Youri and Sacha Djorkaeff invest in the French SailGP franchise via Playmaker

The DS Automobiles SailGP Team France announces the arrival of Playmaker – a sports-first investment platform founded and led by Youri and Sacha Djorkaeff in partnership with Monaco Asset Management – as a new shareholder.
Playmaker joins a consortium including Ares Sports, Sportsology and V-Group, alongside another international football star, Kylian Mbappé, who is an existing shareholder in the French team via Coalition Capital.
This strengthening of the shareholder base is a major strategic step for the project run by K-Challenge and supports the team's sporting and commercial ambitions in the Rolex SailGP Championship.

“We are delighted to welcome the Djorkaeff family and Playmaker’s investor group to DS Team France,’” said Stéphane Kandler, co-CEO of the DS Automobiles SailGP Team France. "Their vision, experience and investor group, combined with Monaco Asset Management's institutional platform, are a decisive asset in accelerating our growth and strengthening our capabilities across all our areas of development. Having athletes of this calibre interested in us and our sport in general is very positive. The presence of major advertisers such as DS Automobiles, Accor, L’Oréal Group and Leyton further supports this momentum.”

Sacha Djorkaeff, Managing Partner at Playmaker declares: “SailGP is one of the most exciting sports properties of this decade. We’re investing behind Team France with conviction and an exceptional group of long-term partners we’ve brought together around this project. Beyond capital, we’re here to support the team in building the French franchise into a global sports brand that can win at the highest level.”
“We back assets with durable IP, strong partners and a global runway. SailGP checks those boxes, and Team France has the ingredients to win on and off the water." Jérémy Genin, CIO at Monaco Asset Management. Adding that “Our role is to help bring the structure and long-term stability that enables DS Team France to keep improving, investing, and raising the bar year after year.”

Youri Djorkaeff adds: "Our commitment to the DS Automobiles SailGP Team France goes beyond financial investment. It is a desire to support our national team, which has the potential to play a leading role in a sport of the future. Sailing has inspired me for years, and SailGP is a competition that pushes the boundaries. We want to help write the next chapter in this great French story."

SailGP Managing Director, Andrew Thompson, said: “The arrival of Playmaker alongside this consortium of investors further strengthens an already exceptional shareholder base for the French team. It's great to have a second FIFA World Cup winner in the ownership group and we look forward to working with Youri and the rest of the team to leverage his experience at the highest level of the world of sports in one of the most influential markets in global sailing.”

This equity investment comes at a pivotal moment for the DS Automobiles SailGP Team France, following its podium finish at the Perth Sail Grand Prix, the opening event of the 2026 Rolex SailGP Championship.
Leading the fleet racing and qualifying for the final from the very start of the season, the team is building strong sporting momentum, boding well ahead of the next Sail Grand Prix in Auckland on 14–15 February. 

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ABOUT PLAYMAKER: Playmaker is a sports-first investment platform co-founded and led by Youri and Sacha Djorkaeff in partnership with Monaco Asset Management. Its mission is to build and scale category-defining assets in the world of sports. Playmaker provides differentiated strategic capital to premium sports assets and adjacent opportunities, working hands-on with founders and operators to create enduring global brands.

ABOUT DS AUTOMOBILES SAILGP TEAM FRANCE: The French SailGP team, which has been in the top 5 of the championship for three seasons, embodies the excellence and daring of French sailing on the international stage. Surrounded by some of the most experienced athletes and coaches in the championship, driver Quentin Delapierre leads a team renowned for its exceptional starts and mastery of extreme conditions, the hallmarks of Les Bleus. The team is operated by K-Challenge, France's leading sports technology company dedicated to high-level sailing performance, led by Stéphan Kandler and Bruno Dubois. With a forward-looking vision, the French SailGP Team is actively committed to diversity and the development of female athletes in competitive sailing. This sporting and social dynamic is supported by an exceptional title partner, DS Automobiles, alongside prestigious partners such as ALL Accor, L'Oréal Groupe, Leyton and Kway, as well as visionary investors, including Kylian Mbappé. By flying the colors of its official partner, the “Inspired by KM” foundation, the team is extending the international reach of this initiative, which aims to inspire young people through the power of sport.

ABOUT K-CHALLENGE: K-Challenge, founded in 2001 by Stephan Kandler, joined by Bruno Dubois in 2021, is the world's leading sports technology company, bringing together France's best athletes, engineers, technicians and experts to compete in the biggest high-tech international sailing competitions with the aim of developing decarbonisation technologies for mobility. Visit k-challenge.fr to find out more.