Czech Billionaire Daniel Kretinsky Buys 27% West Ham Stake: London 2026

Key Points

• Czech billionaire Daniel Křetínský, through his investment vehicle 1890s Holdings a.s., has completed the acquisition of a 27% stake in the Premier League football club West Ham United.
• The transaction is estimated to value the East London football club at approximately £600 million ($804 million) to £700 million ($938 million) including debt, with Křetínský paying between £160 million and £200 million ($201 million) for his minority shareholding.
• Following the transaction, Daniel Křetínský and his close business associate Pavel Horský will officially join the board of WH Holding Ltd alongside current club executives.
• The investment reduces the personal shareholdings of existing owners: David Sullivan’s stake drops from 51.5% to 38.8%, David Gold’s stake is reduced by 10% to 25.1%, and Tripp Smith’s share capital decreases by 2% to 8%.
• West Ham United executives have confirmed that the immediate financial injection will be deployed to reduce the club’s long-term debts, which were exacerbated by an £86.8 million loss during the pandemic-enforced stadium closures.
• Media disclosures from subsequent regulatory filings reveal that a “put and call” option agreement has been formalised, allowing Křetínský the framework to potentially execute a full takeover of the club from Sullivan and Gold in the future.

West Ham (East London Times) June 23, 2026 – Czech billionaire businessman Daniel Křetínský has finalized an agreement to purchase a 27% stake in the English Premier League club West Ham United, escalating the presence of international billionaires within the top tier of British football.

Why has Daniel Křetínský invested in West Ham United?

The strategic transaction establishes Daniel Křetínský’s investment vehicle, 1890s Holdings a.s., as the second-largest shareholder at the London Stadium. As reported by the Press Association (PA) via SportsPro, the transaction values the top-flight football club at around £600 million ($804 million), representing a significant cash injection into the sporting entity.

Simultaneously, a report published by Bloomberg, citing two sources with knowledge of the matter, stated that Křetínský paid $201 million (£160 million) for the minority stake, valuing the club closer to $744 million overall. Furthermore, journalists at the Financial Times noted that according to two individuals familiar with the transaction details, the enterprise value of the club could sit closer to £700 million ($938.4 million) when accounting for existing long-term debts. Both West Ham United and Křetínský’s corporate representatives initially declined to comment publicly on the exact finalized financial figures.

As detailed by Jacob Steinberg of The Guardian, the precise redistribution of ownership equity indicates that David Sullivan’s majority holding has fallen from 51.5% to 38.8%.

The late co-chairman David Gold saw his portion reduced by 10% to 25.1%, while American investor Tripp Smith experienced a minor reduction from 10% to 8%. The remaining small-scale minority shares held by independent investors dropped proportionally from 3.4% to 1.1%.

Who will join the West Ham United board of directors?

According to the official corporate statement issued by West Ham United, Daniel Křetínský and his colleague Pavel Horský will immediately take up seats on the board of WH Holding Ltd.

This appointment integrates the Czech executive team alongside existing joint-chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold, as well as the club’s long-standing Vice-Chairman Karren Brady.

Welcoming the newcomers to the executive committee, Karren Brady stated in an official press release:

“On behalf of the board I am very pleased to welcome Daniel Křetínský, Pavel Horský and 1890s holdings a.s. to West Ham United. We are always looking to continue to progress and Daniel’s involvement brings investment which strengthens the club’s position, and in turn will assist in the development of the club’s key areas of focus. David Sullivan and David Gold have always been very open about finding the right investors to join them on the journey as custodians of West Ham United, and Daniel’s strong business acumen and football experience will be of huge benefit to the Club.”

Expressing his enthusiasm for the newly finalized deal, Daniel Křetínský stated via the club’s official media portal:

“I am delighted this detailed process has now been successfully concluded. I am passionate about football. I greatly appreciate and respect the exceptional history and tradition of West Ham United as well as its loyal and passionate supporter base. The development and growth of the club in recent years has been clear for everyone to see and I am delighted to be part of what I believe is a very exciting future ahead. Having been to the London Stadium recently to watch David Moyes’ team, I know it is an incredible time to become part of the West Ham United family.”

How will the fresh capital affect West Ham’s financial debt?

The board of directors confirmed that the capital windfall would initially be designated to clear the long-term debts accumulated by the East London outfit. According to the club’s official financial accounts filed at Companies House and highlighted in reports by Bloomberg, West Ham United incurred a substantial net loss of $86.8 million (£65 million) during the prior financial year.

