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- City Football Group
City Football Group Revenue, Valuation, Funding & Investors
City Football Group is valued at $4.8B as of November 2019. City Football Group revenue was $845M, as disclosed with its November 2022 round.
Last City Football Group valuation
$4.8B
Undisclosed stage · Nov 2019
Last City Football Group funding round
$500M
Undisclosed stage · Nov 2019
City Football Group revenue
$845M
Secondary · Nov 2022
Key investors in City Football Group
Silver Lake
CITIC Capital Holdings
CMC Capital Group
Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan
About City Football Group
City Football Group is a Manchester-headquartered holding company owning professional football clubs including Manchester City in the English Premier League, New York City FC in Major League Soccer, Melbourne City in the Australian A-League, and Girona FC in Spain's La Liga. The group oversees women's teams, youth academies, and scouting networks in Abu Dhabi, Shanghai, and Montevideo. All clubs utilize standardized training methodologies at City Football Academies, with the original facility in Manchester serving as the blueprint for sustainable design and community integration. City Football Group also manages sports science, analytics, and media production arms supporting global operations.
Founded
2013
HQ
Website
Status
Privately held
Customer focus
B2B
Revenue model
Investment management
Revenue
$845M (Nov 2022)
Valuation
$4.8B (Nov 2019)
Sectors
City Football Group Valuation
City Football Group is currently valued at $4.8B, based on its undisclosed-stage round in November 2019. Read the announcement ↗
The $500M round was led by Silver Lake.
City Football Group's valuation has grown 1.6x from $3B at its strategic investment round in December 2015 to $4.8B in November 2019, across 2 priced rounds.
City Football Group valuation by funding round
| Date | Stage | Valuation |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 2019 | Undisclosed stage | $4.8B |
| Dec 2015 | Strategic investment | $3B |
City Football Group Revenue
City Football Group's latest recorded revenue is $845M, as of its secondary sale in November 2022.
Revenue grew from $778M in September 2022 to $845M in November 2022.
City Football Group revenue by funding round
| Date | Revenue * | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 2022 | $845M | Secondary |
| Sep 2022 | $778M | Secondary |
* Revenue (or ARR) figures are the values recorded alongside each funding round. Typically run-rate revenue at the time of the deal, or a reported LTM (last 12 months) revenue.
City Football Group Funding History
City Football Group has raised a total of $900M across 2 funding rounds, plus 2 secondary share sales.
City Football Group's first fundraising round was a $400M strategic investment round in December 2015. The most recent completed round was a $500M undisclosed-stage round in November 2019.
City Football Group funding rounds
| Date | Stage | Investors | Raised | Valuation | Deal Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2022 | Secondary | Silver Lake; Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan | - | - | China Media Capital sold 7.24% of City Football Group in November 2022, with Silver Lake buying half of the block and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, CFG's controlling shareholder, buying the other half through his Abu Dhabi-based vehicle Newton Investment and Development. The sale, reported on 28 November 2022, took Silver Lake's holding to more than 18% and cut CMC's stake to 1%, and no price or valuation was disclosed. CMC chairman Li Ruigang stepped down from the CFG board as part of the transaction, although CFG said CMC remained a valued partner, particularly in China. The group described the deal as a further endorsement of its business model and continued international growth. It completed CMC's exit from almost all of the position it had built since December 2015, when a consortium it led with CITIC Capital paid US$400 million for just over 13% of CFG in new shares at a US$3 billion valuation. In September 2022 CMC had already sold 4.1% to Silver Lake, which first invested in November 2019 with US$500 million for just over 10% at a US$4.8 billion valuation. The November transaction was a sale of existing shares and brought no new money into the group. City Football Group was formed in 2013 by Sheikh Mansour's Abu Dhabi United Group as the holding company for Manchester City, which he bought in 2008. By late 2022 it had interests in twelve clubs, including New York City FC, Melbourne City, Girona, Troyes, Palermo, Lommel and Yokohama F. Marinos. |
