FC Luzern: Aktienstreit mit Alpstaeg vor Gericht – Urteil ausstehend

The long-running dispute between FC Luzern and Bernhard Alpstaeg has reached another stage at the Luzern District Court. The court must now decide whether the football club must recognize Alpstaeg as a majority shareholder.

We see not the first time the two sides have met in court. Accordingly, there was considerable interest in the hearing. The slight courtroom at the Luzern District Court was full. However, Alpstaeg himself was absent, represented by three lawyers and a spokesperson.

The 80-year-old Alpstaeg first invested in the largest Central Switzerland football club almost 20 years ago. The new stadium, opened in 2011, bears the name of his company. He was a significant shareholder in FCL Holding AG, holding more than a quarter of the shares. In 2015, he increased his stake to 52 percent.

Attempted Removal at FC Luzern

Given that Alpstaeg was dissatisfied with the performance of the FCL leadership, he wanted to replace the entire board of directors at the 2022 General Meeting. However, the board prevented his own removal by stripping Alpstaeg of the recently acquired share package. Alpstaeg thus held only a minority of the votes.

Alpstaeg is demanding two things in the civil proceedings he has brought before the District Court: he wants to be recognized as the owner of 52 percent of the shares; the cancellation in the share register made by the board of directors should be reversed. The board’s actions were unlawful, according to Alpstaeg’s lawyer.

The FC Luzern’s legal representative defended the revocation of the shares, stating that Alpstaeg had never been the rightful owner of the shares.

The share package previously belonged to former FCL President Walter Stierli. The shares were never intended to pass to Alpstaeg, said the FCL lawyer. The board of directors only entered Alpstaeg into the share register because he allegedly made criminal threats. The entries were therefore invalid or at least contestable.

FC Luzern substantiated its position with a criminal complaint against Alpstaeg. However, the criminal court acquitted Alpstaeg of the charge of coercion in the summer of 2025. The verdict is not final and is currently pending before the Luzern Cantonal Court.

The parties disagreed further on the consequences of the capital cut that FCL carried out in 2021. New shares were issued at that time, so it no longer concerned the Stierli shares, said Alpstaeg’s lawyer. The FCL lawyer rejected this argument.

The District Court will issue its decision in the matter at a later date.