Bayern adds Viessmann in reported €250m equity deal
Viessmann Generations Group is set to acquire just under 6.7% of Bayern Munich’s football company through a capital increase reportedly worth €250m, completing the club’s minority shareholder structure while preserving member-association control.
Bayern Munich have agreed to bring Viessmann Generations Group into their ownership structure through a capital increase, securing fresh equity while retaining the member association’s 70% controlling stake.The family-owned business will hold just under 6.7% of FC Bayern München AG once the transaction is completed, joining Adidas, Allianz and Audi as the fourth and final minority shareholder.Bayern president and supervisory board chairman Herbert Hainer said: “Like FC Bayern, Viessmann Generations Group stands for values such as tradition, ambition and innovation.“We are delighted to have a long-term partner by our side whom we have known for many years – and who complements our strong group of shareholders with the perspective of an international, family-owned business that takes a long-term view across generations.“This step strengthens the ownership structure of FC Bayern München AG. A further substantial strengthening of our equity base also gives us greater flexibility in a time of constant change.”The investment is reportedly worth approximately €250m, although Bayern’s announcement did not confirm that figure.The transaction uses the final available equity allocation under the club’s ownership framework, originally representing five percentage points, with the capital increase producing Viessmann’s eventual holding of just under 6.7%.Following completion, Adidas, Allianz and Audi will each hold just under 7.8%, leaving the four minority investors with a combined 30%.Max Viessmann is expected to join the supervisory board, expanding its membership from nine to ten, having already served on the advisory committee of the member association.Viessmann said: “FC Bayern and Viessmann have worked closely together since 2018. We are now taking the next step by becoming a shareholder of FC Bayern.“As a fourth-generation family business, we want to contribute both capital and our entrepreneurial experience to the collaboration.“We want to play our part in maintaining a strong FC Bayern – a club with its own identity, economic independence and sustained success. Today marks the beginning of a partnership for generations.”The agreement deepens a relationship that began as a brand partnership in 2018 and subsequently developed into a global climate partnership.Future collaboration will focus particularly on sustainability, international expansion and digitalisation, linking the equity investment with areas in which Viessmann has operating experience.The group works across more than 40 countries, with approximately 6,000 employees in its industrial businesses and annual revenue of around €2bn.Its activities include cold room and cleanroom systems, local and district heating, and power grid infrastructure, following the sale of its Climate Solutions business to Carrier in 2024.The reported proceeds will initially be placed in a fixed-term deposit account rather than immediately allocated to spending, providing Bayern with an additional financial reserve.That approach would make the transaction a strengthening of liquidity and long-term flexibility rather than an announced transfer or infrastructure budget.Bayern’s ownership rules preserve the member association’s majority while limiting the combined external shareholding, making this the final minority investment available within the current framework.The partnership and new shareholding will take effect upon registration in the commercial register.