DAZN has quietly become one of the loudest names in global sports. It streams football, boxing, motorsport, and mega-events like the FIFA Club World Cup in more than 200 markets. But who actually owns it?
The answer runs through a Ukrainian-born billionaire in New York, a Saudi sovereign fund, a Murdoch-controlled media group, and an Australian telecom giant.
Who Owns DAZN Right Now in 2026?
DAZN Group Limited is a private company headquartered in London. It is controlled by Access Industries, the New York holding company of billionaire Sir Len Blavatnik.
DAZN is not listed on any stock exchange, so ordinary investors cannot buy its shares. Access does not publish its exact percentage, but it has funded the business through years of heavy losses and remains the controlling owner.
Three minority holders sit alongside Access: Saudi Arabia’s SURJ Sports Investment, News Corp, and Telstra.
Ownership and Key Stakeholders Table
| Owner / Party | Role | Estimated Stake | Key Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Access Industries (Len Blavatnik) | Controlling owner | Majority; exact % not disclosed | Has put more than $7 billion into DAZN; also controls Warner Music Group |
| SURJ Sports Investment (Saudi PIF) | Minority investor | Not confirmed; reports vary | Reported $1 billion deal in February 2025; co-launched DAZN MENA |
| News Corp | Minority shareholder | About 6% | Received its stake in the Foxtel sale; holds a board seat |
| Telstra | Minority shareholder | About 3% | Former 35% owner of Foxtel |
| Shay Segev | CEO | Management role | Sole CEO since 2022 |
| Simon Denyer & Oli Slipper | Co-founders of Perform Group | Not publicly disclosed | Founded the company that became DAZN in 2007 |
| Public shareholders | None | 0% | DAZN has never listed on a stock exchange |
How Perform Group Became DAZN
The story starts in 2007, when Premium TV Limited and the Inform Group merged to form Perform Group. It was co-founded by Simon Denyer and Oli Slipper, and Access Industries took a majority stake that same year.
Perform was later taken off the London Stock Exchange in November 2014. The DAZN brand followed in 2015 and went live on August 10, 2016 in Austria, Germany, Japan, and Switzerland.
In 2018, Perform split in two. DAZN Group kept the consumer streaming business, while Perform Content went on to serve business clients.
Who Is Len Blavatnik?
Len Blavatnik was born in Odesa in 1957 and founded Access Industries in 1986. His early fortune came from post-Soviet investments in aluminum and oil, including a stake in the oil venture TNK-BP that paid him about $7 billion when it was sold in 2013.
In 2011, Access bought Warner Music Group for $3.3 billion, and it still holds about 72% of that company. Access has also been cited as a backer of African betting platform SportyBet.
Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index ranks Blavatnik among the richest people in the world, with a fortune above $37 billion in its profile.
The Saudi Investment: SURJ and the PIF
In February 2025, SURJ Sports Investment agreed to take a minority stake in DAZN. SURJ is the sports arm of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF).
The deal was widely reported at $1 billion, with roughly half going into a new joint venture called DAZN MENA. The exact stake size has never been confirmed. Reports range from under 5% to about 10%.
PIF also owns Newcastle United and became an official supporter of the 2026 World Cup. According to ESPN, it also announced in May 2026 that it was ending future funding for LIV Golf.
Saudi money reaches combat sports too. PIF’s sports fund backed the Professional Fighters League, and its entertainment company Sela owns most of Zuffa Boxing. That is a notable overlap for DAZN, which built its name on boxing.
The Foxtel Deal: How News Corp and Telstra Got a Piece
In December 2024, DAZN agreed to buy Foxtel at an enterprise value of $2.2 billion (about A$3.4 billion). The deal closed in April 2025, adding roughly 4.7 million Australian subscribers.
News Corp, which owned 65% of Foxtel, took about 6% of DAZN and a board seat. Telstra, the 35% owner and also the parent of Boost Mobile Australia, took about 3%.
Foxtel’s former CEO Patrick Delany is now DAZN’s chief operating officer.
Can DAZN Pay Its Own Way?
Not yet. DAZN lost about $979.7 million in 2025, according to Forbes reporting. Access put in a $610 million loan in 2025, after $587 million in preference shares in 2024.
Access has now promised another 12 months of support. Per CEOWORLD, DAZN’s directors describe that letter as not legally binding.
The trend is improving, though. Segev says DAZN earned more than $100 million in EBITDA in 2025, compared with an EBITDA loss of $778 million in 2024. He hopes to reach about $250 million in 2026.
What DAZN Streams and Why It Costs So Much
DAZN holds domestic football rights in Germany, Italy, Spain, Japan, Belgium, and Portugal. It is often called the Netflix of sports, though it competes with many other streaming services for the same rights.
In December 2024, it paid a reported $1 billion for global rights to the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. It streamed every match free and sublicensed games in the U.S. to TNT Sports and Univision.
Boxing has been another pillar, anchored by a landmark 2018 deal with Matchroom that promoter Eddie Hearn called groundbreaking.
Will DAZN Go Public?
Possibly, but not soon. Segev says DAZN is “IPO ready,” while stressing that being ready does not mean an IPO will happen. He has pointed to a window of roughly 1.5 to 3 years, with no venue chosen.
DAZN’s new CFO, Alex Gersh, previously led Sportradar’s Nasdaq listing. That hire signals the intent, even if the timing is open. For more deals like this, see our wider coverage of the sports business.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Who owns DAZN in 2026?
Access Industries, the holding company of Len Blavatnik, controls DAZN.
Q2. Is DAZN publicly traded?
No, DAZN is private and not listed on any stock exchange.
Q3. Who is the CEO of DAZN?
Shay Segev is CEO and has been sole CEO since 2022.
Q4. Does Saudi Arabia own part of DAZN?
Yes, SURJ Sports Investment, a PIF arm, holds a minority stake from a reported $1 billion deal.
Q5. How much has Len Blavatnik invested in DAZN?
Reports put Access Industries’ total funding above $7 billion.
Q6. Who owns Foxtel now?
DAZN bought Foxtel in April 2025.
Q7. When did DAZN launch?
DAZN launched on August 10, 2016 in Austria, Germany, Japan, and Switzerland.
Q8. How much did DAZN lose in 2025?
About $979.7 million, according to Forbes reporting.
DAZN is owned and controlled by Access Industries, the private holding company of Len Blavatnik, who has invested more than $7 billion in it. Minority stakes belong to Saudi Arabia’s SURJ Sports Investment, News Corp, and Telstra.
The business is still loss-making but improving fast, and it remains dependent on Blavatnik’s support. Whether it lists on a stock exchange is the next big question.
Official Website: dazn.com