Liverpool Sells 30% Stake to 1892 Holdings Led by Amit Bhatia

Liverpool have sold a significant minority stake to some of the most powerful names in global business – but insist control is not up for grabs.

Fenway Sports Group has agreed to sell 30% of the club to a new consortium, 1892 Holdings, in a deal worth £1.65bn that values Liverpool at £5.5bn. The group is fronted by British-Indian businessman Amit Bhatia and backed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin.

Bhatia will become Liverpool’s new vice-chair as part of an expanded board, stepping into a prominent role at Anfield just weeks after ending a near two-decade association with Queens Park Rangers.

A heavyweight cast, a familiar power structure

The numbers involved are eye-catching. Bezos, the world’s third-richest man with an estimated fortune of $272bn (£201bn). Saverin, worth around $33bn. The Mittal family, at roughly $17bn, backing Bhatia through the Mittal Family Trust.

Yet FSG insist the fundamentals at Liverpool are unchanged.

They remain majority owners. They remain in operational control. There is no obligation to sell further shares to 1892 Holdings, and no requirement for the consortium to increase its stake down the line. The agreement does, however, give Bhatia’s group options to buy more of the club if FSG ever decide to cash out.

Bezos will be a passive investor with no seat on the board. Bhatia will not be alone in the directors’ box: Elaine Saverin, wife of Eduardo, and Bryan Baum, co-founder and managing partner of K5 Global, will also join the Liverpool board.

The deal still needs regulatory approval, a process that could take up to 90 days.

Why FSG said yes

FSG’s hierarchy – principal owner John W Henry, chair Tom Werner and president Mike Gordon – have spent almost a year getting to know Bhatia and his partners. They say it was the make-up of the consortium, not a need for cash, that convinced them.

For FSG, this is about reach.

Bhatia’s 1892 Holdings – named after Liverpool’s founding year – brings together the Mittal Family Trust, the K5 Sports fund (with Bezos as lead investor) and EE Capital, the family office of Elaine and Eduardo Saverin. It is a blend of steel, tech and venture capital, with obvious routes into India and wider Asia, markets Liverpool are desperate to deepen.

Gordon, now back in a more hands-on role at Liverpool after Michael Edwards’ departure as FSG’s chief executive of football, framed the move as a continuation of the club’s long-term planning.

“Liverpool has always been built by thinking beyond one season and making decisions with the club’s long-term interests in mind,” he said. “That approach continues to attract interest from respected investors and business leaders around the world.

“As we considered this opportunity, it became clear that Amit and the consortium shared our long-term philosophy and appreciation for what makes Liverpool special. Their experience and perspective will complement the strong foundation already in place, and we look forward to working together.”

No transfer war chest – yet

For supporters, the instinctive question is simple: what does this mean for Andoni Iraola and his squad?

In the short term, not much.

Premier League and Uefa financial regulations tie spending to club revenues. That means a £1.65bn investment cannot simply be dropped into a transfer fund. FSG have been clear: this deal will not change Liverpool’s transfer budget or strategy for this summer, and there is no alteration to the club’s leadership or day-to-day running.

The impact is expected to be commercial, not immediate football fireworks.

Liverpool posted record annual revenue of £703m in the year ending May 2025. With the doors now open to the networks of Bezos, Bhatia and Saverin, the club believes that figure can grow substantially through new business, technology and investment opportunities.

Bhatia steps into the spotlight

For Bhatia, this is a return to the front line of English football at a very different scale.

The son-in-law of steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal, he spent almost 19 years at QPR, taking on roles from club chair to chair of the community trust before transferring his shareholding in July. At Liverpool, he is expected to be a more visible presence than his fellow investors – and, at times, perhaps more so than the FSG leadership.

Speaking on behalf of 1892 Holdings, Bhatia was careful to emphasise partnership rather than disruption.

“We are incredibly proud to be investing in Liverpool Football Club and to be doing so alongside FSG,” he said. “We have the utmost respect and admiration for FSG as owners and for everything they have achieved at Anfield.

“To be welcomed as a partner in a club of this stature is a huge privilege. We are making this investment because we believe deeply in Liverpool and its leadership, and we look forward to supporting the club’s continued success for years to come.”

The message from both sides is consistent: evolution, not revolution. The money, the names and the global clout are new. The power, for now, stays where it has been since 2010.

The real test will come not in boardrooms, but in how Liverpool turn this financial muscle into long-term competitive edge in a league where standing still is the quickest way to fall behind.