
MK Dons have been taken over after Pete Winkelman sold the club to a consortium based in Kuwait lead by Fahad Al Ghanim.
The takeover lead by Al Ghanim is of both Milton Keynes Dons Football Club and the wider Stadium MK Group, formerly known as the Inter MK Group.
The takeover sees Winkelman leave after over 20 years of involvement with the club, starting with the move that saw Wimbledon FC relocate to Milton Keynes in 2003 and rebrand as MK Dons in 2004.
Winkelman had run the club since 2004, taking the team out of administration and overseeing the team’s move to the 30,000+ capacity Stadium MK venue in 2007.
The announcement came nearly 20 years to the day since the club’s first game as MK Dons, which came on the opening day of the 2004/05 season on 7th August 2004 against Barnsley.
In a statement, MK Dons said both club and stadium group will be debt-free after the deal received EFL clearance to proceed.
The statement read, “After almost exactly 20 years at the helm, Pete Winkelman has today passed on the torch of leading Milton Keynes Dons Football Club and the wider Stadium MK Group to a Kuwait-based consortium led by Fahad Al Ghanim.
“The deal, which leaves the club and stadium group debt-free, has now been ratified by all parties following clearance from the EFL.
“Winkelman’s decision has not been taken lightly and is led by a desire to see MK Dons compete at the very highest level of English football, while also ensuring both the football and stadium assets remain together.
“Fahad Al Ghanim is an entrepreneurial businessman leading a Kuwait-based consortium. Fahad has worked across many sectors, including banking, investment, automotive and real estate and his family are the owners of Kuwait SC, one of the most successful football clubs in the Middle East.
“Fahad first attended a game at Stadium MK over a year ago and has since demonstrated a relentless determination to identify how he could help improve the club, as well as the capabilities to invest significantly in MK Dons and the City of Milton Keynes as a whole.
“The consortium has the opportunity to reignite a significant sporting dream for Milton Keynes, offering great hope and optimism for what the club can achieve in the future.
“In the short term, the new ownership group are keen to allow Pete Winkelman the moment he deserves to reflect on his legacy and say goodbye as Chairman to all MK Dons supporters this weekend.”