James Bord, a poker professional and former Sheffield Wednesday bidder, has agreed a deal to acquire French football club Girondins de Bordeaux. His investment vehicle, Park Bench, is set to take control of the six-time French champions from Gerard Lopez for the nominal sum of €1.
Bordeaux, which had faced possible liquidation this summer due to debts of approximately €26m, has been consigned to France's regional leagues following severe financial difficulties. A compromise appears to have been found, reportedly involving Lopez renouncing half of the debt owed to him, according to regional French media outlet Sud Ouest.
Earlier this year, Bord and his business partner Evan Sofer had been poised to buy Sheffield Wednesday out of administration, but that deal ultimately collapsed. Park Bench was named preferred bidder by the Yorkshire club's administrator, Begbies Traynor, but an agreement on valuation could not be reached.
Bord, 45, has a background in sports betting and banking, having worked for Tony Bloom's Starlizard and founded data analytics company Short Circuit Science. He previously invested in Spanish second-tier club Cordoba in late 2024 and acquired Dunfermline Athletic in early 2025.