TAKING OVER THE WORLD

MULTI-CLUB OWNERSHIP IS BECOMING A BIG DEVELOPMENT IN WORLD OF FOOTBALL

- Nick Said

There is a growing trend in football for multiclub ownership, where organisations have teams in various different leagues, but the reasons for owning multiple clubs are not always the same.

The concept is not foreign to South Africans: Ajax Amsterdam held a 51% stake in Ajax Cape Town for more than 20 years before they pulled out in 2020, having not seen the desired number of players coming through the system after the early promise of Steven Pienaar.

Manchester City are the standard-bearers these days and own all or part of 11 other clubs across the world. in the United States. Australia, China, Brazil, Spain, Italy. France and Japan, among others.

All this expansion has happened in the past 10 years since The City Football Group (CFG) was launched in 2013, led by City's owners, the Abu Dhabi United Group.

There is only one continent they do not own a club on... yet. Africa probably does not present many opportunities for them to purchase outright, as they would be looking at an established, well-run league and that narrows it down considerably.

Added to that, major clubs in those leagues are usually family owned, or run by fans, and they would certainly not be keen to give up the reins to City.

There have been rumours in local football circles that Cape Town City are an interesting proposition for CFG - not because of the name, but rather their location in one of the world's greatest cities, magnificent stadium, positive brand image and potential for growth.

It would be a place for City to spot African football potential and, if not ready for Europe, park players in a competitive league and at a club where they know they will be looked after.