FC Schalke 04 Secures €7.5m Capital Injection Through Sale of Stadium Shares to Fan Cooperative.

Roger Hampel

Image: FC Schalke 04

FC Schalke 04 has completed the sale of a minority stake in the stadium operating company of the VELTINS-Arena to fan-owned cooperative Auf Schalke eG, generating approximately €7.5 million in fresh equity as part of the club’s ongoing financial restructuring.

Under the transaction, the club transferred 5.4% of the stadium company to the cooperative, equivalent to nominal shares of €2.16 million in FC Schalke 04-Stadion-Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Immobilienverwaltungs-KG. The total share capital of the stadium company stands at €40 million.

Fan Cooperative Becomes Stadium Co-Owner FC Schalke 04

The deal brings Auf Schalke eG — a cooperative backed by club members and supporters — into direct co-ownership of the stadium. While the cooperative acquires a minority stake, Schalke retains strategic control of the arena, with the transaction designed to keep stadium ownership within the club’s wider ecosystem.

Financial Stabilisation and Regulatory Context

According to the club, the proceeds — net of taxes — will be used primarily to reduce liabilities and improve financial flexibility. The transaction follows the repayment of maturing bonds and the reduction of two state-backed loans, forming part of a broader effort to stabilise Schalke’s capital structure.

The sale also supports Schalke’s compliance with the Deutsche Fußball Liga equity requirements, which have become increasingly relevant amid tighter financial controls across German professional football.

Partial Buyback From Municipal Utility

A portion of the proceeds will be used to repurchase stadium shares previously held by Stadtwerke Gelsenkirchen. In 2009, Schalke sold capital shares in the stadium company to the municipal utility while retaining a contractual call option to buy them back.

By exercising this option, Schalke increases its overall ownership stake in the stadium company to above 50%, restoring voting control over key strategic decisions related to the arena.

Executive Comments

Christina Rühl-Hamers, board member responsible for finance at FC Schalke 04, described the transaction as a further step in the club’s financial reset:

“Thanks to this transaction, we can continue to reduce liabilities and gradually regain greater freedom of action in our decisions. It also helps us meet the DFL equity requirement this year.”

Matthias Tillmann, board member of Auf Schalke eG, framed the deal as a milestone for the cooperative:

“This is the first visible success of Auf Schalke eG. The cooperative members have acquired a tangible piece of their royal-blue living room, while the club strengthens its financial foundation.”