management of underground shopping malls in China. The business was once listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and made Dai a billionaire during its peak.
Dai’s latest reported net worth was in 2016 when he was worth US$931 million, according to a Forbes estimate. However, his net worth has fluctuated alongside the fortunes of his business ventures.
It was reported in March that Reading risks being suspended by the EFL after Dai was disqualified as a director under the EFL’s Owners’ and Directors’ Test. He now has until Apr 22 to sell the club in order to prevent it being expelled from the league.
5. Dejphon Chansiri – Sheffield Wednesday
Dejphon Chansiri is a Thai businessman who acquired Sheffield Wednesday in 2015 for £37.5 million. Under his ownership, Sheffield Wednesday reached the English Championship play-offs in the 2015/16 and 2016/17 seasons. However, subsequent years have brought financial instability and managerial changes.
His family controls the Thai Union Group, a producer of canned tuna, which includes brands such as John West and Chicken of the Sea. According to Forbes, the Chansiri family’s net worth was estimated at US$575 million.
Earlier this month, Dejphon said there was still “no substantial interest” from any investor to buy the struggling club. In March, players and staff had their salaries delayed due to financial difficulties.
6. Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha – Leicester City
Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha is a Thai businessman who is the chairman of Leicester City and the CEO of Thai travel retail giant King Power International. He is the son of the late Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, the founder of King Power.
King Power began as a duty-free shop in 1989 and has grown into a leading operator of airport duty-free stores in Thailand. After Vichai’s death in a helicopter crash in 2018, Aiyawatt assumed leadership of the company and became Leicester’s chairman.
The Srivaddhanaprabha family acquired Leicester City in 2010 for a reported £39 million. Under their ownership, the club achieved significant success, including winning the EPL in the 2015/16 season and the FA Cup in 2021.
As at 2024, Forbes reported that the Srivaddhanaprabha family’s net worth is estimated at US$3.6 billion, making it Thailand’s seventh wealthiest family.
7. Forrest Li – Lion City Sailors
Forrest Li is a Singaporean billionaire entrepreneur renowned for founding Sea, a global consumer Internet company. Sea encompasses subsidiaries such e-commerce platform Shopee and financial services business SeaMoney.
Li reportedly has a net worth of US$8.4 billion and ranked 12th on Forbes’ Singapore 50 richest list in 2024.
In 2020, Sea acquired Home United, a Singapore Premier League (SPL) team, and rebranded it as Lion City Sailors. Li serves as the chairman of the club, reflecting his enthusiasm for football and commitment to elevating the sport’s profile in Singapore.
Under his leadership, the Sailors won the SPL title in 2021 and the Singapore Cup in 2023. In 2021, the club made headlines with the signing of Brazilian midfielder Diego Lopes for 1.8 million euros, a new record for a Singapore football transfer.
The Sailors will play in the final of the AFC Champions League Two final on May 18 against United Arab Emirates club Sharjah. Li, meanwhile, is set to become the Football Association of Singapore’s new president at the upcoming council election on Apr 28.
8. Guo Guangchang – Wolverhampton Wanderers
In July 2016, Fosun International acquired Wolverhampton Wanderers, commonly known as Wolves, for an estimated £45 million.
Since the takeover, Fosun’s co-founder and chairman Guo Guangchang has provided the financial backing and strategic direction that have influenced the club’s trajectory.
Fosun is a conglomerate with interests spanning pharmaceuticals, real estate and financial services. Guo has a reported net worth of US$2.4 million, according to Forbes.
Under Fosun’s ownership, Wolves have enjoyed some success on the pitch, including promotion to the EPL in 2018 and reached the Europa League quarter-finals in 2020. Fosun has scaled back its investment in recent years, however, due to Wolves’ poor showings. The team are currently 17th in the EPL standings, hovering above the relegation zone.
9. Venky’s – Blackburn Rovers
Venky’s, a subsidiary of India’s VH group, has owned Blackburn Rovers for nearly 15 years. They acquired the club after paying £54 million to a trust set up by the club’s late owner Jack Walker.
As at 2025, the poultry company has a market capitalisation of about 23 billion rupees (S$384.2 million).
But Venky’s leadership has not been smooth sailing, with Blackburn dropping out of the EPL two years after the takeover. They were relegated again at the end of the 2016-17 season, dropping into the third tier of English football.
Earlier this month, it was reported that Venky’s has no intention to sell the club and has not received any concrete offers.
