Who Owns Nottingham Forest FC: Ownership Explained

Who Owns Nottingham Forest FC is no longer just a trivia question. It goes to the heart of how one of England’s most historic clubs operates today. From European triumphs in the past to Premier League survival and growth now, Nottingham Forest has evolved into a modern football business backed by billionaire ownership and professional management.

Key Takeaways

• Nottingham Forest FC is 100% owned by Greek billionaire Evangelos Marinakis, who acquired the club in 2017 and remains the sole shareholder as of 2025.
• The club is held through NF Football Investments Ltd, the parent company fully controlled by Marinakis, with no minority investors or public shareholders involved.
• In 2025, governance control was temporarily placed under a trust structure for regulatory compliance, but ownership did not change and no shares were sold.
• Funding is owner-backed, with loans converted into equity, leaving Nottingham Forest controlled by one billionaire owner without outside investor pressure.

Nottingham Forest FC Profile

Nottingham Forest FC is one of the oldest and most historically significant football clubs in the world. Founded in 1865, the club has played a major role in shaping English football and remains one of the most respected names in the sport. From domestic dominance in England to European glory, Forest has achieved feats few clubs in the world can match.

Nottingham Forest FC is based in Nottingham, England, and competes in the English Premier League.

The club plays its home matches at the City Ground, which has been its stadium since 1898. Located along the River Trent, the stadium is known for its traditional English football atmosphere and loyal supporters. The City Ground holds over 30,000 spectators and remains one of the most recognizable stadiums in English football.

Forest is widely known by its nickname, “The Reds,” based on its famous red home kit. The club’s logo features the famous “Tricky Tree,” a symbol that represents Nottingham’s historical ties with lace-making and industry.

Founders and Origins

Nottingham Forest FC was founded in 1865 by a group of 15 local players who originally played the sport of shinty, a game similar to hockey.

A meeting was held at the Clinton Arms public house in Nottingham, during which the group decided to form a football club instead. This decision created what would eventually become one of the world’s oldest professional football organizations.

One of the most influential early figures linked to the club’s identity was J. S. Scrimshaw, who played a key role in the formation and direction of the club.

At the founding meeting, the club chose “Garibaldi Red” as its official color in honor of Italian leader Giuseppe Garibaldi. This bold choice gave Forest its iconic red kit, which remains unchanged more than a century later.

The choice of color, name, and structure gave Nottingham Forest a strong and recognizable identity from its earliest days.

