# PE firms backing Sports (2026 list) > 23 PE firms backing Sports, 100% active in the last 12 months. Led by Gaingels, Citibank, Foresight Group. Ranked by what they funded. Source: https://millionrounds.com/lists/pe-firms-sports (Millionrounds; every figure on the page links to its filing or article) [Investor Lists](https://millionrounds.com/lists) # PE firms backing Sports Updated 7 November 2026 PE firms we have observed in a sports round in the last two years. [See all 23 *→*](https://millionrounds.com/login?join=1&next=%2Fapp%2Finvestor-lists%2Fpe-firms-sports)The top 23 **23** investors on the list No change this week **387** cheques in 12 months *-7%* against the market **$25M** median round they joined *+213%* against the market median **100%** wrote a cheque in 12 months **74%** have led a round ## The Top 23 Ordered by cheques observed, never by anything anyone paid for Deploying now (23) - 1 [Gaingels](https://millionrounds.com/fund/gaingels) *Deploying now* Private equity · United States **1,010** **$8M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen - 2 [Citibank](https://millionrounds.com/fund/citi) *Deploying now* Growth equity · United States **566** **$20M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen - 3 [Foresight Group](https://millionrounds.com/fund/foresight-group) *Deploying now* Private equity · United Kingdom **132** **$4M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen - 4 [TCG](https://millionrounds.com/fund/tcg) *Deploying now* Private equity · United States **109** **$75M** median round **Sept 2026** last seen - 5 [Sorenson Capital](https://millionrounds.com/fund/sorenson-capital) *Deploying now* Private equity · United States **74** **$25M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen - 6 [Ares Management](https://millionrounds.com/fund/ares-management) *Deploying now* Growth equity · United States **68** **$162M** median round **Sept 2026** last seen - 7 [Eldridge](https://millionrounds.com/fund/eldridge) *Deploying now* Private equity · United States **53** **$50M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen - 8 [IAG Capital Partners](https://millionrounds.com/fund/iag-capital-partners) *Deploying now* Private equity · United States **46** **$15M** median round **Sept 2026** last seen - 9 [ING Group](https://millionrounds.com/fund/ing-group) *Deploying now* Growth equity · Indonesia **45** **$37M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen - 10 [Verdane](https://millionrounds.com/fund/verdane) *Deploying now* Private equity · Norway **36** **$19M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen - 11 [Steadview Capital](https://millionrounds.com/fund/steadview-capital) *Deploying now* Growth equity · United Kingdom **25** **$30M** median round **Feb 2026** last seen - 12 [Pudong Venture Capital](https://millionrounds.com/fund/pudong-venture-capital) *Deploying now* Growth equity **4** **$459M** median round **Nov 2026** last seen - 13 [Buenavista Equity Partners (formerly GED Capital)](https://millionrounds.com/fund/buenavista-equity-partners) *Deploying now* Private equity · Spain **3** **$50M** median round **Apr 2026** last seen - 14 [Bharat Value Fund](https://millionrounds.com/fund/bharat-value-fund) *Deploying now* Growth equity **3** **$42M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen - 15 [Dynasty Equity](https://millionrounds.com/fund/dynasty-equity) *Deploying now* Private equity · United States **2** **-** median round **Sept 2026** last seen - 16 [Mixi](https://millionrounds.com/fund/mixi) *Deploying now* Growth equity · Japan **2** **$2.7M** median round **Jul 2026** last seen - 17 [Ares Sports, Media and Entertainment](https://millionrounds.com/fund/ares-sports-media-and-entertainment) *Deploying now* Growth equity **1** **$24M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen - 18 [Arthur Blank's family office](https://millionrounds.com/fund/arthur-blank-s-family-office) *Deploying now* Growth equity **1** **$24M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen - 19 [Causeway Partners](https://millionrounds.com/fund/causeway-partners) *Deploying now* Growth equity **1** **$24M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen - 20 [PDVC](https://millionrounds.com/fund/pdvc) *Deploying