You might not recognise the name Evangelos Marinakis, but if you follow European football, you’ve almost certainly felt his influence. A Greek shipping magnate who owns three clubs across three countries — Olympiacos, Nottingham Forest, and Rio Ave — Marinakis has become one of the most talked-about figures in the multi-club ownership debate. Forbes currently values his fortune at $7 billion, placing him among Greece’s wealthiest individuals.
Net worth: $7 billion (Forbes, 2026) ·
Born: 30 July 1967, Piraeus, Greece ·
Football clubs owned: 3 ·
Primary business: Shipping (Capital Maritime & Trading Corp.)
Quick snapshot
- Born in Piraeus, Greece, in 1967 (EvangelosMarinakis.com)
- Net worth of $7 billion per Forbes 2026 (Forbes)
- Owner of Olympiacos, Nottingham Forest, and Rio Ave (BBC Sport)
- Founder of shipping company Capital Maritime & Trading Corp. (BBC Sport)
- Exact control status of Nottingham Forest after 2025 reports (BBC Sport)
- Precise valuation of his media holdings in Alter Ego Media (EvangelosMarinakis.com)
- Exact timeline of his business acquisitions before 2010 (Transfermarkt)
- Variation in net worth estimates across different sources (American Journal of Transportation, SuperYachtFan)
- 1967: Born in Piraeus (EvangelosMarinakis.com)
- 2010: Acquired Olympiacos (Transfermarkt)
- 2017: Bought Nottingham Forest (Transfermarkt)
- 2023: Acquired Rio Ave (talkSPORT via Facebook)
- Potential expansion of multi-club network
- Regulatory scrutiny of multi-club ownership in UEFA
- Further media consolidation via Alter Ego Media
The table below pulls together the key biographical details from verified sources—a pattern of accumulation that spans shipping, media, and football.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Evangelos Miltiadis Marinakis |
| Date of birth | 30 July 1967 |
| Place of birth | Piraeus, Greece |
| Nationality | Greek |
| Net worth (Forbes 2026) | $7 billion |
| Primary business | Shipping (Capital Maritime & Trading Corp.) |
| Football clubs owned | Olympiacos, Nottingham Forest, Rio Ave |
| Children | Two, including a son |
| Political role (2010-2011) | Vice-president of Greece (football federation) |
What is Evangelos Marinakis’s net worth?
Forbes valuation 2026
Forbes lists Evangelos Marinakis and family at $7 billion as of July 2026, making him one of the richest people in Greece. Sporting News also reported $7 billion, calling him the third-richest person in the country. Other estimates vary: the American Journal of Transportation cited Forbes at $3.7 billion in an older profile, while SuperYachtFan pegged the figure at $3 billion.
Sources of wealth
The core of his fortune comes from Capital Maritime & Trading Corp., an international shipping company he founded and chairs, according to BBC Sport. Marinakis also owns Alter Ego Media, described by his official biography as the largest media and entertainment group in Greece (EvangelosMarinakis.com).
Even with variations in the exact number, the pattern is clear: Marinakis built his billions on shipping, then layered media and football assets on top. For Greek regulators watching multi-club ownership, the concentration of wealth across industries is a single point of leverage.
The implication: shipping remains the foundation of his wealth, with media and football as amplifiers.
Which football clubs does Evangelos Marinakis own?
Olympiacos FC
Marinakis acquired a controlling stake in Olympiacos in 2010, according to Transfermarkt. Under his ownership, the club has remained a dominant force in Greek football.
Nottingham Forest
He completed the purchase of Nottingham Forest in May 2017 (Transfermarkt). However, BBC Sport reported in August 2025 that questions remained over whether he was still in control, following a step back from ownership duties in April 2025. For more on a key player at the club, read Callum Hudson-Odoi: Biography, Stats, Salary, Personal Life Explained.
Rio Ave FC
In 2023, Marinakis added Portuguese side Rio Ave to his portfolio, as noted by talkSPORT via Facebook. This gave him a presence in three of Europe’s top leagues.
The implication: owning three clubs across different UEFA federations gives Marinakis a unique platform for player development and trading, but it also invites regulatory scrutiny over conflicts of interest—especially if any two clubs qualify for the same European competition.
What businesses does Evangelos Marinakis run?
Shipping: Capital Maritime & Trading Corp.
Marinakis chairs Capital Maritime & Trading Corp., an international shipping firm that BBC Sport describes as his primary business. The company operates a fleet of tankers and dry-bulk carriers.
Media: Alter Ego Media
He is the founder and majority shareholder of Alter Ego Media, which his official site calls the largest media and entertainment group in Greece (EvangelosMarinakis.com). The portfolio includes television stations, radio, and digital properties.
The trade-off: media ownership in the same country where you own a football club creates a powerful cross-promotional engine, but also raises questions about editorial independence when the same person controls both a news outlet and a major sporting institution.
Who is Evangelos Marinakis’s family?
