12/09/2026
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12/09/2026
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LONDON, Sept 12: Fahad Ali Thunyan Al-Ghanem, chairman and owner of English club Milton Keynes, has revealed how his passion for football and admiration for the city led him into club ownership and ultimately to an ambitious sporting and investment project.
Speaking to beIN Sports, Al-Ghanem said he had lived in Milton Keynes for several years and developed a strong attachment to the city, which he described as an attractive location because of its large population and proximity to London. His connection with the club initially began as a supporter before eventually developing into ownership.
Al-Ghanem said the club has ambitious plans, with promotion to the Premier League as the ultimate objective. He believes the target could potentially be achieved within three to five years, although he acknowledged that changes to English football regulations could affect the club’s plans.
He said the English Football Association is expected to introduce new regulations next month that could impose spending restrictions on clubs, potentially making it more difficult to strengthen squads and recruit players.
For now, Al-Ghanem said the priority is to produce the best possible performance in the fourth tier and fight for promotion, while keeping the long-term ambition of reaching the Premier League firmly in sight.
He recalled that during a summer holiday in 2019, he attended a cup match involving one of the local teams and was impressed by the club’s stadium, which has a capacity of around 30,000 despite the team competing in the fourth tier at the time.
That experience prompted him to take a closer look at the club and the city before deciding to acquire the club. Al-Ghanem, who closely follows English football, also highlighted the club’s wider assets, including a hotel, commercial complex, and several real estate properties in addition to the stadium.
He said the project includes Vice President Hamad Al-Marzouq, Mishal Mohammed Al-Marzouq, Sharif Al-Akhdar, and Ahmed Al-Sarhan. What started as a small idea gradually developed into a fully fledged sporting and investment project.
Al-Ghanem said the group believed the project offered strong potential and was worth investing in. He added that the former owner was keen to ensure the club’s continued success after the sale because of his strong attachment to it.
He revealed that the former owner had received several offers to purchase the club but ultimately chose their bid because he believed they had the vision and ability to develop the club and take it forward.
As part of their efforts to strengthen the club’s relationship with its supporters, the management also opened the stadium to fans free of charge for one match. The initiative was aimed at increasing attendance, encouraging greater interaction, and building stronger support within the local community.
Al-Ghanem said selecting the head coach was one of the most difficult decisions facing the management, given the manager’s responsibility for leading the team and building a squad capable of competing for promotion and progressing through the divisions.
He stressed that the club’s excellent infrastructure provides a strong foundation for its long-term development plans.
By Khaled Al-Enezi
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff
