Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber confirmed that the New York City FC and other City Football Group entities face no risk of sanctions regarding the ongoing legal case surrounding Manchester City.
These are separate entities operating under different jurisdictions.
“The MLS analyzes how owners act according to our rules here in the league,” Garber said during a Front Office Sport Tuned In session. “It is not up to us to examine what the owners of our teams do in other leagues and, frankly, I don’t think any league would take into account what other owners do when they have multiple investments in other sports.”
Unlike standard expansion clubs, New York City FC did not exist before Manchester City and the New York Yankees joined forces in May 2013 to acquire the rights for the league’s 20th franchise.
The club was built entirely in the image of Manchester City because the CFG was able to create the franchise from scratch. The club launched its inaugural MLS campaign in 2015, dealing with early supporter frustrations such as the delayed arrival of Frank Lampard due to an extended stay in England.
The franchise secured its landmark piece of silverware by winning the MLS Cup in 2021. City Football Group also funded the development of a new stadium, Etihad Park, which is scheduled to open next year.
High-profile figures within English football have called for Manchester City’s owners to be removed from the Etihad Stadium amid fierce controversy. As Manchester City is the main club of the group, losing control of its most valuable asset would inevitably cast doubt on the future of the largest multi-club ownership project.
Garber maintained that multiple-team ownership is a structure every competition manages through internal regulations. “Multiple-team ownership is something we all live with and need to deal with, and we have our own rules about the conduct of these owners,” he said.
Related reading