This deficit was heavily driven by the complete ban on stadium matchday crowds dictated by the UK Government’s COVID-19 emergency health protocols.

Journalists at the London Independent reported that the elimination of these balance-sheet pressures could hand first-team manager David Moyes a substantial financial boost for his transfer budget ahead of the upcoming January transfer window.

At the time of the announcement, the Hammers sat third in the Premier League standings after a notable victory over Liverpool, alongside progressing directly into the knockout rounds of the UEFA Europa League and reaching the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.

Who is the Czech billionaire Daniel Křetínský?

Daniel Křetínský, frequently nicknamed the “Czech Sphinx” across European financial media due to his highly analytical and guarded negotiation style, possesses a real-time net worth valued at $4 billion (£3 billion) as of November 11, 2021, according to data compiled by Forbes.

The 46-year-old billionaire is a qualified lawyer who serves as the chief executive officer and 94% owner of Energetický a průmyslový holding (EPH), the largest consolidated energy utility group operating throughout Central Europe.

Beyond his heavy investments in traditional and infrastructure energy grids, Křetínský has steadily assembled an extensive portfolio of blue-chip corporate assets across Western Europe and the United States:

• Sports Ownership: He serves as the long-term co-owner and executive president of the prominent Czech football club Sparta Prague.
• Media & Broadcasting: As reported by Reuters, regulatory filings in September confirmed Křetínský acquired a 5.1% stake in French television broadcaster TF1, which is progressing a merger with M6. He additionally retains a 49% stake in the controlling shares of France’s daily newspaper Le Monde.
• Retail & Logistics: Through his investment vehicle Vesa Equity Investment Sarl, Křetínský is the principal shareholder in the UK postal service firm Royal Mail, and holds significant equity positions in British supermarket chain J Sainsbury plc, French supermarket chain Groupe Casino, German retail giant Metro AG, US sportswear retailer Foot Locker, and American retail firm Macy’s.

Background of the West Ham United Ownership Structure

The entry of Daniel Křetínský into the Premier League landscape comes on the heels of several major foreign buyouts within British football, most notably the high-profile acquisition of Newcastle United by the Saudi Arabian-led Public Investment Fund (PIF) and the historic, decade-long ownership of reigning champions Manchester City by the Abu Dhabi royal family.

Prior to Křetínský’s approach, West Ham United’s executive board had actively resisted multiple outside acquisition attempts.

As reported by The Guardian, the club formally rejected two independent buyout bids within the previous twelve-month period from PAI Capital, an international private equity firm led by financier Nasib Piriyev. David Sullivan and David Gold had retained firm executive control of the Hammers since January 2010 when they bought a controlling 50.7% stake in a deal that valued the club at approximately £105 million.

Though their early tenure was marked by friction with the supporter base—particularly regarding the controversial relocation from Upton Park to the taxpayer-funded London Stadium in 2016—the club stabilized significantly following the reappointment of manager David Moyes in December 2019.

Prediction: How will this investment affect West Ham United supporters and the club’s long-term trajectory?

This development is highly likely to accelerate West Ham United’s transformation from a traditional mid-table Premier League side into a sustainable contender for European football, directly impacting the club’s fanbase and commercial partners.

The immediate deployment of capital to reduce the pandemic-related debt structure insulates the club from stringent Financial Fair Play (FFP) penalties. This financial relief gives supporters a realistic expectation of sustained investment in high-calibre player transfers rather than forced player sales.

Furthermore, corporate documents later submitted to Companies House reveal the presence of a legally binding “put and call” option agreement between Sullivan, 1890s Holdings, and EP Investment Sarl. This structural addition grants Křetínský a pre-negotiated pathway to execute a full takeover of the club after March 2023, avoiding the financial penalty clauses owed to the UK taxpayer under the original 2016 London Stadium lease agreement.

For the fans, this structured transition predicts a modernized, data-driven corporate governance model, moving away from the highly centralized management style of the Sullivan and Gold era and aligning West Ham with the globalized corporate network of multi-club ownership groups.

For a visual breakdown of the acquisition details and an analysis of what this means for the club’s future transfer windows, you can view this Sky Sports News report on Daniel Kretinsky’s West Ham stake, which features the initial broadcast announcements and live reactions.