Bernhard Alpstaeg Wins Court Battle for FC Luzern Majority Stake as Legal Dispute Deepens

District Court Ruling Restores Majority Stake

The 54-page written judgment centers on the disputed “Stierli-Aktien,” a 25 percent block of shares that FCL Holding AG struck from the club’s share register during a general meeting in December 2022. At the time, the club argued that Alpstaeg had acquired the shares improperly. Alpstaeg filed a civil lawsuit against the decision in 2023, leading to court hearings in February 2026. The district court has now ruled entirely in favor of the Swisspor patron, ordering FCL Holding AG to reinstate him as the official owner of the 25 percent stake and retroactively invalidating all decisions made at the December 2022 general meeting.

Rejection of Counterclaims and Financial Penalties

In addition to ordering the share reinstatement, the court dismissed a counter-request filed by FCL Holding AG. The club had demanded that if Alpstaeg were recognized as the owner, he must transfer the shares back for a specified amount or surrender them without compensation. The court rejected this demand entirely, noting that the club’s asserted purchase right did not exist and that no legitimate statutory reason justified denying Alpstaeg his entry in the share register. Furthermore, the court ordered FCL Holding AG to pay a specified sum in advanced court costs and legal fees, while also assuming additional procedural expenses. The judgment is not yet legally binding.

Previous Legal Proceedings and Criminal Court Acquittals

This civil ruling follows other courtroom developments in the multi-year dispute. In June 2025, Alpstaeg was acquitted by the Lucerne Criminal Court on charges of criminal mismanagement connected to his acquisition of a majority stake in Stadion Luzern AG. He was also cleared of coercion charges related to emails he allegedly sent to fellow shareholders concerning the Stierli shares. That first-instance verdict has since faced appeals from the prosecutor’s office, the club, and several private plaintiffs.

Alpstaeg Maintains Open Door for Negotiations

Despite securing favorable outcomes across multiple legal fronts, representatives for Alpstaeg indicate that a willingness to negotiate remains on the table. Speaking to regional media, spokesperson Sacha Wigdorovits confirmed that an offer presented in December 2022 remains active. Under that proposal, Alpstaeg seeks unconditional recognition of his 25 percent share packet alongside an independent audit firm to draft a restructuring plan for losses accumulated since the fall of 2022. In exchange, he has offered a new shareholders’ agreement granting minority stakeholders veto rights and co-determination powers on key club decisions.

Neither FC Luzern officials nor representatives for supervisory board member Josef Bieri have announced an immediate appeal timeline regarding the non-binding district court decision, leaving the next steps up to the club’s legal team as the fallout from the ruling continues to unfold across Swiss football.