David Sullivan Resigns as West Ham Chairman Amid Serious Historic Allegations and Fan Protests Following Relegation

David Sullivan stepped down as joint chairman and director of West Ham United with immediate effect. West Ham United said it had been made aware of the impending publication of serious historic allegations concerning Sullivan. Sullivan has denied any illegal conduct.

The club stated that Sullivan is leaving in order to avoid disruption while he addresses the matter privately. None of the allegations relate to West Ham United or any of its operations, the club said. Sullivan increased his stake in West Ham United to 8% following the death of his business partner David Gold.

Sullivan and Gold became joint chairmen in January 2010 after completing their takeover of the club. They had previously been co-owners of Birmingham City from 1993 to 2009. Interim chief executive officer Karim Virani will continue to lead the club's day-to-day operations while reporting to the current board of directors, the club said.

West Ham United will provide an update on the future structure of the board of directors in due course. The club finished 18th in the Premier League in the 2025-26 season and was relegated from the top flight last month, ending a 14-year spell in the division. West Ham's best Premier League finish under Sullivan and Gold was sixth place in 2021.

The club moved from Upton Park to London Stadium in 2016 and won the Conference League in 2023, its first major trophy since the 1980 FA Cup. West Ham has finished in the bottom half of the Premier League table in three of the past four seasons. Baroness Brady left her role as vice-chair on 15 April.

West Ham fans held protests on numerous occasions during the 2025-26 season calling for Sullivan and Brady to step down.