All City Football Group (CFG) Teams

In May 2013, the City Football Group was officially born with the goal of managing the football investments of Newton Investment and Development LLC, which involves members of the United Arab Emirates royal family.

In recent years, two major conglomerates from China and the United States have also joined.

• City Football Group Teams

Manchester City (England)
New York City (USA)
Melbourne City FC (Australia)
Yokohama F. Marinos (Japan)
Montevideo City Torque (Uruguay)
Girona FC (Spain)
Shenzhen Peng City* (China)
Lommel SK (Belgium)
ESTAC Troyes (France)
Bolívar (Bolivia)
Palermo FC (Italy)
EC Bahía (Brazil)

*Formerly known as Sichuan Jiuniu.

Manchester City

[2008] The “Citizens” of Manchester, who were typically a mid-table Premier League side, became the first club acquired by ADUG (Abu Dhabi United Group).

Thanks to heavy financial investment, they gradually gained prominence, winning multiple league titles and domestic cups. Today, they are recognized globally and are perennial contenders in continental competitions.

New York City FC

[2013] With CFG already established, it was confirmed that, alongside the New York Yankees, they had secured the twentieth Major League Soccer franchise.

Two years later, they began official MLS participation, with their crowning achievement being the 2021 title won against the Portland Timbers.

Melbourne City FC

[2014] Expansion continued in Australia, where they took over Melbourne Heart FC in the A-League. In Oceania, the first major branding decisions were made as the club’s name and colors were changed to align with the group’s identity.

Yokohama F. Marinos

[2014] Around the same time they arrived in Australia, they landed in Japanese football by purchasing a stake in the popular Yokohama F. Marinos.

The historic Japanese side only sold a small percentage of its shares; the majority is still held by the club’s founder, Nissan Motors.

Montevideo City Torque

[2017] After several years without new additions, CFG decided to invest in South America by taking over Club Atlético Torque in Uruguay. Shortly after, the Montevideo-based club changed its name and crest.

Girona FC

[2017] The purchase of 44.3% of the shares of the Catalan club based in the city of Gerona was confirmed. The club reached the top flight for the first time just months after CFG’s arrival. Currently, CFG holds 47%, with other shares owned by Bolivian businessman Marcelo Claure (35%) and the Girona Football Group (16%).

Shenzhen Peng City

[2019] Chinese investors belonging to the group took over the entirety of the shares of Sichuan Jiuniu. Starting in 2024, following their promotion to the top tier, the club moved to a new city and was renamed SHENZHEN PENG CITY, changing its colors and crest.

Lommel SK

[2020] The Belgian club became the first investment of 2020. This small institution in the second division is primarily used to develop young prospects.

ESTAC Troyes

[2020] After scouting several French teams, the group finalized the purchase of the club from the city of Troyes. A few months later, they managed to return to Ligue 1.

Club Bolívar

[2021] The Bolivian side from La Paz became the first Partner Club, receiving consulting, access to group technology, and investments such as a high-performance training complex. This was possible as their president, Marcelo Claure, is part of CFG.

Palermo FC

[2022] After failing to acquire NAC Breda (Netherlands), this Italian side was chosen to establish a presence in another major European country. Following financial difficulties, the Sicilians were refounded in 2019 and have recently been competing in Serie B.

EC Bahía

[2023] The Brazilian side is the third South American club to join the group. Since 2023, CFG has held 90% of the shares of the Salvador de Bahía team, which seeks to gain prominence in the local league.

In December 2025, the divestment in India’s Mumbai City FC, which had been part of the group since 2019, was announced.

Identity

Since its inception, the business group has implemented a shared visual style dominated by sky blue, navy blue, and white.

Several clubs have already applied this branding, while others retain their traditional names, crests, and colors for two reasons: they are either recent acquisitions or CFG has less decision-making power due to shared ownership with other companies.

Technical Sponsors

A similar trend applies to kits. In early 2019, a lucrative contract was announced with the German sportswear brand PUMA. Since then, most clubs have moved to wear the “Big Cat”, except for those with existing contracts with other companies, such as New York City (adidas is the exclusive MLS sponsor), Yokohama F. Marinos (adidas), Lommel SK (Masita), ESTAC Troyes (Le Coq Sportif), and EC Bahía (in-house brand).

Crest Changes

Seven of the clubs have already adopted the circular look and style that characterizes Manchester City, the flagship team of CFG.