FAB Statement – The Sullivan Family’s Ongoing Involvement at West Ham United
22nd July 2026
The Fan Advisory Board (FAB) is issuing this statement in response to questions from supporters regarding the continued involvement of the Sullivan family in the affairs of West Ham United.
Following those enquiries, the FAB raised the matter directly with the Club and welcomed an open and constructive discussion last week. The current position, as explained to us, is as follows:
David Sullivan remains the Club’s largest individual shareholder with approximately 38% of the shares. However, following his resignation as a Director, he no longer has responsibility for the day-to-day running of the Club.
Jack Sullivan and David Sullivan Jr remain Directors of the holding company. They continue to represent the Sullivan family’s shareholding but, as explained to the FAB, do not have executive responsibility for the day-to-day management of the Club.
As previously announced, Daniel Křetínský is in the process of acquiring additional shares from the Gold family. Once that transaction is completed and receives the necessary approvals, and is expected to become the Club’s largest individual shareholder.
Daniel Křetínský and Vanessa Gold have confirmed that they intend to act together on Board matters, giving them the effective controlling interest in the Club’s strategic direction.
The FAB fully understands why many supporters remain concerned about any ongoing connection between the Sullivan family and West Ham United. Those feelings are entirely understandable, and indeed some FAB members have spoken publicly about only renewing their own season tickets after David Sullivan stepped down as a Director.
However, based on the information shared with us, it is clear that the governance of the Club has fundamentally changed. The era of unilateral decision-making has ended. The Board is now operating collectively, with experienced professional executives being appointed to manage the day-to-day business of the Club. The picture of Club captain Jarrod Bowen meeting Mr Daniel Křetínský and Mr Jiri Svarc in Prague and Jarrod’s subsequent statement that he will be staying with the Club because it is now moving in a very different positive direction, are statements of intent that we can all applaud.
We also recognise the frustration that the revised shareholding structure has not yet been finalised. Transactions of this size inevitably take time to complete and require the appropriate regulatory approvals before they can be concluded.
Like the overwhelming majority of supporters, the FAB would ultimately like to see complete clarity over the Club’s ownership structure. However, while the Sullivan family remains a significant shareholder, our understanding is that they no longer exercise the level of influence over the Club’s operations that existed previously. The direction of the Club is now being set collectively by the Board and its executive leadership.
The FAB has been encouraged by both the openness of recent dialogue and the more collaborative approach being taken by the Club’s new leadership. We have been consistently told that they wish to be judged by their actions rather than their words. That inevitably means there may be fewer rumours and less public commentary while work is taking place behind the scenes, but supporters should judge progress by the decisions that are delivered.
We can also confirm that the FAB will meet Club officials next week to discuss the forthcoming supporter consultation on the Club badge. We hope to provide a further update once that process has been agreed.
The FAB will continue to challenge the Club where necessary and hold it to the commitments it has made. Our role is to represent supporters’ interests, not simply to relay information. Where we believe supporters deserve answers or improvements, we will continue to ask the difficult questions, just as we have done throughout the past two years.
The FAB remains cautiously optimistic about the direction in which the Club is travelling. Ultimately, the new leadership will be judged by its results, both on and off the pitch, with the immediate priority being a successful return to the Premier League.
The commitment already shown by more than 50,000 supporters who have bought season tickets demonstrates the enduring strength, loyalty and optimism of the West Ham family. We all want to see that optimism rewarded as the Club enters its next chapter.