David Sullivan resigned as joint-chair and director of West Ham United with immediate effect on 6 June 2026, stating he intends to devote his time to contesting what he called “false allegations” about his private life.
Sullivan, whose earlier business career centred on adult-entertainment publishing and retail, completed a takeover of West Ham alongside the late David Gold in January 2010. The club moved from Upton Park to the London Stadium in 2016 under his co-chairmanship.
The resignation statement, reported by The Guardian on 6 June 2026, does not specify the nature of the allegations, identify any complainant, or reference any legal proceeding of record. Sullivan describes the claims as false. No charges, civil filings, or regulatory actions have been publicly confirmed as of the date of reporting.
Sullivan's son, Jack Sullivan, has previously held a director-level role at the club. West Ham's ownership structure and the question of who assumes Sullivan's responsibilities have not been addressed in any statement released to date.
Sullivan built a reported nine-figure personal fortune before football. The allegations he intends to fight were not, as of filing time, on the public record anywhere.