Bernhard Alpstaeg won a civil lawsuit in first instance before the Lucern District Court regarding a disputed 25 percent share package in FCL Holding AG. If the judgment becomes final, Alpstaeg will regain a 52 percent majority stake in FC Luzern, while the holding company must pay 208’000 francs in legal costs.
The long-running ownership dispute at FC Luzern reached a major milestone as a local court ruled in favor of industrialist Bernhard Alpstaeg. The civil court decision completely upheld the claim brought by the Swisspor patron over the contested shares.
Disputed Shares and Majority Ownership Stakes
The legal battle centers around a 25 percent block of shares in FCL Holding AG. Back in 2022, the FCL Holding board of directors removed the disputed shares from the share register, arguing that Alpstaeg acquired them improperly through pressure exerted on former president Walter Stierli and other past shareholders. The Verwaltungsrat of the Central Swiss football club had argued that the sale to Alpstaeg did not run lawfully, which prompted the club to have the contested shares deleted from the share register.
In response, Alpstaeg launched a legal challenge in 2023. The Lucerne District Court has now ruled that the shares belong to him and must be entered into the share register unconditionally, with full voting rights and without restrictions. Once the judgment becomes legally binding, Alpstaeg will hold a 52 percent majority stake in the holding company. The Bezirksgericht Luzern has judged that an equity package of 25 percent of FCL Holding AG rightfully belongs to Bernhard Alpstaeg, and the ruling obliges the board of directors to enter Bernhard Alpstaeg as the owner of 52 percent of the shares into the share register of FCL Holding AG.
Financial Penalties and Legal Costs
In addition to handing down the ownership decision, the court ordered FCL Holding AG to reimburse Alpstaeg around 208’000 francs in legal costs. The ruling marks a significant first-instance victory for the investor in his ongoing struggle for control of the Central Swiss football club. According to his side, Bernhard Alpstaeg receives right “vollumfänglich” (fully) in the first instance.
This civil court victory follows other legal skirmishes. In June 2025, a criminal court acquitted Alpstaeg of coercion and attempted unfaithful business management charges connected to his acquisition of a majority stake in Stadion Luzern AG, finding the allegations unproven though that case remains subject to further appeals by the public prosecutor’s office, the FCL, and four other private plaintiffs who have taken the case further.
Appels and Next Steps for FCL Holding AG
The civil ruling is not yet final, giving FCL Holding AG a window of 30 days to contest the decision. Representatives for the football club confirmed they intend to pursue an appeal while signaling a willingness to keep communication channels open.
We will appeal against the judgment within the specified period. Regardless of this, we remain open to continuing the path of dialogue. FC Luzern, via SRF
Until the higher courts review the case and render a final verdict, the composition of the club’s ownership registry remains tied to whether the 30-day appeal alters the district court’s baseline findings.
