Italy’s Serie A football league is seeking investment opportunities from the Middle East, aiming to attract global lenders and private equity firms. While the Gulf region has significant interests in English football, including Saudi-backed Newcastle United and Abu Dhabi-owned Manchester City FC, there is currently no Middle East ownership in Serie A, which is predominantly financed by the US.
Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund Mubadala was previously linked to a potential acquisition of Inter Milan, and a $1 billion deal from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund to purchase Inter Milan also did not materialize. Bahraini investment fund Investcorp has been reported to be part of a consortium exploring the purchase of the club. Alfonso De Stefano, Serie A’s Mena (Middle East and North Africa) Managing Director, acknowledged the possibility of Middle East ownership in the future and highlighted the region’s interest in Italian football clubs.
To expand its fanbase and raise the profile of leading clubs, Serie A has opened its Middle East office in Abu Dhabi, following the establishment of its New York office for the North American market. The league aims to collaborate with sports authorities, businesses, and partners in the Middle East region.
Italian Serie A clubs have experienced a significant increase in foreign ownership, with half of the league’s 20 clubs now majority-owned by foreign investors. The league’s rich football history and culture, successful clubs, and famous players are seen as attractive assets in potential investment deals. While Italian clubs did not feature in the top ten of the Deloitte Football Money League, Italian football is considered a potentially lucrative opportunity and a low-cost alternative to the English Premier League.
According to Simon Chadwick, a professor of sport and geopolitical economy, Italian football has the potential to become a commercial giant due to recent strategic and commercial transformations in the sector.