| Sep 2022 | Secondary | Silver Lake | - | - | Silver Lake bought an additional 4.1% of City Football Group from China Media Capital, a transaction reported on 16 September 2022 that lifted the US technology investor's holding to 14.5%. The purchase made Silver Lake the second-largest shareholder in the owner of Manchester City, behind Abu Dhabi United Group, which kept just over 75% of the company. China Media Capital, which had entered CFG in December 2015 as leader of a Chinese consortium that paid US$400 million for just over 13% at a US$3 billion valuation, retained 8.2% after the sale. The price of the block was not disclosed. Silver Lake had first invested in November 2019, when it paid US$500 million for just over 10% of new CFG shares in a deal that valued the group at US$4.8 billion, the highest valuation then recorded for a sports business. The September 2022 purchase was a sale of existing shares between investors and brought no new capital into the group. Silver Lake's other sports holdings at the time included stakes in the Australian Professional Leagues, New Zealand Rugby's commercial arm and Endeavor. City Football Group was formed in 2013 by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan's Abu Dhabi United Group as the holding company for Manchester City, which it had bought in 2008, and by 2022 it owned or held stakes in a network of clubs across Europe, the Americas, Asia and Australia, including New York City FC, Melbourne City, Girona, Troyes, Lommel and Yokohama F. Marinos. |
| Nov 2019 | Undisclosed stage | Silver Lake (lead) | $500M | $4.8B | City Football Group (CFG), established in 2013, is the world’s leading private owner and operator of soccer clubs, holding total or partial ownership of seven clubs including Premier League champions Manchester City, New York City FC, Melbourne City FC, and Yokohama F. Marinos. On November 27, 2019, CFG announced a US$500 million primary equity investment from Silver Lake, equivalent to just over 10% of the post-investment value, valuing the company at US$4.8 billion post-money and making it the most valuable soccer organization globally. No existing shareholders sold equity, with proceeds designated for international business growth, technology, and infrastructure development. Silver Lake, a technology-focused private equity firm, joined as a strategic partner, with Managing Partner Egon Durban added to CFG’s board, expanding it from eight to nine members. CFG Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak highlighted the investment’s validation and potential for growth through sports, entertainment, and technology convergence to create new global revenue streams. The deal was reported across multiple outlets including Silver Lake’s press release and news from Axios and ESPN, confirming the $4.8 billion valuation. While CFG-specific financials were not detailed, Manchester City reported record revenue of £535.2 million for the 2018-19 fiscal year, reflecting 11 straight years of growth and fifth consecutive profitable year under Abu Dhabi ownership. Silver Lake aimed to hold the stake long-term, potentially via IPO or sale. |
| Dec 2015 | Strategic investment | CMC Capital Group (lead); CITIC Capital Holdings | $400M | $3B | A consortium led by China Media Capital (CMC Holdings) and including CITIC Capital agreed on 1 December 2015 to invest US$400 million in City Football Group for a shareholding of just over 13%. The deal valued City Football Group at US$3 billion, and the consortium's stake was covered by an issue of new shares rather than a sale by the existing owner, Abu Dhabi United Group. The agreement followed about six months of negotiations and remained subject to regulatory approval in certain territories. CMC chairman Li Ruigang joined the CFG board, which was expanded from six to seven members. City Football Group said the capital would fund its growth in China, further international expansion and the development of its infrastructure assets. CFG chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said the partnership gave the group an unrivalled platform to grow both in China and internationally, and the announcement came weeks after Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Manchester City's academy during his October 2015 state visit to the United Kingdom. CMC Holdings is a Chinese media, entertainment, sports and internet investment company that held media rights to the Chinese Super League and the national teams, while CITIC Capital is a Hong Kong-based alternative investment firm founded in 2002. City Football Group was created in 2013 by Sheikh Mansour's Abu Dhabi United Group, which bought Manchester City in 2008, as the holding company for its football interests. At the time of the deal it owned Manchester City, New York City FC and Melbourne City FC and held a minority stake in Japan's Yokohama F. Marinos. |
Who has invested in City Football Group?
4 investors have backed City Football Group across its funding rounds, including Silver Lake, CITIC Capital Holdings, CMC Capital Group and Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Lead investors include Silver Lake and CMC Capital Group.
City Football Group Investors
| Investor | HQ | Rounds | Role | First check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Lead | Nov 2019 | ||
| 1 | Participant | Nov 2022 | ||
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Benchmark 350K+ Funding Rounds and Disclosed VC Valuation Multiples
Sign up to see data on 350K+ funding rounds and disclosed revenue and EBITDA valuation multiples, from seed, through growth stage, to pre-IPO.
Start Free TrialAcquisitions by City Football Group
City Football Group has acquired 8 companies to date.
Last acquisition by City Football Group was on May 4th 2023. City Football Group acquired Esporte Clube Bahia for undisclosed valuation.
