The sporting world is in mourning this week following the tragic death of young British cyclist Finlay Tarling. Football legend Andres Iniesta has been among those to pay tribute to the 19-year-old.

The Welsh cyclist was killed after an accident during the eighth stage of the Volta a Portugal. He was competing for the NSN Development Team when the incident occurred on the 166.8km route from Melgaco to Fafe.

In a statement provided to local media, via BBC Sport, Major Tiago Machado of the National Republican Guard explained that there had been “a collision between the cyclist and a light goods vehicle.” He added that an investigation was under way.

Finlay Tarling Tragically Killed While Racing in Portugal

Confirming the awful news, NSN said: “We are heartbroken to announce the passing of Finlay Tarling at the Volta a Portugal today. “Fin was a much loved member of our team but most importantly, he was a son, a brother, and a friend to so many. He will be deeply missed.

“Our deepest condolences go out to Fin’s parents Michael and Dawn, his brother Josh, and everyone who was lucky enough to call Fin a friend.”

Tarling was the younger brother of Netcompany-Ineos rider Josh, and had raced for Great Britain on the road and track. He looked set to follow in the footsteps of his older sibling, as a time trial specialist.

Having finished third in the under-23 men’s individual time trial at the British Championships in June, he’d also competed in the Tour of Britain just under 12 months ago. When the fatal accident occurred, Tarling was taking part in Volta a Portugal, which is raced over 10 stages and finishes on 16 August.

The race organisers and the Portuguese Cycling Federation have since expressed their “most heartfelt condolences to the family of Finlay Tarling, to his team-mates, to the NSN Development Team, and to all his friends and loved ones”. They also confirmed that the racing was stopped and the scheduled podium ceremony would not take place as a sign of “respect and mourning”.

Portuguese president Antonio Jose Seguro added that Tarling’s death had “plunged the peloton, the tournament and the host nation into mourning.”

Andres Iniesta’s Connection to Tarling

Adding to the tributes, Iniesta took to social media to share an emotional response. The World Cup-winning Spanish footballer has a direct link to Tarling as he co-owns the new NSN Cycling team, with the 19-year-old a part of their development squad.

Speaking in December 2025 after taking over, Iniesta had explained his excitement for the NSN project. He said, “This new step is meaningful on many levels. It’s not only about sport – it’s about everything that surrounds sport: the values, the excitement, the community. I’m very motivated, very excited, and eager to share this new chapter.”

Sadly, Iniesta has now had to react to the tragic passing of one of the cycling team’s talented youth development squad members. Iniesta wrote:

British Cycling’s performance director Stephen Park also paid tribute: “All of us at British Cycling are heartbroken to learn of the tragic passing of Finlay Tarling at the Volta a Portugal.

“Fin was a talented rider with a fantastic future ahead of him, a loyal teammate and an all-round brilliant young man. Our deepest sympathies are with his parents and brother, Josh at this tragic time.”

Football has become a lucrative business in the modern era and the beautiful game has become flush with flash cash from some of the richest business persons and states in the world.

If you’re filthy rich, it seems the sport has become an attractive package for billionaires to flex their wealth and financial muscles in exchange for honour and prestige. They appear to be no longer content with just owning mega-yachts, private jets, or even whole islands for themselves.

The new status symbol for the super-wealthy? Owning a football club. It’s a world where the thrill of victory on the pitch is matched only by the glitz and glamour it brings to the boardroom. Every goal, every trophy, and even the odd humbling defeat is not just about points on the leaderboard but a reflection of the might and influence of its owners.

The likes of Newcastle United, Manchester City, and Liverpool are flying the flag for the Premier League in this one. However, it’s not just the English top flight that is rolling deep in it. Using data courtesy of a report from Statista, along with other sources, these are the 14 wealthiest football owners in 2026.

14

Nassef Sawiris

Aston Villa (£4.9bn)

Nassef Sawiris is an Egyptian billionaire businessman and a prominent figure in global industries such as construction, telecommunications, and real estate. In 2018, Sawiris, alongside American investor Wes Edens, purchased a controlling stake in Aston Villa through their investment firm, NSWE (Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens). Sawiris officially replaced Tony Xia as chairman following the acquisition.

The deal, valued at approximately £30 million, was a key moment in Villa’s financial recovery after a period of instability. Sawiris and Edens have since overseen significant investment in the club, with the former using his £4.9bn valuation to help guide the Villains to an incredible return to European football, before they won the Europa League just a few months ago.

13

Francois-Henri Pinault

Stade de Reims (£5.7bn)

The owner of Stade Rennais in Ligue 1 isn’t short of cash to splash and is the honorary chairman of the luxury group Kering, which owns brands like Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen, and Gucci.

