Ligue 2: Bahrain enters the capital of Paris FC

Nine years after the arrival of Qatar at PSG, another country from the Middle East enters the capital of a Parisian club. According to the Team and confirmed by Paris FC via a press release, the Ligue 2 club announced on Monday evening the arrival of the Kingdom of Bahrain as a new shareholder with 20%. The amount of the transaction would amount to 5 million euros. Pierre Ferracci, the chairman, retains 77% of the capital, the remaining 3% being held by small shareholders.

Bahrain also becomes main sponsor of the Ligue 2 team. Announced several months ago, the arrival of a new minority shareholder is now finalized. This is a first step in the process of opening up capital where, whatever happens, Pierre Ferracci should remain in the majority.

For several months, the head of the PFC has met many investors, including foreigners. At the beginning of March, he had met Nasser ben Hamed Al Khalifa, one of the sons of the King of Bahrain. The small Gulf monarchy, already owner of a World Tour (1st Division) Bahrain-McLaren cycling team, bought in December the Spanish football club Cordoba (3rd division) for 3 million euros. And recently, Bahrain signed an agreement with France for the development of sport, especially football. But this kingdom does not have the financial power of Qatar or Saudi Arabia.

Ligue 1 objective within the next three years

To acquire 20% of the capital of the PFC, the small emirate would have spent 5 million euros. Which values ​​the club at 25 million euros, a fairly high amount for a resident of L2. Thanks to these new resources, the budget (14.5 million euros this season) will therefore be revised upwards with an increase of 30% (or nearly 19 million euros). The club also announced the arrival of Jean-Marc Nobilo as director of the training center.

“The sporting ambition of the men’s first team is to reach Ligue 1 in the next three years, and to hoist its women’s team as high as possible in the Women’s D1 championship,” announced the PFC in its press release. The training center, with its approval obtained in 2018, will expand its resources and promote its development. The Paris FC round of table will be extended in the coming months to a new foreign investor and to managers of Ile-de-France companies wishing to support the project of the 2nd Parisian club. Control of the club will continue to be based on a regional and national majority base. “Paris FC can thus, like its Parisian neighbor, now dream bigger.