SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER JOINS ATLETICO MADRID AS INVESTOR

Atletico Madrid announced on 8 October 2026 that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, a basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder, had joined the club as a shareholder. In its statement, the club said Gilgeous-Alexander "bets on Atlético de Madrid and joins as an investor in our club." Gilgeous-Alexander said in comments shared by the club that he was "excited to officially join the group of shareholders of Atlético de Madrid", calling it a club "with a long history at the top of European football". He added that he was "grateful for the opportunity to be part of its future". The size of his shareholding has not been disclosed.

Atletico Madrid has been valued at around €2.5 billion, or $2.9 billion, according to reports of the deal. The club has won the La Liga title 11 times and the Copa del Rey on 10 occasions over its history, according to the figures cited alongside the announcement. It has been majority owned by the American investment fund Apollo Global Management. At the time of the announcement, the club was reported to be second in the La Liga table. Gilgeous-Alexander had previously been seen wearing an Atletico Madrid tracksuit in April 2026, after the team beat FC Barcelona.

Gilgeous-Alexander plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA and has won the league's Most Valuable Player award twice, according to the report. He is reported to have helped the Thunder win the NBA Finals in the 2024-25 season. One report said football was the first sport he played growing up in Canada. No further details of his role within Atletico Madrid's ownership structure have been made public.