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who owns wigan

Wigan Athletic Football Club is currently owned by local billionaire businessman Mike Danson , who completed his takeover of the club in June 2023 after a period of serious financial difficulty and ownership turmoil.

Quick Scoop: Who owns Wigan?

  • The current owner of Wigan Athletic is Mike Danson, a Wigan-born businessman.
  • He also holds a significant stake in rugby league club Wigan Warriors, creating a shared local sporting influence.
  • Danson took over in June 2023, paying off staff and other creditors immediately as part of stabilising the club.

How the ownership ended up with Danson

Wigan have had a turbulent ownership journey over the last decade.

  1. Dave Whelan era (1995–2018)
    • Local businessman Dave Whelan bought Wigan in 1995 and funded their rise from the lower leagues to the Premier League and the move to the then JJB Stadium (now DW Stadium).
 * In 2018 he sold the club, its stadium and training ground to Hong Kong–based International Entertainment Corporation (IEC) for about £22m, ending 23 years of Whelan family ownership.
  1. IEC and Next Leader Fund (2018–2020)
    • IEC later sold the majority of their shareholding to Next Leader Fund, another Hong Kong-based vehicle, in June 2020.
 * Soon after, Wigan went into administration despite being mid-table in the Championship, as promised funds were not put into the club.
  1. Phoenix 2021 Ltd (2021–2023)
    • In March 2021, a Bahraini-led consortium called Phoenix 2021 Ltd, involving Abdulrahman Al‑Jasmi and Talal Mubarak Al‑Hammad, took over.
 * Persistent late wage payments and financial issues led to multiple points deductions and mounting pressure for another sale.
  1. Mike Danson takes over (from June 2023)
    • After HMRC issued a winding‑up petition for unpaid tax and further points deductions were announced, Danson stepped in to buy the club.
 * The club confirmed that players, staff and other creditors would be paid immediately once his deal went through, signalling a reset and an attempt to stabilise operations at the DW Stadium.

Mini forum-style take

Some fans see Danson as a much-needed local stabiliser after years of chaotic foreign ownership, points deductions and administration scares, especially given his roots in the town and role with Wigan Warriors.

Others stay cautious, pointing out that lower-league football finances are fragile and that long-term sustainability will depend on careful spending and rebuilding, not just a rescue takeover.

Quick HTML fact table

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Period</th>
      <th>Owner / Group</th>
      <th>Key Notes</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>1995 – 2018</td>
      <td>Dave Whelan & family</td>
      <td>Funded rise to Premier League and DW Stadium; sold to IEC in 2018.[web:3][web:7][web:9]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>2018 – 2020</td>
      <td>International Entertainment Corporation (IEC)</td>
      <td>Hong Kong–based owner; later sold majority to Next Leader Fund.[web:1][web:3]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>2020 – 2021</td>
      <td>Next Leader Fund</td>
      <td>Club entered administration shortly after takeover.[web:1][web:3]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>2021 – 2023</td>
      <td>Phoenix 2021 Ltd (Bahraini-led)</td>
      <td>Period of serious financial instability and wage issues; points deductions.[web:3][web:6][web:7]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>From June 2023</td>
      <td>Mike Danson</td>
      <td>Local billionaire and Wigan Warriors co-owner; paid staff and creditors on takeover.[web:3][web:5][web:7]</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

TL;DR: If you’re asking “who owns Wigan?” in a football sense, Wigan Athletic FC is owned by local businessman Mike Danson, who took over in June 2023 after years of turbulent ownership and financial crises.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.