[REVISION HISTORY]

West Ham ownership: Kretinsky becomes largest shareholder

Updated 7 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-04 21:27 UTC → 2026-09-13 11:23 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The ownership battle for West Ham United has shifted from a contest between Amanda Staveley and Daniel Křetínský to a decisive exercise of shareholder pre-emption rights. Although Vanessa Gold had previously announced a provisional agreement to sell her 25.1% stake to a consortium led by Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi, existing shareholders ~~have~~ successfully blocked Staveley’s bid. Under the club’s shareholder agreement, the Gold family stake was distributed among existing owners through a two-round bidding process. David Sullivan purchased approximately 13% of the club for £77.7 million, while Daniel Křetínský acquired just over 9% for roughly £54 million. Other acquisitions included 2.68% by Tripp Smith for £16 million, and a combined 0.37% by Terry Brown and Daniel Harris for £2.3 million. Following this distribution, Křetínský consolidated his position by purchasing additional shares from Sullivan and other ~~shareholders. This has allowed Křetínský to reach~~ shareholders, reaching an estimated 46% ~~stake, making him~~ stake and becoming the club’s largest shareholder. David Sullivan increased his own shareholding from 38.1% to 40%. Despite previous allegations and safeguarding concerns that led to his resignation from the board, Sullivan appears to be planning a long-term succession strategy. Reports suggest he intends to eventually hand his stake to his sons, Jack and David Junior. While Sullivan previously indicated he might sell his stake upon the club’s return to the Premier League, his recent increase in shares suggests a different trajectory. The resulting ownership structure is expected to be approximately 46% for Křetínský, 40% for Sullivan, and 11% for Smith. David Sullivan will not hold an operational role or return to the board, with new board positions to be confirmed once the transactions are finalized. The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of September and is anticipated to lead to changes in the club's management.

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