Pinault is worth a staggering £5.7 billion according to the data, but other reports have been quoted as claiming his net worth reaches as high as £31.6 billion. His money and investment has done little to bring success to Stade Rennais since taking ownership from his father in 2017, despite investing a lot of money into the club in an attempt to turn their fortunes around.

Kering, the company Pinault’s father founded in 1963, was originally a wood and building materials company. However, in 1999 the Frenchman decided to change the direction of the business towards luxury goods.

12

Dietmar Hopp

TSG Hoffenheim (£5.8bn)

Dietmar Hopp is the owner of Bundesliga outfit Hoffenheim and has a pocket flush with cash. The German billionaire founded SAP SE and has reportedly invested in excess of £350m in Hoffenheim during his reign of ownership.

In March 2023, Hopp decided to give back the majority voting rights of Hoffenheim while retaining his position as the club’s majority shareholder. This came after years of protests that the club were not adhering to 50+1 ownership rules in German football. Since then, Hoffenheim have faced relegation battles and are constantly at risk of being demoted to the second tier of Germany.

11

Joe Lewis

Tottenham Hotspur – (£6.20bn)

While Daniel Levy was the one calling the shots at a technical level until his exit last summer, he has not been the man with the financial power. That responsibility has always belonged to Joe Lewis, the British billionaire whose family trust controls the club. Lewis made his fortune through currency speculation, most notably profiting from the UK’s withdrawal from the European Exchange Rate Mechanism in 1992.

He later founded Tavistock Group, a diverse investment firm. In 2001, Lewis acquired a controlling stake in Tottenham for £22m, a sum worth around $32m at the time. Since then, he has played a significant role in the club’s financial strategies and global expansion, though he almost faced jail time in 2024 after pleading guilty to insider trading. He was instead fined £4 million.

10

Nasser Al-Khelafi

Paris Saint-Germain (£6.20bn)

According to a 2024 report from The Metro, Nasser Al-Khelafi, owner of Paris Saint-Germain, is worth a mouth-watering £6.2 billion, which sees him climb up the rankings. The Qatari had gran plans for the French giants, to turn them into a European megapower, but has so far fallen short of his goal of winning the Champions League.

Under his watchful eye, Les Parisiens have seen the blockbuster signings of Neymar and Lionel Messi and big-money brand partnerships with Nike and Jordan. But it wasn’t until appointing Luis Enrqiue that they finally saw their riches translate into tangible success, having now won back-to-back Champions League mantles.

But it isn’t just football that Al-Khelafi is interested in, the PSG owner also has a massive passion for the game of tennis, so much so that he is the second most successful member of the Qatari Davis Cup team.

9

Stan Kroenke

Arsenal (£6.29bn)

American billionaire Stan Kroenke is the owner of Arsenal and MLS club Colorado Rapids and has a net worth of £6.29 billion based on the report. Kroenke isn’t just involved in the world of football however, and his company also owns the NFL side Los Angeles Rams, the NBA’s Denver Nuggets, and the Colorado Avalanche in the NHL.

The American tycoon owns a vast amount of land in the US and Canada, an amount that stretches over 1.5 million acres, Forbes revealed. The Arsenal owner is also married to another billionaire, Walmart heiress Ann Walton Kroenke, just in case he ever lost a few of his own quid. Despite his financial successes, it’s no secret that Kroenke has not been the most popular character in North London over the years. But now that they have finally won the Premier League again, it’s been said that the good performances on the pitch should ‘diminish the fans’ hatred’ for Kroneke.

8

Shahid Khan

Fulham (£9.7bn)

Fulham owner Shahid Khan trumps his London rival, according to the report. This puts the Pakistani-American billionaire businessman in the number seven position on our rich list.

Known for his eccentric looks and marvellous moustache, the Fulham owner also owns the NFL franchise the Jacksonville Jaguars and the All Elite Wrestling organisation. Despite this, the world of sports is not where Khan made his worth. Flex-N-Gate Corporation, the automotive manufacturing company, is where it all started for him while he was studying at the University of Illinois, but opted to take the plunge into the magical and mysterious world of Fulham in 2013 – finalising a deal of around £150 – £200 million reported at the time, although it was never actually revealed to the extent of the funds used to the buy the West London club.

That being said, his investment in the club has helped the Cottagers climb back into the Premier League and retain a relatively healthy position in the standings.

7

Philip Anschutz

LA Galaxy (£10.5bn)

Anschutz owns a stake in MLS side LA Galaxy alongside a majority ownership in the NHL team the Los Angeles Kings. He has a net worth of around £10.5 billion making him one of the richest owners in world football.

The Billionaire Galaxy owner built his fortunes in oil, railroads, telecom, real estate, and entertainment and his Anschutz Entertain Group operates more than 350 owned or affiliated arenas and concert venues worldwide. A six-year-old Anschutz sold Kool-Aid on a nearby college campus using a wheel stand he built, proving he was always cut out for the business way of life.