Major Milestones

• 1865 – Club founded: Nottingham Forest FC is officially formed by a group of local sportsmen in Nottingham who decide to switch from playing shinty to association football.
• 1878 – Competitive football begins: The club enters its first recognized competitive matches and becomes a regular participant in organized English football.
• 1889 – Professional status adopted: Nottingham Forest becomes a fully professional club, helping accelerate its development at a national level.
• 1892 – League football entry: Forest becomes a founding member of the Football Alliance, which later merges into the Football League.
• 1898 – Permanent home secured: The City Ground becomes Forest’s permanent stadium, a home that continues to define the club’s identity.
• 1898 – First FA Cup victory: Nottingham Forest wins its first major trophy by defeating Derby County to lift the FA Cup.
• 1905 – Top-tier breakthrough: Forest establishes itself as a First Division club for the first time.
• 1914 – Pre-war prominence: The club finishes as league runner-up before football is halted due to the First World War.
• 1950 – League revival: Forest gains promotion back to England’s top tier following years of lower-division football.
• 1959 – Second FA Cup triumph: Forest wins its second FA Cup, reinforcing its reputation as a leading English side.
• 1967 – Top-flight return: The club earns promotion to the First Division after years outside the elite level.
• 1975 – Brian Clough appointed: Brian Clough becomes manager, marking the beginning of the most legendary era in club history.
• 1977 – Division One promotion: Forest returns to the top tier and begins a remarkable rise under Clough.
• 1978 – English league champions: Nottingham Forest wins the First Division title in one of English football’s greatest surprise triumphs.
• 1979 – European champions: The club defeats Malmö to win its first European Cup.
• 1980 – Back-to-back European Cups: Forest defeats Hamburg to secure the European Cup for a second consecutive year.
• 1981 – European Super Cup victory: Forest adds another international trophy to its cabinet.
• 1988 – League Cup winners: Forest wins domestic silverware to maintain elite-level status.
• 1989 – League Cup retained: The club successfully defends the League Cup title and reaches the FA Cup final.
• 1991 – FA Cup runners-up: Forest appear in another major final but narrowly miss out on the trophy.
• 1992 – Premier League founder: Forest becomes one of the original clubs in the newly created Premier League.
• 1995 – League Cup victory: Another domestic trophy adds to the club’s extensive honors list.
• 1999 – Premier League departure: Forest suffers relegation and enters a long struggle outside top-flight football.
• 2005 – Lowest league tier reached: Nottingham Forest is relegated to League One, becoming the only European Cup winner to reach England’s third division.
• 2008 – Championship return: The club wins promotion from League One and begins recovery.
• 2012 – Ownership change: A new ownership structure takes over during a financially unstable period.
• 2015 – Management instability: Multiple managerial changes reflect struggles both on and off the pitch.
• 2017 – New era begins: Evangelos Marinakis completes takeover and begins restructuring the club.
• 2019 – Playoff push returns: Forest finishes strongly and re-enters promotion contention.
• 2021 – Structural rebuild: Transfer policy and football departments undergo overhaul.
• 2022 – Premier League promotion: Forest wins the Championship play-offs and returns to the top flight after 23 years.
• 2023 – Survival secured: Forest avoids relegation and begins Premier League stabilization.
• 2024 – Squad consolidation: Recruitment shifts from volume to quality signings.
• 2025 – Stabilization strategy: The club focuses on sustainability, youth development, and infrastructure upgrades while remaining a Premier League competitor.

Who Owns Nottingham Forest FC?

Nottingham Forest FC is privately owned and controlled by Greek billionaire Evangelos Marinakis. He acquired the club in 2017 and has remained the ultimate owner since then. The ownership is structured through a private holding company that gives Marinakis full financial and strategic authority over the club.

As of 2025, Nottingham Forest is not a fan-owned club, publicly traded business, or investor-led consortium. It operates under single-owner control, which means one individual determines club strategy, long-term investment policy, and top-level football leadership.

The club is part of a broader multi-club ownership structure that also includes teams in Greece and Portugal. This model has allowed Nottingham Forest to benefit from international scouting, player development partnerships, and shared football infrastructure.

While Marinakis remains the legal and financial owner, his day-to-day decision-making role was formally altered in 2025 due to multi-club ownership rules connected to European competitions.

However, this change affected control structure, not ownership. He continues to own the club outright, but operational authority is now exercised through delegated leadership under regulatory compliance.

Evangelos Marinakis – Sole Owner and Controlling Shareholder

Evangelos Marinakis acquired Nottingham Forest in 2017 and holds full ownership through a private corporate structure. He is not a minority investor, nor is he part of a group. He is the only beneficial owner of the club.

As the sole shareholder, Marinakis controls:

• Club budgets
• Executive hiring
• Transfer strategy
• Capital injection
• Long-term business direction.

He is known for running the club as a performance-driven organization. Spending decisions are aggressive when necessary and conservative when stabilizing finances.

Marinakis regularly injects funds into Forest through direct shareholder loans and capital conversions. In 2025, a major portion of loans was converted into equity, strengthening the club’s balance sheet and reducing debt exposure.

This action confirms two things. First, he is not extracting money from the club. Second, he views Forest as a long-term asset rather than a short-term project.

In 2025, however, the way control is exercised changed.

Due to multi-club ownership rules in European football, Marinakis placed the club into a compliance structure that limits his governance role. This change does not affect ownership. It only affects decision-making authority.