now* Growth equity **1** **-** median round **Oct 2026** last seen - 21 [SSCILF](https://millionrounds.com/fund/sscilf) *Deploying now* Growth equity **1** **-** median round **Oct 2026** last seen - 22 [Shanghai State Investment Pilot Fund](https://millionrounds.com/fund/shanghai-state-investment-pilot-fund) *Deploying now* Growth equity **1** **-** median round **Oct 2026** last seen - 23 [The Wealth Company Alternates](https://millionrounds.com/fund/the-wealth-company-alternates) *Deploying now* Growth equity **1** **$42M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen ## The Newest Cheques Rounds this list's investors joined most recently - **5** Nov **[Sand.ai](https://millionrounds.com/company/sand-ai)** Series A · $200M *With* [Pudong Venture Capital](https://millionrounds.com/fund/pudong-venture-capital) - **30** Oct **[Neoen](https://millionrounds.com/company/neoen)** Debt · $1.3B *With* [ING Group](https://millionrounds.com/fund/ing-group) - **28** Oct **[IREN](https://millionrounds.com/company/iren)** Debt · $363M *Led by* [Eldridge](https://millionrounds.com/fund/eldridge) - **27** Oct **[Avante](https://millionrounds.com/company/avante)** Series A · $30M *With* [Sorenson Capital](https://millionrounds.com/fund/sorenson-capital) - **26** Oct **[Giga Storage](https://millionrounds.com/company/giga-storage)** Debt · $291M *With* [ING Group](https://millionrounds.com/fund/ing-group) - **26** Oct **[Akaysha Energy](https://millionrounds.com/company/akaysha-energy)** Debt · $1.2B *With* [ING Group](https://millionrounds.com/fund/ing-group) ## Stages This Year 372 rounds - Venture **27%** - Debt **17%** - Series A **10%** - Seed **9%** - Other **9%** - Other **28%** ## What They Backed Sectors, last 12 months - AI **93** - Biotech **39** - Aerospace & Space **36** - Fintech **31** - Financial Services **29** - Big Data & Analytics **16** ## Cheques by Quarter Led Joined 98 Q1 25 105 Q2 25 123 Q3 25 129 Q4 25 122 Q1 26 115 Q2 26 78 Q3 26 28 Q4 26 The last bar is the quarter still running. ## Lists Like This - [VC firms backing AI 4,329](https://millionrounds.com/lists/vc-firms-ai) - [VC firms backing Fintech 1,856](https://millionrounds.com/lists/vc-firms-fintech) - [VC firms backing Big Data & Analytics 1,248](https://millionrounds.com/lists/vc-firms-big-data) - [VC firms backing Biotech 1,207](https://millionrounds.com/lists/vc-firms-biotech) - [VC firms backing Robotics 1,098](https://millionrounds.com/lists/vc-firms-robotics) - [VC firms backing Construction 1,025](https://millionrounds.com/lists/vc-firms-construction) - [VC firms backing Energy 998](https://millionrounds.com/lists/vc-firms-energy) - [PE firms backing AI 956](https://millionrounds.com/lists/pe-firms-ai) - [VC firms backing Cybersecurity 950](https://millionrounds.com/lists/vc-firms-cybersecurity) [All investor lists *→*](https://millionrounds.com/lists) ## Quick answers about PE firms backing Sports ### Who are the most active PE firms backing Sports? By cheques observed, the most active are Gaingels, Citibank, Foresight Group, TCG and Sorenson Capital. ### How many PE firms backing Sports are there? 23 are on record. 100% made an investment in the last 12 months and 74% have led a round. ### Which stages do PE firms backing Sports back? Of the rounds with a named stage in the last 12 months, mostly Debt (28%) and Series A (16%). ### How big are the rounds PE firms backing Sports join? The typical (median) round among the leading investors here is $25M. ### Which sectors do PE firms backing Sports back most? In the last 12 months, mostly AI, Biotech and Aerospace & Space. ### Which PE firms backing Sports lead the most rounds? Eldridge (5 led), Citibank (4 led) and Sorenson Capital (3 led). ### Where are PE firms backing Sports based? Among the most active, most are based in the United States (8), the United Kingdom (2) and Indonesia (1). ### What have PE firms backing Sports invested in recently? Recent rounds include Sand.ai (Series A, Nov 2026, with Pudong Venture Capital), Neoen (Debt, Oct 2026, with ING Group) and IREN (Debt, Oct 2026, with Eldridge). Built from the rounds we watched, refreshed every night. [How we count](https://millionrounds.com/methodology) · [Report a correction](https://millionrounds.com/corrections)