Kylian Mbappé makes SailGP investment

Coalition Capital, owned by France and Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé, has invested in the France SailGP Team, making it fully privately owned and operated.

The investment has been made alongside a consortium led by French sports-tech company K-Challenge, which operates the team under the leadership of co-CEOs Bruno Dubois and Stephan Kandler.

As part of the agreement, Mbappé’s ‘Inspired by KM’ (IBKM) association has been confirmed as the French team’s official charity partner, expanding the foundation’s international presence. IBKM focuses on supporting young people through sport and has been aligned with the France SailGP Team’s initiatives since 2024.

SailGP, which is headquartered in Hammersmith, London, is an international sailing competition that features 12 national teams racing high-speed 50-foot foiling catamarans. The series, which was founded in 2019, has recently continued its expansion with the addition of two new teams—Mubadala Brazil and Red Bull Italy—alongside recent changes in team ownership.

Mbappé, commented, “We are excited to be on board with this new adventure with the France SailGP Team, alongside Accor and other investors. I’m also proud that IBKM has the opportunity to engage more young people around the world through this relationship.

“Through Inspired By KM, I want to reach out to young people around the world and give them the strength to believe in their dreams. With our ‘We Care for All program’, we provide concrete support and hope to those who need it most. Together, we are building a future where every young person can write their own story and achieve excellence.”

SailGP CEO, Sir Russell Coutts, added, “We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Kylian Mbappé into our growing SailGP family of partners and investors – he’s undeniably one of the most influential athletes of our time, and an inspiration to sports fans across the globe.

The upcoming Rolex Los Angeles Sail Grand Prix on March 15-16, 2025, will mark the beginning of SailGP’s U.S. events for the season, followed by races in San Francisco, New York, and Rio de Janeiro.

SailGP was recently shortlisted for Sport Organisation of the Year at the FEVO Sport Industry Awards 2025.