As a result:

• He still owns the club
• He still funds the club
• He no longer runs daily operations
• Directors now manage the club independently.

This is a regulatory arrangement, not a sale or partial exit.

When regulatory conflict ends, his full control can legally return.

NF Football Investments Ltd – Parent Company and Legal Owner

Nottingham Forest FC is owned through NF Football Investments Ltd, a private company entirely controlled by Evangelos Marinakis. This company acts as the legal and financial owner of the club.

NF Football Investments Ltd performs several key functions:

• It holds club shares
• It manages owner funding
• It oversees governance
• It ensures regulatory compliance
• It isolates financial risk.

All financial flows between Marinakis and Nottingham Forest move through this corporate entity. That includes loans, equity injections, and operational funding.

This design allows:

• Better tax structure
• Financial transparency
• Asset protection
• Legal separation from personal holdings.

NF Football Investments Ltd also connects Nottingham Forest to a larger football ownership network that includes Olympiacos (Greece) and Rio Ave (Portugal). This multi-club model creates player pathways and shared recruitment intelligence.

Nottingham Forest FC Ownership History

Nottingham Forest FC’s ownership history reflects the transformation of English football from a community game into a global business. The club has transitioned from informal local control to structured board leadership, and eventually into single-owner international ownership. Each ownership phase triggered changes in how the club was managed, financed, and positioned competitively.

During its early years, Forest relied on volunteers and community leadership. In later decades, businessmen and professional directors shaped the club. In modern times, billionaire capital, international scouting networks, and multi-club structures now define Forest’s operations.

Ownership is no longer about simple patronage. It is now about long-term investment, regulation compliance, infrastructure financing, and brand growth.

Early Years – Community and Committee Control (1865–1900s)

At its founding, Nottingham Forest did not have a formal owner. The club was governed by committee members who were typically players, administrators, or respected local figures. Decision-making was collective.

There was no equity.
There were no shareholders.
There was no private control.

Funding came through:

• Membership fees
• Ticket sales
• Small local sponsorships

Budgets were tightly controlled, largely because money was scarce.

The club existed for the love of sport rather than financial return. As professionalism spread, this model struggled to survive. Larger clubs began attracting better players through wages Forest could not always afford.

Still, this era embedded Forest in its community.
Local loyalty became part of the club’s DNA.

Directors and Local Business Ownership (1900s–1990s)

As football grew commercially, Nottingham Forest adopted a board-controlled model. Wealthy local businessmen replaced community handlers.

Rather than one owner, the club operated with multiple directors who shared:

• Investment responsibility
• Voting authority
• Strategic decisions.

This structure worked well for decades.

It funded stadium improvements.
It financed squads.
It introduced formal management roles.

Forest’s greatest successes occurred during this era, particularly in the late 1970s under Brian Clough. The board entrusted technical football leadership to management and focused on financing and oversight.

However, as football entered the television age, transfer fees and wages ballooned.

Profit margins shrank.
Failure became expensive.
Relegation became devastating.

By the 1990s, shared ownership became inefficient. Clubs required faster decisions and deeper capital pools.

Nigel Doughty – First True Owner Model (1999–2012)

In 1999, Nottingham Forest entered an entirely new phase when businessman Nigel Doughty became the sole owner.

This was the club’s first experience of single-person ownership.

Doughty brought order.
He financed operations.
He ensured stability.

His investment focused on:

• Clearing debt
• Maintaining wage payments
• Upgrading facilities
• Long-term survival.

Promotion was the goal but never achieved.

Despite his patience and funding, recruitment missteps and managerial changes stalled progress.

After his death in 2012:

• Ownership passed into trust control.
• Decision-making slowed.
• Supporter confidence dropped.

The club existed, but lacked direction.

Fawaz Al-Hasawi – Heavy Spending and Decline (2012–2017)

Forest changed ownership again in 2012 when Fawaz Al-Hasawi took control.

His strategy emphasized spending.
It did not emphasize structure.

Massive sums were spent on players and wages.

