What relationship does New York City FC have with Manchester City?

The Beautiful Game is one that connects fans around the world. And these days, the interconnection between clubs is not simply due to towns, leagues, nations and confederations. Ownership across the globe is now very much linked. Take, for example, Manchester City, New York City FC, Melbourne City, Montevideo City Torque, French side Troyes and Belgium’s Lommel. Do you know what they all have in common? You may have already guessed.

The clubs under City Football Group

That’s right, these clubs are 100% owned by the City Football Group (CFG) with the company also holding key shares in the likes of Girona (currently kicking up a storm in Spain’s LaLiga), India’s Mumbai City, Brazil’s EC Bahia and Serie B side Palermo.

The City Football Group is a UK based holding company that primarily administers association football clubs, owning stakes in clubs in the United States, Australia, India, Japan, Spain, Uruguay, China, Belgium and France. The group is owned by three organisations; of which 81% is majority owned by the Abu Dhabi United Group, 18% by the American firm Silver Lake and 1% by Chinese firms China Media Capital and CITIC Capital.

Man City profile in Premier League and beyond

With continued domestic success in the Premier League over recent years, Manchester City, led by the expert hand of Pep Guardiola are the shining light of the group and the Mancunian club group lends its name to the consortium.

City secured an incredible treble last season, securing their first ever Champions League title in June to add to the domestic FA Cup and Premier League, further boosting the global profile.

Across the Atlantic, New York City FC provide a high profile team in Major League Soccer and fall under the Yankee Global Enterprises umbrella which is also owned by CFG.

The CFG ideology taking shape

CFG see the natural evolution of club brands being to expand globally, and that doing so could include the creation of franchise clubs in foreign leagues. The group maintain that their ambition is to “increase participation in football on and off the field, to find and develop the best footballing talent, and to deliver an exciting and forward playing game.”

The group also uses its global reach and scouting network as a platform to nurture and harness talent by using clubs in lower leagues as platforms and pathways to the group’s bigger profile teams.

CFG has also invested in women’s football and also eSports with four of the clubs in the portfolio already having a women’s team.