Volkswagen Group has approved the largest transformation plan in its history, the '2030 Future Plan', which includes a commitment to 'streamline the portfolio and allocate capital more efficiently'. According to the company, it will rigorously assess its holdings and business portfolio, retaining only those parts that make a clear strategic and financial contribution to core operations. The portfolio is expected to be reduced by about one-third, with non-strategic businesses divested or restructured.
The move marks the first time Volkswagen has, at a group strategy level, placed football club equity outside its target scope. For decades, Volkswagen and its brands Audi and Porsche have been among the most important industrial investors in German football, holding stakes in four clubs: Wolfsburg, Bayern Munich, Stuttgart, and Ingolstadt.
Wolfsburg is the most significant, as Volkswagen owns 100% of the club, which is based in the company's headquarters city. The club's only Bundesliga title came in the 2008/09 season, but it was relegated to the second tier last season after losing a playoff. Volkswagen's annual investment in the club has already been cut from 80 million euros to about 55 million euros, according to German outlet Bild.
Financial pressure drives divestment
The decision comes as Volkswagen faces mounting financial strain. In the first half of 2026, the group's revenue was 158.1 billion euros, roughly flat year-on-year, but operating profit fell 11.6% to 5.9 billion euros, with an operating margin of just 3.8%. Vehicle sales dropped 8.4% to about 4 million units. In China, a key profit source, sales fell about 20% in the first half, and operating profit from Chinese joint ventures declined from 506 million euros to 184 million euros.
Volkswagen's football investments, once a source of brand exposure and local ties, are now seen as non-core assets that can be sold to fund the transition to electric vehicles. The company's other stakes include Audi's 8.33% in Bayern Munich, Audi's 19.94% in Ingolstadt, and Porsche's 10.41% in Stuttgart.
Chinese brands step up in European sports marketing
While Volkswagen retreats, Chinese automakers are expanding their presence in European sports. In February, BYD became the official automotive partner of Manchester City, with its brand logo on the men's first-team training kit sleeves and provision of BYD and Denza vehicles and charging equipment. BYD also has a three-year partnership with Inter Milan and was an official partner of Euro 2024 and the 2025 U-21 European Championship.
MG, under SAIC, has partnered with Liverpool since 2016, expanding to a global deal in 2019. In May, Changan signed a global strategic partnership with the Portuguese Football Federation, and in September, GAC became the official automotive partner of La Liga club Villarreal. Leapmotor has also entered German sports, partnering with the German Table Tennis Federation in February.
According to the Chinese outlet Huxiu, these moves highlight a shift: Chinese brands are using sports sponsorship to build brand awareness in Europe, even as Volkswagen consolidates its focus on its core automotive business.
