City Football Group
A multinational football holding and operating group built around Manchester City.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
City Football Group (CFG) is a United Kingdom-based football holding company and sporting enterprise whose flagship asset is Manchester City Football Club. Established in 2013, the group was created to place Manchester City and New York City FC within a single international football business. It subsequently developed a multi-club network spanning Europe, North America, South America, Asia and Australia, combining club ownership, football operations, commercial development, academies, women's football, scouting, coaching and digital entertainment. The group's ownership is divided among Abu Dhabi United Group, which holds the majority stake, the American investment firm Silver Lake, and Chinese investors China Media Capital and CITIC Capital. Abu Dhabi United Group is associated with Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan. CFG takes its name from Manchester City, which remains its principal club and the centre of its sporting, commercial and technical model. CFG's first major expansion was the creation of New York City FC as a Major League Soccer expansion club. The team was announced in 2013 and began competitive play in 2015, with ownership shared initially with Major League Soccer and later structured through CFG's group interests. In early 2014, CFG acquired a controlling interest in Melbourne Heart, which was subsequently renamed Melbourne City. The rebrand introduced stronger visual and operational links with Manchester City and became an early example of the group's strategy of adapting club identities within a common network. The portfolio later expanded through stakes or ownership positions in Yokohama F. Marinos in Japan, Montevideo City Torque in Uruguay, Girona FC in Spain, Shenzhen Peng City in China, Mumbai City FC in India, Lommel SK in Belgium, ESTAC Troyes in France, Palermo in Italy and Bahia in Brazil. The exact ownership level varies by club, and CFG has also maintained partnership relationships with clubs outside its directly owned portfolio, including Club Bolívar of Bolivia. The group has periodically changed its holdings as strategic priorities and local football conditions have evolved. CFG's operating concept is based on cooperation between clubs rather than simple financial ownership. Its clubs share scouting knowledge, player-development practices, coaching resources, performance data and aspects of Manchester City's tactical methodology. Smaller clubs can function as local development centres, while players and staff may move within the network as their careers progress. The group has described this model as a way to combine local market knowledge with the resources, technology and expertise of a global football organisation. The group has also invested in women's football. Manchester City Women and Melbourne City Women were given increased institutional and financial support, including access to facilities and structures linked to their men's teams. These investments contributed to strong competitive performances in England and Australia and helped position CFG as an active participant in the professionalisation of women's football. Beyond traditional club operations, CFG has pursued commercial partnerships, international academies, content production and esports. Manchester City was an early focus of the group's esports activity, with players recruited for FIFA and later Fortnite competitions. CFG clubs have also collaborated with gaming organisations and developed club-specific digital representation. The group's broader positioning is that of a global sports platform: Manchester City supplies the flagship brand and elite sporting reference point, while the wider network provides local presence, talent pathways and commercial reach.
History
City Football Group emerged from Ferran Soriano's long-standing interest in developing football as an international, multi-market business. Before joining Manchester City, Soriano had explored the possibility of creating a Barcelona-branded Major League Soccer club and had promoted the idea that major football brands could grow by establishing affiliated teams and academies abroad. After becoming Manchester City's chief executive in 2012, he revived discussions with MLS commissioner Don Garber. Those discussions led to the announcement of New York City FC in 2013 and to the creation of CFG as the corporate structure linking the new club with Manchester City. CFG's first expansion beyond its English and American foundations took place in Australia. In 2014, the group and its partners acquired Melbourne Heart, an A-League club that was later renamed Melbourne City. The rebrand introduced sky blue as the principal colour and created a visual relationship with Manchester City and New York City FC. In the same period, Manchester City's women's side was reorganised and admitted to the top tier of the FA Women's Super League, reflecting CFG's ambition to treat women's football as an important part of the group rather than a peripheral activity. Later in 2014, CFG acquired a minority stake in Yokohama F. Marinos, the Nissan-affiliated Japanese club. This investment provided a presence in one of Asia's most established football markets and expanded the group's model beyond wholly or primarily controlled clubs. In 2017, CFG invested in Club Atlético Torque in Uruguay and acquired an interest in Girona in Spain. Torque was subsequently renamed Montevideo City Torque, reinforcing the group's use of a common City identity in selected markets. Expansion accelerated from 2019 onward. CFG invested in the Chinese club then known as Sichuan Jiuniu, later associated with Shenzhen Peng City, and acquired a controlling stake in Mumbai City of the Indian Super League. In 2020, it acquired Lommel in Belgium and Troyes in France. These acquisitions broadened CFG's access to football markets with distinct development systems and gave the group additional locations for scouting, player registration and competitive experience. CFG also took full control of Goals Soccer Centres, a United States-based five-a-side football business in which it had previously invested. The group has described its network as a coordinated football system. Local clubs supply market knowledge and scouting access, while Manchester City provides high-level sporting expertise, analytical resources and a reference style of play. Players can move between clubs for development, first-team opportunities or commercial purposes. Coaches and technical staff have also moved within the network. The model has attracted both interest and criticism: supporters may value investment and expertise, while others question common branding, concentrated ownership and the effect of multi-club structures on sporting independence. CFG's investments in women's football have been especially visible in Manchester and Melbourne. Both clubs developed women's teams with stronger links to their men's operations and access to improved facilities. Manchester City Women became a regular contender for major English honours, while Melbourne City Women achieved repeated success in Australia. CFG also entered esports, first through Manchester City's recruitment of FIFA player Kieran Brown in 2016 and later through a wider network of club representatives, collaborations and game titles. The group has continued to operate as a private international football platform rather than a publicly listed company. Its portfolio has changed over time through acquisitions, partnerships and divestments, and not every club has the same ownership structure. The defining feature remains the attempt to combine a globally recognised flagship club with locally rooted teams that support commercial growth, talent development and football operations in multiple regions.
