CF Montréal founder and president Joey Saputo announced Monday he has initiated a structured process to sell the Major League Soccer franchise.
The decision, delivered by the Canadian businessman during a press conference, follows one of the club’s most difficult competitive seasons since joining the league in 2012.
Saputo expressed clear intent regarding the future of the organization. “Our preference is to find the right buyer here so that the club remains in Montreal,” he said, though he stopped short of providing a formal guarantee that the team would stay in the city.
The possibility of relocation remains a point of tension for the club, which was known as the Montreal Impact until 2021. Because MLS operates as a closed league, a franchise could move to a new city, causing public unease in Quebec.
Local anxiety is fueled by the 2004 departure of the Montreal Expos, the city’s former Major League Baseball team that relocated to Washington.
Paul Saint-Pierre Plamondon stated Tuesday that he intends to review proposals from potential investors. He did not rule out the possibility of taking a minority stake in the soccer club, which was founded in 1992, to help ensure it stays in Montreal.
“A responsible government cannot close the door before having looked at the projects in question,” Saint-Pierre Plamondon said. The municipal government echoed these sentiments in a statement provided to Agence France-Presse, noting a preference for local investors who are committed to the club’s growth within the city.
The announcement of the sale comes after a challenging campaign. The club finished at the bottom of the MLS Eastern Conference, recording only six victories and 26 points across 34 matches. The team has seen coaching changes over the years, including a tenure under Thierry Henry from 2019 to 2021.
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