6

David Tepper

Charlotte FC (£14.6bn)

David Tepper only recently dipped his toes into the world of football through his MLS expansion side Charlotte FC, who made their debut in the competition in 2022. He’s the owner of NFL side Carolina Panthers and will be relatively unknown to fans of the beautiful game around the world, nevertheless, the big Tepper made his way onto our list.

The American billionaire hedge fund manager is the founder and president of Appaloosa Management, a global hedge fund based in Miami Beach, Florida, and opted to get involved in football ownership in 2019, when he was awarded Charlotte FC just weeks before the turn of the decade and began playing in 2022 at Bank of America Stadium. Tepper reportedly paid $325 million in expansion fees for the franchise, setting an MLS record, per ESPN. This record still stands at the time of writing.

5

Sir Jim Ratcliffe

Manchester United (£21.6bn)

INEOS chief and Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is a name a majority of Premier League fans will have heard about in recent months. A self-professed Red Devil as a child, United fans hoped that Ratcliffe’s arrival as a minority shareholder in 2024 would spark a dramatic shift in fortunes at Old Trafford.

However, that has not materialised. Instead, his cost-cutting measures have alienated him from the fanbase and caused frustration within the club, particularly after staff were told their jobs were at risk due to widespread redundancies. There is still a long road ahead, both for United to return to the top and for Ratcliffe to rebuild the trust he has lost among supporters and employees, but the Michael Carrick era has got off to a great start.

It’s been a tempestuous summer for FIFA president Gianni Infantino as he now looks at risk of losing his job. However, with most of UEFA against him, one major European nation could break ranks to stand by his side.

Infantino caused outrage in July when it was revealed that he had planned to privatise the World Cup by selling off shares to investors. He was soon forced to abandon the scheme when the footballing world came together to speak out against the notion.

Among his biggest critics were UEFA. The European football body had already slammed FIFA after Folarin Balogun’s red card was suspended, allowing him to play in the USA’s Round of 16 World Cup clash with Belgium. Adding to that anger, they then declared a loss of confidence in Infantino following his plot to sell the World Cup.

Despite the FIFA boss scrapping his plans, UEFA still intend to boycott the World Cup. Many nations have come out to retract any past support for Infantino, but it’s now been claimed that one major country plans on betraying UEFA.

Two-Time World Cup Winners Set to ‘Betray’ UEFA

REUTERS/Dylan Martinez/File Photo

In early August, Wales became the first nation to officially withdraw support for Infantino, and since then many others have followed suit. The likes of England, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Serbia, Greece, Albania, the Netherlands and Croatia all want a new person running FIFA when the elections are held in March 2027.

However, according to trusted journalist Romain Molina, two-time World Cup winners France are set to betray UEFA. In a YouTube video entitled ‘French Betrayal’, he explained how Philippe Diallo, president of the French Football Federation (FFF), has remained publicly silent on the matter so far and is yet to officially withdraw support for Infantino.

UEFA will need 106 votes against Infantino from FIFA’s 211 members to force out the current president in the March vote. There are 55 members from Europe, and it was hoped internally that all should vote in line with UEFA, but that may not be the case.

Molina points out that French territory New Caledonia, who would be expected to vote in line with France, have recently released a statement showing support for Infantino. He then claimed that ‘this was the final nail in the coffin’ for UEFA’s doubts, as they now fear France will betray their planned boycott.

He explained that Diallo ‘doesn’t want to boycott,’ and has made that understood. Amid all this, the French Football Federation boss is said to have become Infantino’s ‘new best friend.’ However, Molina also notes that the rest of the FFF executive committee are not being informed, which suggests Diallo is acting alone in making these decisions on behalf of the federation.

Adding to the controversy, Molina adds that French president Emmanuel Macron is calling for unity, which appears to mean offering support for Infantino. Summing it up, he claims that, behind the scenes, France are standing behind the current FIFA boss.

France Have No Intention of Following UEFA’s Position on FIFA Boycott

Taking to social media, Molina added more context as he explained:

He also added: “Isn’t Philippe Diallo playing a double game? Since the start of the Infantino affair, the president of the FFF has refrained from any unpleasant comments. It’s increasingly whispered that his position (and his interests in advancing within international bodies) differs from that of Ceferin and the majority of UEFA members.

“Within the European body, doubts already existed and will be reinforced, since New Caledonia, an associate member of the FFF, has just published a letter of absolute support for Infantino. By engaging so much in politics, the president of the FFF might end up burning himself…”

It will be very interesting to see if we get any official statements on the matter from France, UEFA, or FIFA in the coming weeks.