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Football Insider

Former Nottingham Forest Owner Stabbed During Robbery at London Mansion

Fawaz Al-Hasawi, the former owner of Nottingham Forest, is recovering after being stabbed by masked robbers during a home invasion at his £10 million London mansion. The attack has raised concerns among other Middle Eastern businessmen about their safety in the capital.

Former Nottingham Forest Owner Stabbed During Robbery at London Mansion

Fawaz Al-Hasawi, the former owner of Nottingham Forest, is recovering after being stabbed by masked robbers during a home invasion. The attack took place at Al-Hasawi's London mansion worth a reported £10 million ($13.7m). The Kuwaiti businessman is best known in England for his time in charge of Forest, purchasing the club in 2012 before selling it on five years later.According to The Sun, the attack took place earlier this month. Al-Hasawi is said to have been sleeping when robbers broke into his bedroom. During a confrontation, the 57-year-old sustained stab wounds to his hand left hand and other injuries to his neck. Images circulating on social media have pictured Al-Hasawi in hospital with bandages over his injuries.It is currently unknown if the robbers managed to steal anything from Al-Hasawi's property in the Mayfair district of London before fleeing immediately after this confrontation.Al-Hasawi's lawyers are said to have asked the Metropolitan Police to publicly reveal more about the attack as other Middle Eastern businessmen are 'fearing' similar attacks. The Metropolitan Police insist that inquiries are ongoing, but have assured that Al-Hasawi did not sustain any 'life-threatening or life-changing' injuries during this home invasion.Al-Hasawi's five years at the helm of Forest were particularly volatile, with the club going from Championship promotion hopefuls to flirting with relegation. He employed nine different managers during his half-decade stint at the City Ground.In 2017, having faced many protests in his final years at the club, Al-Hasawi sold Forest to Greek businessman Evangelos Marinakis, who helped the club return to the Premier League in 2022.Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reportingThough Forest have achieved the Premier League dream under Marinakis' ownership, he has come in for criticism over the handling of this season. Forest qualified for the Europa League having finished seventh last season and came into this campaign full of hope. However, they have already cycled their way through three managers - Nuno Espirito Santo, Ange Postecoglou and Sean Dyche - before the appointment of Vitor Pereira as their fourth of 2025-26.Nevertheless, Marinakis, known for meeting players in the tunnel and even coming onto the City Ground pitch, remains a hugely popular figure among Forest fans, with former player Rob Earnshaw telling GOAL that football needs larger-than-life personalities like his."When Mr Marinakis comes on the pitch and he's greeting players in the tunnel, for me there is absolutely nothing wrong with that," Earnshaw said, speaking in association with NordicBet, where fans can follow the latest Europa League odds."Also, in Greece, when you are the owner, you are entitled to go in the dressing room, to go on the pitch, it's part of the game as you come and be part of it - you speak with the players and you are the man in the middle. As the owner, you get a better feeling of what's going on inside the football club."I have no problem with it and think Mr Marinakis has done a fantastic job. He is of course very ruthless and very determined, very direct in his ways, but he has taken this football club - in the last five/six years - into where it should be, in the Premier League, playing in Europe and having big European nights, playing in the Premier League and having the chance to go to the Champions League. Those moments are what every Forest fan wants to happen."I enjoy it. I enjoy him being involved. I think it's been unbelievable and he deserves a lot of credit because he hasn't just invested in the football club, he has fully invested himself in order to take the club to be successful. It has been a hell of a journey, a hell of a few years, but it wouldn't be Forest if it was boring and we didn't have personalities."Football is about personalities, so I love that. They shouldn't just be sat there and you never hear from them in the box. They are part of the football club and their personality comes out. I'm all for that."

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The Attack

Fawaz Al-Hasawi, the Kuwaiti businessman best known for his time at Nottingham Forest, was reportedly stabbed by masked robbers during a home invasion at his luxurious London mansion worth £10 million. The attack took place earlier this month when the robbers broke into Al-Hasawi's bedroom while he was sleeping. A confrontation ensued, leading to Al-Hasawi sustaining stab wounds to his left hand and other injuries to his neck.

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Post-Attack

Al-Hasawi was admitted to the hospital where he received treatment for his injuries. Images circulating on social media showed him with bandages over the wounds. Fortunately, the Metropolitan Police stated that Al-Hasawi did not suffer any life-threatening or life-changing injuries during the incident.

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Concerns and Inquiries

Following the attack, Al-Hasawi's lawyers have requested the Metropolitan Police to provide more information about the incident, citing concerns among other Middle Eastern businessmen who fear similar attacks. While investigations are ongoing, it remains unclear if the robbers were able to steal anything from the property before fleeing the scene.

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Legacy at Nottingham Forest

Al-Hasawi's turbulent five years at Nottingham Forest saw the club experience various managerial changes and on-field challenges. In 2017, he sold the club to Greek businessman Evangelos Marinakis, who later led Forest to Premier League promotion in 2022. Despite recent managerial upheavals, Marinakis remains a popular figure among Forest fans for his passion and investment in the club.

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Marinakis' Impact

Under Evangelos Marinakis' ownership, Nottingham Forest has seen significant success, including qualifying for the Europa League. Despite managerial changes in the current season, Marinakis' hands-on approach and ambition for the club have been praised by fans and former players like Rob Earnshaw.

Published on Feb 15, 2026