John Textor

John Textor is an American businessman best known for building Eagle Football Holdings, a multi-club football investment group. Born on September 30, 1965, he entered public view first through technology and digital-entertainment ventures rather than through playing or coaching. He was associated with Digital Domain, the visual-effects company founded by James Cameron, Stan Winston, and Scott Ross, serving as its chairman and chief executive after becoming an investor. Digital Domain’s work included effects for major films, while Textor promoted its virtual-human technology, including plans for virtual performances by Elvis Presley. His later prominence came from assembling stakes in clubs on three continents. In August 2021, Eagle Football acquired a 40 percent interest in Crystal Palace, the English Premier League club, from American investors Josh Harris and David Blitzer. Textor became a Palace director, joining a board led by chairman Steve Parish. Eagle’s portfolio then expanded rapidly. In January 2022, Textor completed the takeover of Botafogo, one of Rio de Janeiro’s traditional clubs, under Brazil’s new Sociedade Anônima do Futebol structure. He acquired Belgian club RWD Molenbeek in 2021; the side returned to Belgium’s top division in 2023. In December 2022, Eagle Football completed its acquisition of a controlling interest in Olympique Lyonnais’ listed parent company, OL Groupe, and Textor became Lyon’s chairman. Botafogo provided a sporting return of Textor’s ownership model. After promotion to Série A before Eagle’s takeover, the club secured the Copa Libertadores in 2024, defeating Atlético Mineiro 3–1 in the final in Buenos Aires. Botafogo also won the 2024 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, its first Brazilian league championship since 1995. Those achievements made it the first Brazilian club to win both the Libertadores and national league in the same season. Textor was present at celebrations and credited the club’s players, staff, and supporters. At Lyon, he oversaw financial restructuring, player sales, and several coaching changes. Textor’s multi-club approach lets teams share scouting, data, commercial links, and player-development pathways, but creates regulatory questions. UEFA rules seek to protect competition integrity when clubs under common influence qualify for the same tournament. In June 2025, Textor agreed to sell Eagle Football’s Crystal Palace stake to Woody Johnson, amid UEFA concerns about Palace and Lyon entering the same competition. He has defended the group’s structure as a means of giving clubs resources and international commercial reach without erasing local club identities. His record combines technology entrepreneurship, corporate turnarounds, and football ownership.