So fan owned football clubs are now all the rage after the wretched European Super League idea brought football fans to protest against the League, know the biggest clubs
Fan-owned clubs have given the opportunity for fans to take an active part in their favorite clubs’ day to day activities and management. It is high time they got a say in the running of the associations because after all, football is nothing without the fans.
So let’s take a look at the 10 biggest fan-owned football clubs in the world:
List of the 10 biggest and richest fan owned football clubs, ownership and net worth
- FC United of Manchester
Started by a group of frustrated Manchester United fans after their club was taken over by the Glazer family in 2005, FC United of Manchester are now a famous bunch with a genuine team. They were inserted into the 10th tier of English football and even went on to reach the sixth tier in 2015.
The club is owned by 5,000 of their members and are the largest supporter-owned football club in the United Kingdom by number of members.
- AFC Wimbledon
Local fans of Wimbledon FC were not happy with the club’s move to Milton Keynes to become MK Dons in 2003 which is why they created their own club AFC Wimbledon. The club is owned by The Dons Trust which owns 74.1% of the total shares in AFCW PLC and 83.6% of the votes in AFCW PLC.
- Athletic Club
Abiding by no such stringent rules and doing their own thing, Athletic Club is one fan-owned club that has been in Spain’s top tier for quite some time and are kicking it well.
President: Aitor Elizegi ($1-$5 million)
- FC Barcelona
Barcelona fans technically have got the wheel when it comes to running the club but the problem is that a Presidential candidate requires to find 10% of the club’s net worth as a form of a deposit. So that means only a few of the elite or rich candidates can take the President’s position
President: Joan Laporta ($1- $5 million)
- Bayern Munich
The Bundesliga’s popular 50+1 rule makes it necessary for clubs to be owned by fans by 51%. But Bayern Munich has settled for a 75% fan ownership instead.
President: Herbert Hainer ($1-$5 million)
- Exeter City
Exeter’s relegation to the Conference in 2003 was not something the fans could handle so they went on to create their own club Exeter City.
Owner: Exeter City Supporter’s Trust, Chairman- Julian Tagg
- Sao Paulo Fc
Brazil’s most successful club of all-time, Sao Paulo FC has won 6 league titles and three Copa Libertadores trophies.
President: Julio Casares
- Rangers
Supporters group Club 1872 are the second-largest body in the room of board members and although the club is not entirely fan-owned, the fans have a total of 11% of shares in the club.
Chairman: Douglas Park ($7.29 million)
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