Man City’s owners will reportedly "set up a franchise in the Chinese Super League as the next step in their global expansion," according to Miguel Delaney of the London INDEPENDENT. City Football Group, the holding company that owns the Premier League club, "has been giving advice to Chinese football officials on how to run clubs more efficiently" and will follow that up with the launch of the next team in its stable. The group owns New York City FC in Major League Soccer and Melbourne City in the A-League and has a minority shareholding in the J.League’s Yokohama F Marinos. Shanghai City "has been mentioned by senior figures at the Etihad as a possible name and home for the new team." Though "they are not yet ready to confirm specifics, plans are well under way" (INDEPENDENT, 3/19). Delaney wrote for ESPN the group's aim "is to have a network" involving one team with the title "City" on each continent, creating "unique commercial opportunities while greatly strengthening" Man City's identity, and China is viewed as the "natural next destination." CFG also envisages "eventually owning clubs in Central and South America, as well as Africa," although it has no interest in another European franchise due to UEFA regulations "banning ownership groups from having more than one club in their continental competitions" (ESPN, 3/19).
