John Textor: Net Worth, Clubs, and Controversies (2026)

There’s a certain mystique around a billionaire who prefers to stay out of the spotlight, especially one who runs two top-division football clubs on different continents. John Textor fits that profile, but recent events—including a boardroom removal at one of his own clubs—have pulled the curtain back. This piece digs into how he built his multi-club empire, where his money actually comes from, and how he stacks up against soccer’s richest owners.

Net worth: Estimated billionaire (publicly unverified) · Clubs owned: 2 (Olympique Lyonnais, Botafogo) · Age: 60 · Nationality: American · Known for: Multi-club ownership model via Eagle Football Holdings · Controversy: Removed as director at Botafogo in January 2026

At a glance, John Textor’s football portfolio is more defined than his balance sheet.

Does John Textor still own Lyon?

Yes, John Textor remains the majority owner of Olympique Lyonnais as of early 2026, even after being removed as a director at Botafogo in January 2026. His ownership is held through Eagle Football Holdings, which he controls as chairman and CEO (JohnTextor.org (official biography)).

The SEC filing from June 2022 shows Textor acquired 40% of OL Group shares on that date (U.S. SEC (regulatory filing)).

By August 2024, Sky News reported Eagle Football held controlling stakes in Olympique Lyonnais (Sky News (major UK news)).

The BBC confirmed in January 2025 that the multi-club entity included Lyon (BBC Sport (public broadcaster)).

Bottom line: John Textor’s control of Lyon is intact. For Lyon fans, ownership stability is a fact; for Botafogo supporters, the question is whether he still runs the Brazilian side from a distance. The trade-off: owning multiple clubs means one boardroom ejection doesn’t topple the whole empire.

Is John Textor a billionaire?

Multiple sources describe John Textor as a billionaire, but his exact net worth is not publicly documented. A Substack analysis from More Than A Game noted: “Textor is cited as a billionaire, but public information on his source of wealth is sketchy at best” (More Than A Game (sports business commentary)). The Athletic similarly called him a billionaire without citing a verified figure (The Athletic (sports analysis)).

Textor’s wealth is reported to come from technology and media investments, though details are limited (Financial Times (business newspaper)). The SEC filing lists Eagle Football’s pro forma holdings but does not disclose Textor’s personal balance sheet (U.S. SEC (regulatory filing)).

Bottom line: John Textor is widely called a billionaire, but no independent verification exists. For investors eyeing Eagle Football’s IPO, the lack of disclosure is a red flag. For fans, it means the man behind their club remains financially opaque.

What clubs does Textor own?

Who is the owner of Botafogo FC?

John Textor is the majority owner of Botafogo FC in Brazil and Olympique Lyonnais in France. He previously held a minority stake in Crystal Palace but reportedly sold it in 2025; his current portfolio includes only Lyon and Botafogo as primary holdings (Wikipedia (community-sourced)).

Eagle Football Holdings also controlled RWDM Brussels (acquired 80% in January 2022) and had a minority stake in Crystal Palace (U.S. SEC (regulatory filing)). The Athletic reported in July 2023 that Eagle Football owned majority stakes in Botafogo, Olympique Lyonnais, and RWD Molenbeek (The Athletic (sports analysis)).

Four clubs, one pattern: the multi-club ownership model is designed for efficiency—shared scouting, unified commercial deals, and player movement between clubs.

What this means: Textor’s current club count is two top-division clubs (Lyon, Botafogo) plus the smaller RWDM. The sale of Crystal Palace reduced his reach, but he still holds a rare transatlantic portfolio.

How did John Textor make his money?

Textor’s wealth originates from technology ventures, including a digital media company and visual effects firm. Public records on his exact business history are sparse; most reporting relies on self-reported statements (The Athletic (sports interview)). The Financial Times noted his background in media and technology but added no specific figures (Financial Times (business newspaper)).

According to his official biography, he founded Eagle Football Holdings after careers in visual effects and digital media (JohnTextor.org (official biography)). The SEC filing does not detail his personal career path—it only describes Eagle Football’s corporate structure (U.S. SEC (regulatory filing)).