Father: Miltiadis Marinakis
Marinakis is the son of Miltiadis Marinakis, a shipowner and politician from Crete (EvangelosMarinakis.com). His mother is Eirini Marinaki (née Karakatsani), per an About.me profile.
Private family life
Marinakis is married and has two children, including a son. The family keeps a low public profile, and few details about his wife or children are publicly confirmed through authoritative sources.
The involvement of his son in executive roles at Olympiacos and Nottingham Forest—if confirmed—would signal a succession plan typical of family-run shipping empires. For fans of multi-club owners, that continuity can be either a stabilising force or a source of dynastic tension.
The pattern: family continuity remains a central theme in Marinakis’s business structure.
Timeline: Key events in Marinakis’s career
- 30 July 1967 — Born in Piraeus, Greece (EvangelosMarinakis.com)
- 2010 — Acquired controlling stake in Olympiacos FC (Transfermarkt)
- 2010–2011 — Served as vice-president of the Greek football federation (Transfermarkt)
- May 2017 — Completed acquisition of Nottingham Forest FC (Transfermarkt)
- 2023 — Acquired Portuguese club Rio Ave FC (talkSPORT via Facebook)
- April 2025 — Reportedly stepped back from ownership duties at Nottingham Forest (ESPN)
- August 2025 — BBC reports uncertainty over control of Nottingham Forest (BBC Sport)
- May 2026 — Filmed in altercation during Euroleague Basketball final (BBC Sport)
The pattern: each acquisition strengthens his multi-club network while also drawing regulatory attention.
What is confirmed and what remains unclear
Confirmed facts
- He owns Olympiacos, Nottingham Forest, and Rio Ave (BBC Sport)
- He chairs Capital Maritime & Trading Corp. (BBC Sport)
- Forbes estimates his net worth at $7 billion (2026) (Forbes)
- He is the son of Miltiadis Marinakis (EvangelosMarinakis.com)
- He was born in Piraeus, Greece in 1967 (EvangelosMarinakis.com)
What’s unclear
- Exact shareholding percentages in each football club
- Precise valuation of his media and real estate holdings
- Details of his wife and children’s public roles
- Whether he remains in full control of Nottingham Forest after the 2025 reports
Perspectives from the record
“Evangelos Marinakis is one of Greece’s most prominent shipping magnates and a football club owner.”
— BBC Sport
“Forbes lists Evangelos Marinakis and family at $7 billion in real-time net worth as of July 8, 2026.”
— Forbes
“He is the founder and majority shareholder of Alter Ego Media, the largest media and entertainment group in Greece.”
— EvangelosMarinakis.com
The pattern from these sources: Marinakis is a concentrated owner—shipping, media, and three football clubs—whose influence spans multiple sectors and countries. For European football’s governing bodies, the question is whether that concentration produces competitive advantages that smaller, single-club owners cannot match.
iconicbillionaires.com, transfermarkt.us, instagram.com, riksfokus.se
Frequently asked questions
Is Evangelos Marinakis a billionaire?
Yes. Forbes estimates his net worth at $7 billion as of July 2026 (Forbes).
How many football clubs does Evangelos Marinakis own?
He owns three: Olympiacos (Greece), Nottingham Forest (England), and Rio Ave (Portugal) (BBC Sport).
What is Evangelos Marinakis’s main business?
His primary business is shipping through Capital Maritime & Trading Corp. (BBC Sport).
Does Evangelos Marinakis have a son involved in football?
Reports indicate he has a son who has been appointed to executive roles at Olympiacos and Nottingham Forest, though specific names are not confirmed in high-tier sources.
What is the net worth of Evangelos Marinakis in 2026?
Forbes lists $7 billion, while other sources such as Sporting News also report $7 billion (Sporting News).
Which club did Evangelos Marinakis buy first?
Olympiacos, which he acquired in 2010 (Transfermarkt).
Was Evangelos Marinakis a mayor?
He served as vice-president of the Greek football federation from 2010 to 2011, but there are no high-tier confirmations of a mayoral role. The content plan mentions Mayor of Piraeus (2011-2014), but this lacks a verifiable source in the research notes.
For European football’s smaller clubs and their fans, Marinakis’s multi-club model represents both an opportunity and a threat: the chance to tap into a global network of player loans and scouting, versus the risk of seeing their club become a feeder team in a hierarchy controlled from a single desk in Piraeus. The choice for the sport’s regulators is clear: set rules that preserve competitive balance, or watch the multi-club model reshape the game from within. See also Morgan Gibbs-White: Stats, Transfer, Injury, Personal Life.
Arthur Oliver Howard Fletcher is a staff writer for NationalReport.uk, covering UK national news, politics, the economy and public services. He works under Editor-in-Chief Andreas Christodoulou and UK Managing Editor Rebecca Morgan, following the newsroom standards for sourcing, verification and fact-checking set out in our editorial policies.