The City Football Group (CFG) is a company that oversees a worldwide network of football clubs. It was established in 2013 and is mostly owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan through the Abu Dhabi United Group. Below is a detailed look at the clubs that CFG currently owns or partners with, based on the latest information available as of June 13, 2025.
Source: City Football Group
Overview of City Football Group
CFG manages 14 football clubs across five continents, with Manchester City being the main club. The group wants to keep local authenticity while using global knowledge for developing talent, engaging fans, and creating business opportunities. CFG’s approach includes owning clubs fully or partially, with some clubs acting as partners, which helps with player loans, sharing resources, and expanding into new markets. Although CFG’s strategy has been criticized for its multi-club ownership model, some people view it as a model for modern football management.
City Football Group Clubs: A Global Football Superpower in the Making
List of CFG Clubs
Here’s a detailed list of the 14 clubs that CFG owns or works with, along with important information about their ownership, league, and role in the group:
Manchester City FC (England)
League: Premier League
Ownership: 100% (acquired in 2008)
Details: This is the main club, bought for £210 million by Sheikh Mansour. CFG was created in 2013 to grow from this starting point. Manchester City has won seven Premier League titles, a Champions League, and many domestic cups under CFG, with a brand value of £1.5 billion in 2022/23. The club leads CFG’s global strategy and often loans players to other clubs in the group.
Notable Players: Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne; former players like Yangel Herrera and Eric Garcia have moved to Girona.
New York City FC (United States)
League: Major League Soccer (MLS)
Ownership: 80% (acquired in 2013, started playing in 2015)
Details: This was CFG’s first expansion, bought for £78 million in partnership with the New York Yankees. NYCFC won the MLS Cup in 2021. The club wears a sky-blue kit, matching Manchester City’s branding, and acts as a talent pipeline, with players like Taty Castellanos moving between CFG clubs.
Notable Players: Frank Lampard, Andrea Pirlo, and David Villa played to enhance the club’s reputation.
Melbourne City FC (Australia)
League: A-League
Ownership: 100% (80% acquired in 2014, remaining 20% in 2015)
Details: Originally named Melbourne Heart, it was rebranded to Melbourne City with a sky-blue kit and circular logo. CFG worked to align the club’s identity with Manchester City. They won the A-League championship in 2021 and the Australian Cup in 2016.
Current Standing: Ninth in the A-League (2023/24).
Yokohama F. Marinos (Japan)
League: J1 League
Ownership: 20% (acquired 2014)
Details: CFG owns a small part of the team, while Nissan Motors owns most of it. Kevin Muscat is the manager, and the team won the J1 League in 2019 and 2022 thanks to CFG’s help. Yokohama is CFG’s base in Asia.
Current Standing: Second in J1 League (2023).
Note: Shunsuke Nakamura left in 2023 because he was unhappy with CFG’s control.
Girona FC (Spain)
League: La Liga
Ownership: 44.3% (acquired 2017)
Details: CFG shares ownership with Girona Football Group, which is led by Pere Guardiola. Girona was at the top of La Liga in 2023/24 and made it to the Champions League for the first time. However, CFG put its shares in a blind trust from July 2024 to June 2025 to follow UEFA rules about owning multiple clubs. Players like Yan Couto and Savio are on loan from CFG teams.
Current Standing: Second in La Liga (2023/24).
Notable Players: Savio (loaned from Troyes), Yangel Herrera, Eric Garcia (formerly of Manchester City).
Montevideo City Torque (Uruguay)
League: Primera División
Ownership: Majority stake (acquired 2017, rebranded 2020)
Details: The team was originally called Club Atlético Torque and changed its name and logo to a sky-blue kit. They got promoted to the Primera División twice and made it to the Copa Libertadores in 2022. They also have a City Football Academy, which is CFG’s first in South America, helping to develop young talent.
Current Standing: Ninth in Primera División (2023).
Notable Players: Taty Castellanos and Santiago Rodriguez moved to NYCFC through Torque.
Shenzhen Peng City (China)
League: China League One (second tier)
Ownership: Majority stake (acquired 2019 as Sichuan Jiuniu)
Details: This was CFG’s first step into Chinese football, with a team worth $3 million, which is the least among CFG clubs. They haven’t been able to compete for promotion to the Chinese Super League yet, finishing seventh and eighth in the last few seasons. This club is important for CFG’s strategy in China.
Current Standing: Mid-table in China League One.
City Football Group Building a Global Football Dynasty
Mumbai City FC (India)
League: Indian Super League
Ownership: 65% (acquired 2019)
Details: They wear a sky-blue kit and have a round logo. CFG wants to grow in India’s football scene. Mumbai City hasn’t won any big trophies yet, but they are set up for success in the future.
Current Standing: They are doing well in the Indian Super League.
Lommel SK (Belgium)
League: Belgian First Division B (second tier)
Ownership: Majority stake (acquired 2020)
Details: They were bought to get into Belgium’s youth training system. Lommel is known for having a strong academy and wants to move up to the Belgian Pro League. It’s a good place for CFG’s young players to compete.
Current Standing: They are in the middle of the table in First Division B.
ES Troyes AC (France)
League: Ligue 2
Ownership: Majority stake (acquired 2020)
Details: They were bought to make a mark in French football. Troyes won Ligue 2 in 2020/21 but got dropped from Ligue 1 soon after. They use players on loan like Savio, who was bought for a record fee but never played for Troyes.
Notable Players: Savio (loaned to Girona, now at Manchester City).
Palermo FC (Italy)
League: Serie B
Ownership: 94.5% (80% acquired 2022, increased to 94.5% later)
Details: They were bought to help a historic club that was having money problems. Palermo kept its pink and black colors to honor its history. CFG wants to bring Palermo back to Serie A and use it to help young players grow.
Current Standing: They are in the middle of the table in Serie B.
Esporte Clube Bahia (Brazil)
League: Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
Ownership: 90% (acquired 2022)
Details: This is CFG’s biggest investment in South America, costing $200 million. Bahia won the state championship in 2025 and got into the 2025 CONMEBOL Libertadores. Players like Kayky (loaned from Manchester City) and Nicolas Acevedo (from NYCFC) are trained here.
Notable Achievements: Two Brasileirão titles, 51 state championships.
Club Bolívar (Bolivia)
League: Primera División
Ownership: Partner club (since 2021)
Details: Bolívar is the most successful club in Bolivia, having won 30 league titles. It operates as a partner, not fully owned, and benefits from CFG’s expertise and technology. This helps in developing talent from South America.
Current Standing: Second place in the Primera División (2023).
Istanbul Başakşehir (Turkey)
League: Turkish Süper Lig
Ownership: Partnership (acquired 2024)
Details: CFG’s latest addition, announced in early 2024, marks their entry into Turkey. The specifics of the partnership, like how much of a stake they have, are not clear, but it fits with CFG’s plan to explore new markets.
CFG has ownership or partnerships with 14 clubs on five continents, with Manchester City being the main focus. The group’s plan uses global talent sources, shared resources, and branding to improve competitiveness and visibility in the market. Although it has been successful, some people criticize the model for possibly reducing club independence and causing regulatory issues. The inclusion of Istanbul Başakşehir in 2024 shows that CFG is still expanding, with opportunities for more growth in unexplored markets like South Africa or Qatar.
