It has been almost four and a half years since Roman Abramovich left Chelsea but the Russian billionaire's net worth is still just as staggering
Roman Abramovich was forced to sell Chelsea for £2.5billion almost four and a half years ago. He's now the subject of a new BBC investigative documentary.
In 2022, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the British government launched unprecedented sanctions against the country's elite. One of those impacted was Abramovich.
The 59-year-old purchased Chelsea in July 2003 for £140million and during his 19-year tenure, the west London side won five Premier League titles, five FA Cups, two Champions League and two Europa League crowns, as well as the League Cup three times. With their victory in the FIFA Club World Cup in 2022, Chelsea became only the fifth club in European football history to win every major collective trophy available to them.
However, Abramovich was placed under financial sanctions in March 2022 and forced by the British government to rapidly divest. All of his UK assets were frozen, including his Chelsea stakes. These eventually traded hands in May 2022 after a Special Licence was granted, though the proceeds remain locked due to legal disputes.
Abramovich is now the subject of a BBC Panorama documentary titled Roman Abramovich: How He Hid His Fortune, airing on Monday evening. However, his legal representatives have firmly denied any wrongdoing or improper conduct regarding his historic financial arrangements. Mirror Football takes a look at what he has been up to since he left Stamford Bridge.
Current net worth
Abramovich is now thought to split his time between Turkey, Dubai and Moscow. His two superyachts, Eclipse and Solaris, which are valued at £530m and £430m respectively, are currently docked in Turkish waters.
The billionaire's wealth has been affected by UK sanctions, but his fortune is still mind-boggling. According to estimates by independent wealth trackers such as Forbes, Abramovich is currently worth between £6.8bn and £7.1bn. Before the sanctions, his net worth was estimated at £10.5bn to £13.5bn. But many of his assets remain frozen, restricted or under court order.
For example, the £2.5bn in Chelsea proceeds are currently held in a UK bank account by the ex-parent company, Fordstam Ltd, and the UK government mandated that 100 per cent of the net proceeds will go towards humanitarian aid for war victims in Ukraine, though the transfer remains legally locked.
A huge £5.4bn in financial assets was also frozen by the Royal Court of Jersey in 2022 after a criminal investigation was launched. No criminal charges have been filed and Abramovich's legal team escalated the dispute in April, claiming that Jersey's asset freeze and investigation are "unfair and abusive." They have consistently denied any wrongdoing.
This legal deadlock directly impacts the release of the Chelsea proceeds. There is also the matter of various pieces of real estate in England and Europe, as well as private aviation and equity stakes.
Chelsea parting gift
Even after Abramovich departed Stamford Bridge, he had left the club with a gift: a staggering sum eventually earned after their 2025 FIFA Club World Cup success.
Chelsea were the victors when the inaugural revamped 32-team Club World Cup tournament was staged in the United States. They bested a host of top sides and overcame Paris Saint-Germain in the final. Their total tournament earnings stood just shy of £85m.
Abramovich enters the equation as Chelsea would not have qualified for the competition had they not won the 2021 Champions League under his ownership.
The Blues beat Manchester City 1-0 in Porto to win the title for only the second time, which guaranteed them a spot in the first expanded Club World Cup and subsequently landed them a massive windfall.
Future ownership plea
Last year, rumours surfaced suggesting that Abramovich could be about to enter football club ownership once more. Reports in Turkey claimed he was interested in investing in Galatasaray.
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However, these were rubbished by the billionaire, who only reiterated a previous statement. In the 2025 book Sanctioned: The Inside Story of the Sale of Chelsea FC, Abramovich makes it crystal clear that he is finished when it comes to owning clubs.
"I don't have any interest in any role in a football club, certainly not a professional role," he said. "There might be something where I could help with academies and youngsters, giving greater opportunities to people from difficult backgrounds, if there were an initiative that could make a difference. But as for ownership or a professional role at a club, I am done with that in this lifetime."