Saudi fund poised to win EU approval for $55B EA deal

A consortium of investors led by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund is poised to secure European Union approval for its $55 billion acquisition of Electronic Arts, removing one of the final regulatory hurdles for the largest leveraged buyout in history.

EU Clearance Expected Under Subsidy and Merger Rules

The European Commission is expected to clear the deal after its preliminary review under the bloc's Foreign Subsidies Regulation ends on July 30, according to a Reuters exclusive citing people familiar with the matter. The deal is also expected to win unconditional EU clearance under separate merger rules when a preliminary antitrust review concludes on July 22.reuters+3

The FSR review, which the consortium triggered by filing on June 24, was designed to ensure no unfair non-EU subsidies were used to gain a competitive advantage in the acquisition. The antitrust filing was submitted a week earlier, on June 17.finance-monthly+2

Record-Breaking Buyout Nears Completion

The deal, announced in September 2025, would see PIF, private equity firm Silver Lake, and Jared Kushner's Affinity Partners take the "Battlefield" and "Madden NFL" maker private at $210 per share. PIF, which already held roughly 10 percent of EA before the announcement, would become the majority owner, with Silver Lake holding a minority stake and Affinity Partners owning about five percent.nytimes+2

The acquisition is financed through approximately $36 billion in equity and $20 billion in debt arranged by JPMorgan ↗ 0.52%. EA shareholders approved the transaction in December 2025.reuters+1

Final Steps

With EU approval now expected, the deal is on track to close in line with the consortium's timeline. The transaction was originally projected to complete in the first quarter of EA's fiscal year 2027, which began July 1, 2026. The company will remain headquartered in Redwood City, California, under CEO Andrew Wilson.simscommunity+2