Manchester City owner CFG strikes new North American partnership

Manchester City owner City Football Group (CFG) has struck a new joint venture with five-a-side pitch operator Goals Soccer Centres.

The agreement, announced today (July 25), will see the club team up with Goals to create and run new playing and training sites across the US and Canada.

Each of the facilities will be jointly MCFC and Goals branded.

City Football Group chief exec Ferran Soriano said: “This is a very exciting development for our plans in the US and Canada.

“Soccer is indisputably the world’s number one sport and growing fast in this region.”

He added: “We have an ambitious vision to help this growth, including our ownership of New York City FC in MLS and many other initiatives like the one we are announcing today.”

Speaking further, Mr Soriano said he believes the best way for people “to fall in love with soccer” is through participation.

He continued: “There are a very large number of soccer players in the US and Canada, of all ages, and facilities, like the ones we have and will build, will help tremendously. At CFG we will bring our expertise from the professional game to help Americans play and improve at the sport they love.”

In addition to Manchester City, CFG owns New York City FC in the US, Melbourne City in Australia, CA Torque in Uruguay and Yokohama f Marinos in Japan.

CFG’s portfolio of companies also includes football-related businesses, including academies and marketing firms.

Goals chairman Nick Basing commented: “I am delighted we have concluded our new partnership with City Football Group which will transform the prospects to expand our North American estate.

“This is a transformational agreement for our Company to grow and strengthen the North American business. We are delighted to be partnered with a global leader in soccer and believe the combination will give us significant competitive advantage at a time when the emerging market is in its infancy.”