What Forest lacked:

• Football strategy
• Leadership stability
• Financial discipline.

Managers changed rapidly.
Squads became bloated.
Debt increased.

Rather than planning long-term, Forest attempted to buy promotion.

It failed.

Performance declined.
Finances weakened.
Supporter trust collapsed.

By 2017, Forest needed not just a new owner, but a new philosophy.

Evangelos Marinakis – Corporate Ownership and Rebuild (2017–Present)

Evangelos Marinakis purchased Forest in 2017 and introduced modern football governance.

This era brought professionalism.

He implemented:

• Corporate financial controls
• Aggressive player recruitment
• International scouting systems
• Long-term infrastructure planning

Forest became part of a multi-club network, benefitting from player development channels and shared intelligence.

Investment funded promotion in 2022.

That success was not luck.
It was structure.

Since then:

• Forest invested into survival.
• It expanded commercial reach.
• It upgraded football operations.

Under Marinakis, Forest is no longer reactive.

It is strategic.

2025 Adjustment – Ownership Without Direct Control

In 2025, regulatory restrictions connected to UEFA rules required Marinakis to alter governance control.

He did not sell.
He did not exit.

Instead:

• Share control shifted into a trust-based structure
• Football governance transferred to appointed directors
• The owner stepped away from daily influence.

This preserved legal ownership but satisfied regulatory demands.

Money still flows.
Support remains.
Strategy continues.

Only control mechanics changed.

Nottingham Forest FC Owner’s Net Worth

The owner of Nottingham Forest FC is Evangelos Marinakis, a Greek billionaire industrialist and shipping tycoon. As of November 2025, his estimated net worth is $5 billion. His wealth comes from a vast portfolio spanning commercial shipping, energy transport, oil trading logistics, and media ownership.

Nottingham Forest is a high-profile asset in his portfolio, but it is not the foundation of his fortune. Football accounts for only a small portion of his overall wealth. The real power behind his net worth lies in businesses that operate at global industrial scale.

Capital Maritime Group – Core Business Empire

The backbone of Marinakis’s fortune is Capital Maritime Group, his private shipping conglomerate.

Capital Maritime owns and operates one of the largest privately held shipping fleets in Europe. The company manages hundreds of vessels across international trade routes and specializes in:

• Oil tankers
• LNG and gas carriers
• Container ships
• Bulk cargo vessels.

The group serves energy companies, commodity traders, and manufacturing exporters across Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

Shipping under Capital Maritime is not speculative.

It is contract-based.
It is asset-driven.
It is long-term.

Each vessel represents a high-value asset, typically costing tens of millions of dollars, generating revenue through charter agreements and transport contracts. This gives his empire stable income regardless of football performance or media cycles.

Capital Oil & Energy Logistics – Fuel and Trading Network

Beyond shipping, Marinakis controls fuel trading and logistics operations through companies connected to Capital Oil, his energy and petroleum distribution business.

Capital Oil operates in:

• Fuel supply chains
• Storage and distribution
• Oil transport contracts
• Industrial fuel logistics.

These operations connect refineries with national economies and energy markets.

The company supplies fuel to:

• Shipping companies
• Power generators
• Industrial networks.

Energy transport is one of the world’s highest-value industries. Control over logistics produces predictable cash flow at national scale.

Alter Ego Media Group – Media Ownership and Broadcasting Power

Marinakis also owns Alter Ego Media, one of the largest media groups in Greece.

Alter Ego controls:

• Television networks
• National newspapers
• Publishing companies
• Digital news platforms.

Media ownership provides three forms of power:

• Revenue
• Political influence
• Market positioning.

Television advertising, digital distribution, and national publications generate high-volume daily income and shape public dialogue.

Media is both a business asset and a strategic platform.

Football Clubs as Strategic Investments

Marinakis also controls major football institutions including:

• Olympiacos FC (Greece)
• Rio Ave FC (Portugal)
• Nottingham Forest FC (England).

