NFL Franchise Sale Receives Final Approval in Landmark North American Sports Deal
August 27, 2026
A major NFL ownership transfer has received the required approval from league owners, clearing the way for a transaction valued at $10 billion. The agreement ranks among the most expensive franchise sales ever completed in North American professional sports.
The deal required approval from at least 24 of the NFL’s 32 owners. With that threshold reached, the transaction involving the Khosla family has moved forward following months of efforts to identify a new ownership group.
Khosla Family Set to Take Control
The agreement was reached on July 11 between the Khosla family and the estate of Paul G. Allen, who had owned the NFL franchise before his death in 2018.
Following Allen’s death, ownership of the team passed to his estate. The estate subsequently conducted a search for a new owner before reaching an agreement with the Khosla family.
The latest approval represents the final major step described in the deal and places the franchise under new ownership.
$10 Billion Valuation Makes History
At $10 billion, the transaction exceeds the $6.05 billion price paid for the Washington Commanders in their 2023 sale.
That figure had previously represented one of the largest franchise transactions in North American sports. The newly approved deal now stands above it by nearly $4 billion.
The transaction also comes amid a rapidly rising market for major professional sports franchises, where ownership stakes have attracted increasingly large valuations.
Lakers Sale Raises the Bar Further
The ranking of the deal has also been affected by developments involving the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers.
The Lakers were sold for $10 billion in 2025, surpassing the earlier NFL transaction. The franchise is now reported to be in the process of another ownership change, with a reported valuation of approximately $12.5 billion.
As a result, the newly approved $10 billion NFL transaction currently sits behind the Lakers’ reported $12.5 billion deal while remaining ahead of the Washington Commanders’ $6.05 billion sale.
Strong Demand for Major Sports Franchises
The scale of the transaction highlights the extraordinary financial value attached to established professional sports franchises.
The requirement for support from 24 of 32 owners also demonstrates the importance of league approval when ownership changes hands. Securing the necessary backing allowed the agreement to progress after the estate’s search for a new ownership group.
For the Khosla family, the approval marks a significant milestone in acquiring one of the most valuable franchises in North American sports.
A Major Ownership Transition
The transaction brings an end to the ownership search initiated following the death of Paul G. Allen in 2018.
The $10 billion price places the franchise firmly among the biggest sports deals on record and illustrates how dramatically franchise valuations have expanded in recent years.
With league owners having provided the required approval, the Khosla family’s acquisition represents a landmark moment for the NFL and the broader North American sports business.