The pattern: Textor’s fortune remains opaque precisely when he is asking investors to value his holding company—and his ownership stake in two top-division clubs rests on that valuation.

Who are the richest owners of soccer clubs?

Who is the richest person to own a football club?

Who is the wealthiest football owner?

Who is the richest guy in soccer?

The wealthiest club owners include Sheikh Mansour (Manchester City, net worth ~$30bn), Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (Newcastle United, ~$700bn total AUM), and the Glazer family (Manchester United, ~$5bn). John Textor’s estimated net worth places him in the lower tier among billionaire owners, with a widely cited range of $1-2 billion (BBC Sport (public broadcaster)).

Textor’s wealth is dwarfed by state-backed owners: PIF’s sovereign wealth fund alone makes Newcastle’s ownership the richest in world football. Even among private billionaires, Textor’s reported net worth is significantly below the top echelon like Sheikh Mansour (Financial Times (business newspaper)).

Five owners, one big gap: the divide between state-funded clubs and private-equity-backed multi-club groups like Textor’s Eagle Football is massive—roughly 300x in resources available for transfers, wages, and infrastructure.

Why this matters: Textor’s relatively small fortune compared to state-backed owners puts his clubs at a structural disadvantage in the transfer market. For Lyon and Botafogo fans, the upside is that he’s more hands-on; the downside is they can’t outspend City or Newcastle.

Timeline of John Textor’s football ownership

• August 2021: Textor invests £86m for a 40% stake in Crystal Palace (Wikipedia (community-sourced))
• January 2022: Signs binding offer to purchase 90% of Botafogo (U.S. SEC (regulatory filing))
• January 2022: Acquires 80% of RWDM Brussels (Wikipedia (community-sourced))
• June 20, 2022: Acquires 40% of OL Group shares, becoming owner of Lyon (Wikipedia (community-sourced))
• August 2024: Sky News reports Eagle Football plans $2.3bn IPO (Sky News (major UK news))
• December 2025: Textor clarifies remarks about transfer fee adjustments with Evangelos Marinakis (Inside World Football (industry news))
• January 2026: Removed as director at Botafogo after failed coup attempt (Onefootball (football media))

The implication: his boardroom removal did not unwind his ownership—it exposed the gap between control and governance in multi-club empires.

Clarity section

Confirmed facts

• John Textor was born on September 30, 1965 (Wikipedia (public record))
• He is the majority owner of Olympique Lyonnais and Botafogo FC through Eagle Football Holdings (JohnTextor.org (official biography))
• He was removed as a director of Botafogo in January 2026 (Onefootball (football media))
• Eagle Football Holdings acquired a 40% stake in Crystal Palace for £87.5 million in 2021 (The Athletic (sports interview))
• The SEC filing from 2022 confirms Eagle Football’s pro forma holdings (U.S. SEC (regulatory filing))

What’s unclear

• Exact net worth and verified source of wealth (More Than A Game (sports business commentary))
• Full ownership structure of Eagle Football Holdings and Textor’s personal stake
• Whether Textor still holds any interest in Crystal Palace after the reported 2025 sale to Woody Johnson (Wikipedia (community-sourced))
• The exact nature of the “failed coup attempt” that led to his director removal (Onefootball (football media))
• Whether the $2.3bn IPO plan is still active after the Botafogo controversy (Sky News (major UK news))

The balance of confirmed and unconfirmed details is the real story: Textor’s influence is measurable, his wealth is not.

Key quotes from sources

“Textor is cited as a billionaire, but public information on his source of wealth is sketchy at best.”

— More Than A Game (Substack sports business analysis)

“John Textor is no longer a director after last month’s failed coup attempt. Textor was removed on 27 January.”

— Onefootball (football media outlet)

“John Textor has attempted to clarify remarks suggesting he and Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis were able to ‘adjust’ transfer fees.”

— Inside World Football (industry watchdog)

Summary

John Textor sits at the center of a multi-club experiment that’s part ambition, part opacity. His ownership of Lyon and Botafogo is the most concrete part of his profile; everything else—his net worth, his wealth origin, his boardroom intentions—remains frustratingly vague. For fans of his clubs, the consequence is clear: trust the man who controls your team’s finances, or demand to see the books.

Frequently asked questions