Football is not his primary income source.

Football is his public brand.

Clubs elevate reputation.
They expand international influence.
They create commercial access.

Forest does not fund his empire.
His empire funds Forest.

Capital Strategy and Financial Behavior

Marinakis does not extract money from clubs.

He injects capital.

He operates Nottingham Forest using:

• Owner loan structures
• Equity funding
• Debt absorption
• Capital restructuring.

In 2025, he converted large portions of internal loans into equity, which strengthened Forest’s finances and reduced liability exposure.

That move signals long-term ownership rather than temporary speculation.

Personal Assets and Scale of Wealth

Marinakis owns:

• Maritime fleets worth billions
• Commercial property across Europe
• Private marine assets
• Corporate infrastructures across shipping hubs.

His lifestyle reflects industrial wealth, not celebrity wealth. His public identity centers around business dominance, not luxury marketing.

Nottingham Forest FC Net Worth

Nottingham Forest FC is valued at approximately $500 million as of November 2025. This valuation reflects the club’s position as an established Premier League side, its financial performance since promotion, and the long-term commercial strength of its brand.

Before returning to the Premier League, Forest operated as a mid-sized Championship club with limited commercial power. Promotion transformed the financial structure of the club. Broadcasting revenue alone elevated Forest into a new business category within English football. Media rights, sponsorship deals, and global visibility rapidly increased valuation in just a few seasons.

The modern Nottingham Forest is not just a football team. It is a half-billion-dollar sporting enterprise.

Annual Revenue and Financial Scale

Nottingham Forest’s annual revenue in 2025 is estimated to fall between $160 million and $190 million. The majority of this income comes from Premier League media rights, which are among the most lucrative in world sport.

A single season in the league now brings more income than Forest generated across several seasons in the Championship. Broadcasting distributions, merit payments based on league performance, and international television rights combine to produce a level of income that did not exist for the club before 2022.

Additional revenue is created through ticket sales, hospitality at the City Ground, and commercial partnerships. While broadcasting remains dominant, the club’s matchday and commercial earnings have also risen each season as Premier League exposure continues.

Playing Squad and Asset Value

The current Nottingham Forest squad is valued at over $220 million. Player contracts form the club’s most dynamic financial assets. Unlike stadiums or branding, players can be traded, developed, and sold.

Forest has invested heavily in building a squad balanced between experience and long-term value. Many players are under multi-year contracts, which protects the club from forced sales and allows flexibility in the transfer market.

One key sale can generate tens of millions. That income can be reinvested to improve the squad or strengthen the balance sheet.

The squad is not just a team.
It is a portfolio of assets.

City Ground Stadium and Property Assets

The City Ground has an estimated value exceeding $100 million. This includes the physical stadium, land value, hospitality facilities, and sponsorship potential.

Though smaller than some Premier League grounds, its location, heritage, and loyal support give it long-term worth far beyond ticket sales alone. Matchday income, catering operations, and commercial events all contribute to regular revenue streams.

Planned improvements and expansion would significantly increase the stadium’s commercial value by improving hospitality capacity and long-term licensing potential.

Commercial and Sponsorship Income

Nottingham Forest now generates approximately $25–$30 million per year from sponsorship and commercial agreements.

Returning to the Premier League reintroduced Forest to international audiences. That global exposure has led to stronger partnership deals, higher shirt sponsorship value, and expanding digital advertising opportunities.

Commercial income grows annually as long as the club remains in the league. Stability increases trust. Trust increases contract value.

Sponsorship revenue has more than doubled since Championship days.

Brand Value and Market Recognition

Forest owns one of the strongest historical brands in English football. Two European Cups give Nottingham Forest a legacy few clubs can match.

Brand reputation adds value that financial statements do not show directly. It protects commercial revenue during poor seasons and attracts sponsors who value tradition and credibility.

Merchandising, international engagement, and digital presence continue to grow as younger fans discover the club’s history and current resurgence.

Brand power strengthens valuation even when performance fluctuates.

