FC St. Pauli Cooperative Officially Takes Majority Ownership of Millerntor-Stadion.

Roger Hampel

Image: FC St. Pauli

FC St. Pauli has completed a historic ownership transfer as the Football Cooperative St. Pauli eG (FCSP eG) officially became the majority owner of Millerntor-Stadion, the club’s iconic home. The acquisition was notarized on Thursday, November 6, marking a decisive step in ensuring that the stadium remains under the control of the club’s community and supporters.

Community-Based Ownership Model FC St. Pauli Cooperative

The FCSP cooperative, founded in spring 2024, was created to secure the long-term ownership of Millerntor-Stadion and introduce a solidarity-based financing model within professional football. Over the past several months, the cooperative has attracted more than 22,000 members who collectively subscribed to shares worth approximately €29 million.

The purchase of the stadium operations company, Millerntor Stadion Betriebsgesellschaft (MSB), places the heart of the club firmly in the hands of its members, creating a community ownership structure rarely seen in modern football.

Financial Independence and Future Development

With the acquisition completed, FC St. Pauli now has the autonomy to advance strategic investments from within its own community.Wilken Engelbracht, member of the FCSP eG Supervisory Board and the club’s commercial director, said the cooperative model will enable key infrastructure projects such as the expansion of the training and performance center at Kollaustraße.

He is expected to share further financial details at the FC St. Pauli general assembly on November 15.

Collective Football Governance

Oke Göttlich, president of FC St. Pauli, emphasized the broader significance of the transaction, describing it as a landmark example of alternative football financing:

“We have proven that another kind of football and another kind of financing are possible. Solidarity-based and sustainable management can exist even in professional football — along with the participation of many people who take on shared responsibility.”

Andreas Borcherding, chairman of FCSP eG, expressed gratitude for the widespread public support that made the acquisition possible:

“We are thrilled about the huge support for the cooperative, for the idea of a different football and a different way of managing it. We are very happy to have completed this step and ensured that the cooperative can now hold the majority of Millerntor-Stadion.”

The cooperative’s approach combines social responsibility with financial sustainability, setting a precedent for fan-led governance and long-term stability in professional sports infrastructure.