NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo has officially joined the ownership group of Chelsea Women, alongside his “friend” Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit.
The Greek-Nigerian forward becomes the latest prominent U.S. athlete to invest in British football. NFL icon Tom Brady purchased a “minority ownership” stake in Birmingham City in 2023, and actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have propelled Wrexham toward the Premier League after acquiring the Welsh club in 2021.
Antetokounmpo isn’t the first NBA player to invest in European football; LeBron James has been a minority owner of Liverpool since 2011, and Kevin Durant became a minority shareholder in the Championship-winning team Paris Saint-Germain in 2024.
Ohanian, who acquired a 10% stake in the reigning Women’s Super League champions last year, is married to legendary tennis player Serena Williams.
Antetokounmpo revealed his investment in Chelsea through a social media post on Saturday, stating, “I’m proud and honored to partner with my friend @alexisohanian, joining the ownership group of @chelseafcw, a historic club built on passion, excellence, and a winning culture.” He expressed enthusiasm about contributing to the club’s future and supporting the growth of women’s sports: “This is about ambition, legacy, and pushing the game to new heights. Up the Chels!”
In response, Ohanian shared a nostalgic photo of a younger Antetokounmpo visiting the Stamford Bridge home dressing room years ago, saying, “Welcome home my friend!”
Welcome home my friend! https://t.co/ylGZrWXD8d pic.twitter.com/uw4Bj0uqje
— Alexis Ohanian 🗽 (@alexisohanian) February 8, 2026
Chelsea has secured six consecutive WSL titles but is poised to lose their title to Manchester City, currently sitting 12 points behind the league leaders with only eight matches left in the season.
On Friday, the club announced that head coach Sonia Bompastor would be extending her contract until 2030.
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