Ownership Support and Financial Security

Nottingham Forest’s valuation is also protected by billionaire backing. Owner funding strengthens stability and reduces financial risk.

Losses do not threaten survival.
Expenses are absorbed.
Debt is managed actively.

In 2025, the owner converted large internal loans into equity. That move reduced liabilities and strengthened the club’s balance sheet. This approach lowers financial stress and increases investment credibility.

Forest does not operate on emergency borrowing.
It operates with shareholder backing.

Financial Risk and Stability

Like all clubs, Forest faces risk tied to league position. Relegation would reduce income sharply. However, the club is less vulnerable than most because it does not depend on external lenders or debt finance.

The owner provides downside protection.

Even in the Championship, Forest would remain financially secure. In the Premier League, the club now operates from a position of strength.

Growth Outlook

The club’s valuation will grow if it remains in the Premier League and continues commercial expansion.

Every additional season at this level increases broadcasting income, sponsorship value, and brand strength.

Participation in European competition would dramatically increase revenue and could add tens of millions to valuation.

Stadium investment would also push net worth higher.

Scale creates scale.

Nottingham Forest FC CEO

The Chief Executive Officer of Nottingham Forest FC is Lina Souloukou. She was officially appointed as CEO with effect from 5 January 2025, following an announcement made by the club in late December 2024.

Her mandate is to oversee the strategic development of Nottingham Forest, including its long-term plans in the Premier League and potential European competitions.

As CEO, she is the most senior executive at the club on the business and governance side. The owner, Evangelos Marinakis, remains the ultimate shareholder, but day-to-day corporate decision-making and strategic execution now run through her office.

Professional Background

Lina Souloukou is a Greek sports lawyer and senior football executive with more than 15 years of experience in the game. She studied law with a specialization in sports law and began her career providing legal services to football organizations, before moving into full-time club management roles.

Her first major executive breakthrough came at Olympiacos FC, the Greek club also owned by Evangelos Marinakis.

She joined Olympiacos in a legal capacity and was promoted through the hierarchy, becoming General Manager and effectively CEO in 2018. In that role she oversaw club operations during a period in which Olympiacos won multiple league titles, returned to the UEFA Champions League and implemented significant structural changes off the pitch.

In April 2023, she was appointed CEO and General Manager of AS Roma, one of Italy’s biggest clubs. Roma’s ownership highlighted her as an “experienced, respected and trusted” leader and gave her responsibility for running the club’s executive structure.

She also serves on the Executive Board of the European Club Association (ECA), having first joined the board in 2019, which places her among the relatively small group of executives involved in high-level European club governance.

She resigned from her CEO role at Roma in September 2024, after a turbulent period around coaching changes at the club, and shortly afterwards was recruited by Nottingham Forest.

Appointment at Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest announced in December 2024 that Lina Souloukou had been appointed as the club’s new Chief Executive Officer, with her role officially starting on 5 January 2025.

The club stated that she would be responsible for overseeing the strategic development of Nottingham Forest and for driving a long-term vision that includes domestic consolidation in the Premier League and ambitions in European competition.

Her appointment also ended a long period in which Forest had operated without a permanent CEO. The club had been without a chief executive since Dane Murphy’s departure in early 2023, so her arrival marked a formal restoration of the top executive role.

At Forest, Souloukou’s remit covers the overall executive management of the club. That includes responsibility for corporate governance, financial planning at board level, oversight of commercial strategy, and ensuring that the club’s operations align with league and international regulations.

Official statements describe her role as leading the “strategic development” of the club, which means she is expected to work on long-term positioning rather than just short-term administrative tasks.

Key Responsibilities and Areas of Control

As CEO, Lina Souloukou acts as the main link between ownership and the club’s internal departments. On the one hand, she works closely with Evangelos Marinakis and his wider football group to implement their strategy for Nottingham Forest.

On the other, she is responsible for coordinating the work of the club’s executives in finance, legal, commercial, operations and football administration.

