The Championship’s 24 clubs have a diverse assortment of owners.
American ownership has grown over the last decade, but there are still a few local business owners in charge, such as Steve Gibson at Middlesbrough.
English football has become so lucrative that people go from all over the world to seek a piece of the pie.
A frequent option has been to purchase an EFL club and attempt to construct a team capable of earning their way into the Premier League.
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney put two well-known faces to this idea when they purchased Wrexham five years ago, and their swift rise has garnered a lot of interest from beyond the football world, particularly with the popularity of Welcome to Wrexham, the Disney+ series.
However, there are numerous examples of this type of ownership throughout the Championship, which has resulted in a large number of affluent corporate people joining the league.
This article examines the division’s top eight wealthiest owners based on their net worth.
8 Tom Wagner – Birmingham City
Tom Wagner is Birmingham City’s chairman, and his company, Knighthead Capital, will purchase a 45.98 percent share in the club in 2023.
The company officially purchased the remaining 51.1% in 2025, giving him nearly entire control of the Midlands enterprise.
While Tom Brady is also an owner at St. Andrew’s, his stake is only 3.3 percent of the Championship side.
Wagner’s total net worth is estimated to be £1.34 billion, making him the eighth-richest owner of a second-tier team.
However, if the American has his way, he will soon be removed off this list because he is determined to return Birmingham to the Premier League for the first time since 2011.
7 Mark Attanasio – Norwich City
For more than 20 years, local celebrity Delia Smith and her husband Michael Wynn-Jones owned Norwich City.
The former TV chef was a vital part of the day-to-day operations at Carrow Road, having joined as a shareholder in 1996.
The couple still owns 10% of Norfolk, while Mark Attanasio owns the bulk, 85%.
The American completed the transaction in 2025, and Smith and Wynn-Jones stepped down from the board as a result.
Attanasio’s reported net worth is $1.9 billion (£1.39), giving him the division’s seventh-richest owner.
However, the prospect of relegation to League One this season puts his position on this list in jeopardy.
6 The Venky’s – Blackburn Rovers
The Venky’s, run by the Rao family, have owned Blackburn Rovers since November 2010.
They purchased the Lancashire club when it was created in the Premier League, but it only took a few years under Indian ownership before they were relegated to the EFL.
The Rao family is allegedly valued £1.66 billion, yet despite their fortune, Rovers has struggled financially in recent years.
This season, the squad has struggled to produce consistent success, and as a result, they are in risk of relegation to League One.
Blackburn won the Premier League in 1995, but if results do not improve quickly, the club might be relegated to the third division for the second time in a decade.
5 John Coates – Stoke City
John Coates has owned Stoke City since August 2020, when he became the club’s full owner.
A restructure separated the Potters from the Coates family firm, Bet365, giving the 56-year-old authority.
Coates is estimated to be worth $2.6 billion (£1.9 billion), yet it was claimed in 2025 that the family is considering selling their betting business, which is valued around £9 billion.
If that sale goes through, the Stoke owner will undoubtedly rise to the top of our list because he is entitled to a portion of the sale proceeds.
For the time being, his primary focus will be on assisting Mark Robins’ side in their bid for promotion back to the Premier League.
4 Stephen Lansdown – Bristol City
Stephen Lansdown’s association with Bristol City extends back to 1996, when he originally joined the board.
The millionaire has been heavily associated with the Robins over the last three decades, though there have been allegations that his ownership in the club is up for sale in recent years.
Lansdown’s reported net worth is $3.1 billion (£2.3 billion), giving him the Championship’s fourth-wealthiest club owner.
Bristol City barely lost out on promotion to the Premier League in 2025 after losing in the play-offs to Sheffield United.
It remains to be known how long he will be a majority shareholder at Ashton Gate, but he will undoubtedly pursue top-flight football while in control.
3 Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha – Leicester City
Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha has led Leicester City since the death of his father, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, in 2018.
The Thai businessman’s net worth is $3.5 billion (£2.56), giving him the Championship’s third-wealthiest owner.
However, the Foxes have faced financial difficulties in recent years, with the pandemic having a negative influence on the Srivaddhanaprabha family’s company, King Power.
The Foxes have also failed to comply with the Premier League and EFL’s financial guidelines, resulting in a six-point deduction penalty in 2025/26, placing them at risk of relegation to League One a decade after their incredible Premier League success under Claudio Ranieri.
2Joshua Friedman – Charlton Athletic
Joshua Friedman formed a syndicate that purchased Charlton Athletic in April 2023, and he has since helped the Addicks regain Championship status.
It was stated that the buyout cost £10.5 million, with the American taking over the London club following a rough period under Charlie Methven.
Friedman is thought to have a net worth of £3.68 billion, and fans will be hoping that this cash would assist the Addicks rise in the game.
Charlton has been out of the Premier League since 2007, but perhaps new ownership can help the club return to the top division in the long run.
1 Gamechanger 20 Ltd – Ipswich Town
Gamechanger 20 Ltd has owned a majority position in Ipswich Town since April 2021, albeit the ownership was reformed in 2025.
The corporation is still identified as the Suffolk outfit’s owner, but it has obtained new funding from the Three Lions Fund and Clara Vista Partners as part of Portman Holdings.
Ed Sheeran also owns a tiny stake in the club, owning approximately 1.4% of Ipswich.
Their tenure at the club has been a huge success, with Kieran McKenna’s side advancing from League One to the Premier League via back-to-back promotions.
However, relegation in 2025 forced the squad back to the Championship, with their sights set on returning to the top division.
According to reports, Gamechanger 20 Ltd is the division’s wealthiest owner, with a net worth of $13 (£9.5) billion.
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