Latest Acquisitions by City Football Group
| Description | Esporte Clube Bahia is a Brazilian professional football club based in Salvador, the capital of Bahia state, founded on 1 January 1931. Known as the Esquadrão de Aço (Steel Squadron), it competes in Brazil's top division, the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, and in the Campeonato Baiano state league. It plays home matches at the Arena Fonte Nova, which holds about 50,000. Bahia has won the national title twice, in 1959, when it beat Pelé's Santos in the final, and in 1988, and it was the first Brazilian club to play in the Copa Libertadores, in 1960. It has also won a record 51 Bahia state championships and five Copa do Nordeste titles, most recently in 2025. The club earns money from broadcasting rights, match-day tickets, sponsorship, merchandise and player transfers. In December 2022 members approved turning the football department into a company (SAF), and in May 2023 City Football Group completed its purchase of a 90% stake in a deal reportedly worth about $200 million, with the club association keeping 10%. | Palermo Football Club is a professional football club based in Palermo, Sicily, that plays in Italy's Serie B. Founded on 1 November 1900 as the Anglo-Palermitan Athletic and Football Club, it plays its home matches at the Stadio Renzo Barbera, which holds 36,365 spectators. Under Maurizio Zamparini, who bought the club in 2002, Palermo returned to Serie A in 2004 after 31 years away and went on to make five appearances in the UEFA Cup and Europa League. Its honours include five Serie B titles and the 1992–93 Coppa Italia Serie C, and it has reached three Coppa Italia finals, in 1973–74, 1978–79 and 2010–11. After financial collapse the club was excluded from professional football in 2019 and re-formed as a phoenix club, returning to Serie B in 2022 after beating Padova 2–0 on aggregate. On 4 July 2022 City Football Group, the multi-club owner of Manchester City, acquired the club, initially alongside Dario Mirri, who kept 20%; CFG now holds 94.94% of the shares. The club earns revenue from broadcasting, sponsorship, ticketing and player transfers. | ESTAC Troyes (Espérance Sportive Troyes Aube Champagne) is a French professional football club based in Troyes in the Aube department. The club was founded in 1986 and plays at the Stade de l'Aube, which holds about 20,400 spectators. It won the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 2001 and the Ligue 2 title in 2014-15, and has moved between Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 over the past two decades. City Football Group became majority shareholder in September 2020 after buying the shares of Daniel Masoni, and the club won promotion to Ligue 1 in 2021. It earns revenue from domestic media rights, sponsorship, player sales and matchday income. | Lommel SK is a Belgian professional football club based in Lommel in the province of Limburg. The club traces its history to 1932 and plays its home games at the city-owned Soevereinstadion, which holds about 8,000 spectators. It competed in the Belgian second tier when City Football Group agreed to buy the majority of its shares from the not-for-profit foundation that controlled it in May 2020. The club is known for youth development and serves as a development and loan destination within City Football Group, which now holds about 99% of the shares. Its revenue comes from player trading, sponsorship, media distributions and matchday income. | |
| HQ Country | |||||
| HQ City | Salvador | Palermo | Troyes | Lommel | |
| Deal Date | 4 May 2023 | 1 Jul 2022 | 2 Sep 2020 | 10 May 2020 | |
| Valuation | undisclosed | $18M | undisclosed | undisclosed | |
| EV/Revenue | |||||
| EV/EBITDA | |||||
This data is available for Pro users. Sign up to see all City Football Group acquisitions and their M&A valuation multiples. Start Free Trial | |||||
Investments by City Football Group
City Football Group has invested in 3 companies to date.
Latest investment by City Football Group was on August 13th 2017. City Football Group invested in Girona FC in their Secondary round.
Latest Investments by City Football Group
| Description | Girona FC is a Spanish professional football club based in Girona, Catalonia, founded on 23 July 1930. The club plays its home matches at the Estadi Montilivi, a municipal ground with capacity for about 14,600 spectators. Girona spent most of its history in the lower divisions before winning promotion to La Liga for the first time in May 2017, shortly before City Football Group and Girona Football Group bought equal 44.3% stakes. The club later reached the UEFA Champions League after a third-place La Liga finish in 2023-24. It earns revenue from domestic and European media rights, sponsorship and commercial partnerships, and matchday ticketing and merchandise. City Football Group holds about 47% of the club, with Marcelo Claure and Girona Football Group as the other main shareholders. | Melbourne City FC is an Australian professional soccer club based in the south-eastern region of Melbourne, Victoria, that competes in the A-League Men under licence from the Australian Professional Leagues. It was founded in 2009 as Melbourne Heart and played under that name from its first A-League season in 2010-11 until 2013-14. In January 2014 City Football Group bought 80% of the club for $12 million alongside a consortium linked to rugby league club Melbourne Storm, rebranded it Melbourne City, and took full ownership in August 2015. The club plays home matches at the 30,050-seat Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, known as AAMI Park, and trains at the City Football Academy at Casey Fields in Cranbourne East. It has won three A-League Men premierships, two championships, including the May 2025 grand final against Melbourne Victory, and the 2016 Australia Cup, and qualified for the 2025-26 AFC Champions League Elite. Its women's side, Melbourne City Women, plays in the A-League Women and won championships in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2020. The club's sponsorship arrangements usually tie in with sister clubs in the City Football Group, with Etihad Airways a long-standing sponsor. | Yokohama F. Marinos is a Japanese professional football club based in Yokohama, Kanagawa, that competes in the J1 League. The club was founded in 1972 as the works team of Nissan Motor and adopted its current name after a 1999 merger with Yokohama Flügels. It is one of the most successful clubs in Japanese football, with several J.League titles including the 2019 and 2022 championships, and plays its home games at Nissan Stadium. The club earns revenue from sponsorship led by Nissan, domestic media rights distributed by the J.League, and ticket and merchandise sales. City Football Group held a minority stake of about 20% from 2014 until June 2026, when it transferred its shares to Nissan, which became the sole owner again. |
| HQ Country | |||
| HQ City | Girona | Melbourne | Yokohama |
| Deal Date | 13 Aug 2017 | 1 Aug 2015 | 20 May 2014 |
| Round | Secondary | Secondary | Strategic investment |
| Raised | undisclosed | $2M | undisclosed |
| Investors | - | - | - |
| Valuation | undisclosed | undisclosed | undisclosed |
| EV/Revenue | |||
| EV/EBITDA | |||
This data is available for Pro users. Sign up to see all City Football Group investments and their VC round multiples. Start Free Trial | |||
City Football Group Competitors
City Football Group competitors include listed companies like Manchester United and Sportradar, and private ones like Suning Sports, McLaren Racing, WME and FC Bayern München.
