Friedkin Group Weighs Selling Controlling Stake In Everton

The Friedkin Group (TFG) says it is exploring the sale of a controlling interest in Everton Football Club, a mechanism distinct from a full club sale that would let the Houston-based owner retain a minority stake while bringing in new investment, according to a statement reported by BBC Sport.

What is TFG actually proposing?

TFG's statement frames the move as exploring "new investment options for Everton Football Club, including the potential sale of a controlling interest," according to BBC Sport. A controlling-interest sale typically means a buyer would acquire enough shares to direct club operations, but existing owners can keep a residual stake rather than exiting entirely — a narrower transaction than an outright sale of 100% of the club.

When did TFG take control, and what did that deal include?

TFG completed its takeover of Everton in 2024 in a deal BBC Sport describes as worth in excess of £400m. The agreement came with an implicit mandate to finish the club's long-delayed stadium project and stabilize finances that TFG's statement called a period of "significant financial uncertainty and challenges both on and off the pitch."

What changed TFG's calculus by 2026?

"With that foundation now safely in place, the time is right to consider the next chapter for Everton," TFG said, per BBC Sport.

The stated trigger is the completion of Everton's new stadium last year, which TFG frames as the end of its "stability, investment and support" phase. But the announcement follows friction documented by BBC Sport: manager David Moyes said in September he had never met or spoken with chairman Dan Friedkin since returning in January 2025, and fans objected when Everton accepted a £40m bid from Nottingham Forest for 19-year-old midfielder Harrison Armstrong. Everton withdrew from that deal, BBC Sport reports, but the sale of striker Beto to Fiorentina shortly after left the club with Thierno Barry as its only established forward — a roster gap supporters cited as evidence of strategic drift rather than stability.

Who runs Everton day to day, and does that change now?

Under the current structure, Friedkin delegates daily operations to his son-in-law, Rishi Majithia, working alongside chief executive Angus Kinnear, according to BBC Sport. Neither the statement nor the reporting indicates whether a controlling-interest sale would replace that management layer; TFG's language addresses ownership percentage, not operational control, which a buyer would likely negotiate separately.

What comes next in a sale process?

TFG said it will "only entertain interest from parties who we strongly believe will be the right stewards to take the club forward," per BBC Sport, suggesting a vetted process rather than an open auction. The group added its "focus will remain unchanged" on competing on the pitch and community programs while any transaction is pursued. BBC Sport's companion analysis notes no timeline has been set, and no bidders have been publicly identified.

Artiglio is A coming-soon iPhone chief of staff for briefings and drafts. Not on the App Store yet.