Why American investors are flocking to English football – the key reasons behind the takeover trend

The World Cup is taking over the United States this summer. But the not-so-secret American takeover of football has been building its foundations for some time now.

Some may have turned their noses up at the Hollywood-style theatrics displayed at the Club World Cup, the precursor to what is to come in the next few weeks. But while it may seem like a sudden shift, the fingerprints of American influence on the sport can be traced back decades.

As we head into the World Cup, American investment in football on a global scale has never been greater. Thirteen of the 20 Premier League clubs that competed in the 2025/26 season had at least minority American shareholders.

That is also the same for 32 per cent of clubs in Europe’s top five leagues, not to mention the growing numbers further down the football pyramid - with Wrexham and Birmingham being prime examples.

This is not a coincidence. It is a pattern. But why are Americans so willing to part with their money to invest in a sport that, for years, struggled to break into the mainstream in their country? And are they here to stay?

The sport's popularity in the US is growing at an exponential rate. A study from Nielsen has shown that close to 80 billion minutes of football were watched in the USA during 2025 and that 33 per cent of the American population expects their interest in football to grow over the next 18 months.

Naturally, when something becomes popular, it causes eyebrows to be raised and opportunities to become apparent. However, to assume this is not a phenomenon that is nearly two decades in the making would be a mistake.

When you think of Americans getting involved in English football, the Glazer family or Stan Kroenke may come to mind. Although they may have paved the way, the real opening of the door for the influx of investment from the US can be dated back to 2008.

The global financial crisis that year rocked the worldwide economy - the worst since the Great Depression in the 1930s - but in the years since, the American economy recovered at a far quicker rate than those across Europe.

As a result, there are more millionaires and billionaires than ever before in the United States. What do you do with that much resource? Invest in a sports team, of course. And the best opportunities for that lie further afield.