- 2021
Club Bolívar becomes CFG's first partner club
[1]The Bolivian club joined CFG's partner network without becoming a directly owned club.
- 2020
European portfolio expands
[1]CFG acquired interests in Lommel of Belgium and Troyes of France.
- 2019
CFG accelerates Asian expansion
[1]The group invested in the Chinese club then known as Sichuan Jiuniu and acquired control of Mumbai City.
- 2017
Expansion into Uruguay and Spain
[1]CFG announced investments involving Club Atlético Torque in Uruguay and Girona FC in Spain.
- 2016
CFG enters esports
[1]Manchester City signed FIFA esports player Kieran Brown for competitions, fan events and digital content.
- 2014
Melbourne Heart becomes Melbourne City
[1]CFG acquired control of Melbourne Heart and began a rebranding and sporting integration process.
- 2014
Investment in Yokohama F. Marinos
[1]CFG acquired a minority interest in the Japanese club in partnership with Nissan.
- 2013
City Football Group is established
[1]CFG was formed as the holding structure for Manchester City and the newly created New York City FC.
Products and positioning
A premium, globally integrated multi-club football group combining elite competition, local-market club ownership, talent development and shared sporting infrastructure.
Flagship football club
Manchester City Football Club
Manchester City is CFG's flagship club and principal sporting brand. It provides the network's highest-profile competitive platform, technical reference point and commercial identity. CFG's methods in scouting, coaching, performance analysis, academy development and women's football are closely associated with Manchester City's operations.
Professional football club · 2013
New York City FC
New York City FC was created as CFG's first major international expansion project and competes in Major League Soccer. The club was designed to establish a locally rooted New York presence while benefiting from the wider group's commercial, sporting and player-development resources.
Multi-club football platform · 2013
City Football Group network
CFG's network comprises clubs and partner organisations across several confederations. Its shared services include scouting, academy development, coaching, performance analysis, medical knowledge, player pathways and commercial collaboration. Ownership levels differ by club, so the network is not a uniform franchise system.
Women's football · 2014
Women's football programmes
CFG operates or supports women's football programmes associated with several clubs, most notably Manchester City Women and Melbourne City Women. The group's approach has included stronger links between men's and women's departments, dedicated facilities and increased investment in professional competition.
Esports and digital content · 2016
CFG Esports
CFG's esports activity began with Manchester City representation in FIFA competitions and expanded to players associated with multiple clubs and additional games. The group has used esports for fan engagement, digital content, partnerships and brand development.
Controversies
Marketing campaigns
- 2019Manchester City and FaZe Clan collaboration
Global
The partnership combined football and gaming audiences through competitions, content, merchandise and shared training opportunities for FIFA players.
Outcome. It expanded Manchester City's digital entertainment and esports positioning.
- 2016Manchester City esports launch
Global
Manchester City recruited a professional FIFA player and used competitions, fan events and social content to introduce CFG to esports.
Outcome. The initiative developed into a broader multi-club esports programme.
- 2014Melbourne Heart rebrand to Melbourne City
Australia · United Kingdom
CFG changed Melbourne Heart's name, badge and colour direction to establish stronger links with the City football identity while retaining elements of the club's existing visual heritage.
Outcome. Melbourne City became a central Australian club in CFG's international network.
Brand decisions
2020
Acquire Lommel and TroyesM&ABackground
CFG continued expanding its European player-development and club network during a period of financial pressure across football caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Action taken
The group acquired interests in Lommel of Belgium and Troyes of France.
Aftermath
Both clubs became additional European development and competition locations within the CFG structure.
2014
Use common branding across selected clubsStrategyBackground
CFG sought to make affiliated clubs recognisable as parts of one international football family while preserving local competition identities.
Action taken
Melbourne Heart was renamed Melbourne City, and related clubs adopted elements of the City visual language.
Aftermath
The approach increased network visibility but also generated debate about local identity and multi-club ownership.
2013
Create a global multi-club football groupStrategyBackground
CFG was designed to connect Manchester City with affiliated clubs in international markets and to build a football business extending beyond a single team.
Action taken
The group established a holding structure around Manchester City and New York City FC.
Aftermath
The structure became the basis for subsequent acquisitions, partnerships and shared sporting operations.
Recent events
Silver Lake to acquire a stake in City Football Group[3]
Reported:
City Football Group agreed to sell Silver Lake more than 10% of Manchester City for $500 million, valuing the club at $4.8 billion. The report says the parties announced the transaction on Wednesday.
Weekdays and relative dates follow the original report; their exact calendar dates have not been verified.
Sources3 sources
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