Her responsibilities include leading strategic projects, supervising the implementation of the club’s long-term business plan and ensuring that Nottingham Forest operates within Premier League and UEFA regulatory frameworks.

Given her legal and governance background, a significant part of her role involves compliance with financial regulations, licensing rules and multi-club ownership requirements.

She also plays a central role in high-value negotiations, such as major sponsorship agreements, long-term commercial partnerships and key structural contracts. Drawing on her experience at Olympiacos and Roma, she brings familiarity with stadium operations, broadcasting relationships and the regulatory environment around European competitions.

Experience in Multi-Club and European Governance

One concrete reason Nottingham Forest turned to Lina Souloukou is her experience in multi-club structures and European football politics. At Olympiacos, she worked directly within the same ownership group that now includes Nottingham Forest and Rio Ave, dealing with cross-club coordination and strategic decisions at an international level.

At Roma, she managed a major Serie A club project and engaged with UEFA competition frameworks, adding top-five league experience to her profile.

Her long-standing role on the ECA Executive Board also means she is directly involved in discussions and decisions affecting clubs across Europe, from competition formats to governance and regulatory reform.

All of this is directly relevant to Nottingham Forest, especially at a time when the club is aiming to stabilize in the Premier League and position itself for European qualification while also fitting into a wider multi-club ownership network.

Strategic Significance for Nottingham Forest

Lina Souloukou’s appointment on 5 January 2025 gives Nottingham Forest a CEO with concrete experience in running major European clubs, managing multi-club structures and navigating complex football governance.

For Forest, that means the person in charge of the club’s executive structure has already:

• Run Olympiacos as General Manager and de facto CEO during title-winning seasons.
• Served as CEO and General Manager at AS Roma in Serie A.
• Sat on the European Club Association Executive Board since 2019.

In practical terms, this gives Nottingham Forest a leader at CEO level who understands how to operate a club in top domestic leagues, within European competitions, and inside a wider ownership group — all of which are directly relevant to the club’s ambitions from 2025 onward.

Final Thoughts

Understanding who owns Nottingham Forest FC is about more than naming an owner. It reveals how the club is funded, how decisions are made, and what kind of future Forest is building. With billionaire backing, professional leadership, and a growing business operation, Nottingham Forest has moved beyond survival and into long-term planning. Ownership today is not just about money. It is about structure, strategy, and stability. And for Forest, all three now shape the club’s direction.

FAQs

Who is Nottingham Forest owner?

Nottingham Forest FC is owned by Greek billionaire Evangelos Marinakis. He acquired the club in 2017 and remains the sole owner as of 2025.

Who owns Nottingham Forest football club?

Nottingham Forest football club is owned entirely by Evangelos Marinakis through his parent company NF Football Investments Ltd. He controls 100% of the club.

Who is the new owner of Nottingham Forest?

There is no new owner. Evangelos Marinakis has owned the club since 2017 and continues to own it as of 2025. No ownership sale has taken place.

How did Marinakis get rich?

Evangelos Marinakis built his wealth through commercial shipping, energy transport, fuel logistics, and media ownership. He controls one of Europe’s largest private shipping groups, owns petroleum distribution and energy trading businesses, and operates leading media companies in Greece. Football is not the source of his fortune.

Who are the shareholders of Nottingham Forest?

Nottingham Forest has only one shareholder: Evangelos Marinakis, who owns 100% of the club. There are no minority investors, no fan ownership, no public stock listing, and no private equity involvement.

What is the controversy with Mr Marinakis?

The main controversy in 2025 involved multi-club ownership compliance. Because Marinakis owns more than one European football club, regulations required him to temporarily adjust how control was exercised at Nottingham Forest. He did not sell the club and he did not relinquish ownership. Only governance structure changed.

Who is the new CEO of Nottingham Forest?

The CEO of Nottingham Forest FC is Lina Souloukou. She was officially appointed on 5 January 2025 and oversees business operations, financial management, and regulatory compliance.