August 25 – Mercury 13, a group led by sports entrepreneur Victoire Cogevina Reynal that will invest $100 million in acquiring women’s clubs in Europe and Latin America, will start with England’s second division side Lewes FC.
The investor group includes former players such as ex-England forward Eni Aluko and ex-Italy goalkeeper Arianna Criscione.
Lewes play in the FA Women’s Championship, which is one tier below the Women’s Super League in England’s pyramid. They also reached the FA Cup quarter-finals last season, losing to eventual runners-up Manchester United.
In 2017, the club – which also has a men’s team that plays in non-league football’s third tier – became the first to split its budget and resources equally between its men and women.
“Lewes was a clear choice since they represent many core principles of how we believe a women’s club should be managed,” Cogevina said in a statement on Thursday.
“Building a world-class management team and advisory board has been my first order of business. Women’s football lacks dedicated executives who can take the business to the next level and transform it into the best asset class of our generation.”
The group said they are also in advanced negotiations to acquire first division teams in Spain and Italy while clubs in Argentina and Uruguay are their next targets.
No value has been given for the Lewes acquisition.
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