| Company | HQ | Status | Revenue | EBITDA | Valuation | Revenue Multiple |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private | - | - | $2.6B | - | ||
| Private | $713M | - | $5B | 7.0x | ||
| Private | $1.7B | - | $5.5B | 3.2x | ||
| Private | $1.1B | $211M | $4.2B | 3.8x | ||
| Publicly listed | $906M | $320M | $3.6B | 4.8x | ||
| Publicly listed | $1.4B | $595M | $3.6B | 2.0x |
City Football Group Public Comps
City Football Group is still privately-owned, but its public comps include Manchester United, Sportradar, Atlanta Braves Holdings, MSG Sports, Cannae Holdings, Juventus FC, Ollamani, Borussia Dortmund, Parken Sport and TKO.
| Last FY | EV/Revenue | EV/EBITDA | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | EBITDA | Last FY | LTM | 2027E | Last FY | LTM | 2027E | |
| $906M | $320M | 4.9x | 4.8x | 13.9x | 15.4x | |||
| $1.4B | $595M | 2.3x | 2.0x | 5.6x | 8.5x | |||
| $732M | $98M | 5.6x | 5.2x | 41.7x | 68.2x | |||
| $1.2B | $39M | 7.4x | 7.5x | 217.0x | 316.2x | |||
| $424M | ($162M) | 2.0x | 2.1x | (5.1x) | (15.6x) | |||
| $584M | $121M | 1.9x | 2.1x | 9.2x | 9.8x | |||
| $345M | $35M | 2.3x | 2.0x | 22.5x | 11.4x | |||
| $515M | $103M | 0.8x | 0.7x | 3.8x | 3.4x | |||
This data is available for Pro users. Sign up to see all City Football Group competitors and their valuation data. Start Free Trial | ||||||||
Common questions about City Football Group
| When was City Football Group founded? | City Football Group was founded in 2013. |
| Where is City Football Group headquartered? | City Football Group is headquartered in Manchester, United Kingdom. |
| Is City Football Group publicly listed? | No, City Football Group is a private, VC-backed company. |
| What is City Football Group's valuation? | City Football Group was last valued at $4.8B in its undisclosed-stage round in November 2019. |
| How much funding has City Football Group raised? | City Football Group has raised $900M across 2 funding rounds. |
| What was City Football Group's last funding round? | City Football Group's last funding round was a $500M undisclosed-stage round in November 2019, led by Silver Lake. |
| Who are City Football Group's investors? | City Football Group's investors include Silver Lake, Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, CMC Capital Group and CITIC Capital Holdings. |
| What is City Football Group's revenue? | City Football Group's latest recorded revenue is $845M (November 2022). |
| Which companies are comparable to City Football Group? | Companies comparable to City Football Group include Suning Sports, McLaren Racing, WME, FC Bayern München, Manchester United and Sportradar. |
| How many companies has City Football Group acquired? | City Football Group has acquired 8 companies, including Esporte Clube Bahia, Palermo Football Club, ESTAC Troyes, Lommel SK and Mumbai City FC. |
| What was the largest acquisition by City Football Group? | The $18M acquisition of Palermo Football Club in July 2022 is the largest acquisition City Football Group has made to date. |
| How many companies has City Football Group invested in? | City Football Group has invested in 3 companies, including Girona FC, Melbourne City FC and Yokohama F. Marinos. |
| What was City Football Group's last investment? | In August 2017, City Football Group invested in Girona FC's secondary sale. |
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