Soccer Business News 04/24/26- The Soccer Business Newsletter
Published 13 days ago • 9 min read
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Hi Reader,
Welcome to this week's newsletter where we take a look at the big news coming out of the NWSL this week and also dive into the details a fascinating American investment in Liga MX.
Don't forget, if you have any news, suggestions for future stories or podcast guests, or are interested in discussing partnership opportunities, don't hesitate to get in touch with me at simon@thesoccerbusiness.com.
Cheers
Simon Evans
The Soccer Business.
What the NWSL's $205 million expansion fee really says
Haslem Sports Group paid $205 million to bring an NWSL team to Columbus, Ohio.
Haslem Sports Group, owners of the NFL's Cleveland Browns and the MLS's Columbus Crew, paid $205 million this week to gain an NWSL expansion franchise in Columbus. If the Denver ($110 million) and Atlanta ($165 million) expansion fees hadn't been emphatic enough - this latest figure really is a statement.
In the space of six years the expansion fee has risen a hundredfold - from $2 million for Angel City FC in L.A. to the current level. Yep, 100x.
Oh and that $2 million that Angel City's owners gathered to start that club? Forbes this week valued the franchise at $340 million. Here's the full list of NWSL valuations.
There are a few points to make here:
• Haslem is the second NFL owner to secure an NWSL expansion franchise in recent months after Arthur Blank's AMB Sports and Entertainment in Atlanta. The NFL might be betting on a pro Flag Football league to be their play in the booming women's professional sports space but some of their owners know that soccer is where the action is. This is now serious, established, traditional sports investment ownership now betting on women's soccer.
• The NWSL is the global leader in women's soccer in economic terms. They are number one in terms of investment levels, revenue and valuations. In fact mo league in the world is even close. No one is spending that kind of money to create a women's team anywhere else except in the USA.
• The WSL in England is the closest entity that could be considered competition but unlike in the men's game it is the English league which is playing catch up with the U.S league - and not vice-versa.
• The English women's game bet on having Premier League giants like Chelsea and Man United create women's teams in the hope that would result in a large fan-base and tv audience and because they would offer funding. There are some signs that might eventually deliver results but it is now questionable whether that was the smartest approach.
• In contrast, by having women's clubs with their own identity and structures, the NWSL is poised to profit from the growing global interest in a much more effective way. These clubs are women's soccer brands and even where there is a close relationship with an MLS club, shared ownership or shared venue, the women's teams have their own name and identity and ultimately their own brands and own fan-bases.
• Expansion isn't going to stop here. The NWSL at 18 teams still has plenty of room to grow.. Next year's is the Women's World Cup in Brazil with the USWNT among the favourites.......
Pod: Marc Spiegel: The first American to buy a Liga MX club
One of the most interesting American investments in soccer last year was Marc Spiegel's move to purchase Mexican club Querétaro - the first time a US investment group had taken over a Liga MX club.
So it was great to get Marc on The Soccer Business Podcast this week. A few things that stood out to me from our conversation:
On why Liga MX caught his eye? Marc describes it as the only league in the world with two home countries. With almost 40 million Mexicans living in the US, the commercial upside is enormous — and the league is still in the early stages of modernising.
On choosing Querétaro: Once he visited, he saw something familiar — a young, fast-growing city buzzing with investment. His comparison? Austin, Texas, twenty years ago. Too many soccer investors overlook the non-soccer aspects of the 'catchment area'.
On bringing a tech mindset to football: Marc asked one club he was considering what they did with data from their ticketing platform. The answer? "It helps us count people faster." That gap between where football is and where it could be is exactly the opportunity he's targeting.
On the women's game: He called it "a complete green field of opportunity" for Liga MX — and one Querétaro intends to invest in.
As always the pod is on all major audio platforms, including Spotify:
RED BULLS PERFORMANCE CENTER AND WORLD CUP PREPARATIONS
Red Bull New York has officially opened its new nine-figure training facility in Morristown, N.J., a state-of-the-art complex designed to churn out top soccer talent. The 80-acre facility features eight fields—including five heated pitches—hydrotherapy areas, and an athlete wellness lab. Jurgen Klopp, Red Bull’s head of global soccer, addressed the opening ceremony, stating that the impressive building leaves players with no excuses regarding their performance or ambition.
"This new complex is impressive, truly significant. If Red Bull didn't dream of achieving great things with the New York Red Bulls, it wouldn't have built this. This is a place with no excuses," said the German former Liverpool coach.
The complex is set to play a pivotal role in the coming weeks as the home base for the Brazilian national team during their run in the upcoming World Cup. MLS commissioner Don Garber characterized the facility as a "foundational asset" for the league. The building also includes dedicated academy spaces and advanced technology to support player development and analytics.
PRO IOWA SOCCER STADIUM AND GLOBAL PLAZA
Organizers of the Pro Iowa Soccer Stadium and Global Plaza have cleared significant funding hurdles, raising over $90.8 million to transform a former superfund site into a downtown Des Moines soccer destination. The project will serve as the home for future United Soccer League (USL) men's and women's franchises, with infrastructure work slated to begin next spring. Kyle and Sharon Krause have contributed $23 million in private funding, while the city of Des Moines provided a $7 million grant to help bring professional soccer to the region.
The development team is now moving into the formal design phase, which is expected to conclude by early summer 2026. The proposed 6,300-seat stadium is intended to be an economic catalyst. Construction is projected to take 24 to 36 months, positioning the venue as a central hub for housing, retail, and entertainment in the Western Gateway area.
CENTREVILLE BANK STADIUM SUSTAINABILITY LEADERSHIP
Centreville Bank Stadium, the home of Rhode Island FC, has been honored with a 2026 Play to Zero Award from the Green Sports Alliance for its environmental leadership. It distinguishes itself as the first 100% electric-powered, soccer-specific stadium in the United States, operating entirely without fossil fuels. The venue incorporates high-efficiency heat pumps, LED lighting, and was constructed using reclaimed wood and recycled steel.
Beyond its design, the stadium maintains sustainable daily operations by diverting over 80% of its waste through recycling and composting. Since opening in May 2025, the multi-use facility has hosted diverse events, from professional soccer to music festivals, while serving as a flagship destination for sports and entertainment in the Ocean State. The venue's commitment to sustainability was a core part of its original vision to lead the way for world-class sports facilities.
EXPERIMENTAL DAYLIGHT OFFSIDE RULE TRIAL
The Canadian Premier League has become the testing ground for Arsene Wenger's proposed "daylight" offside rule, which aims to return the advantage to the attacker. Under this trial, a player is considered onside if any part of their body that can score a goal is in line with the last defender, even if other parts are ahead. Wenger, now FIFA's head of global football development, proposed the change to mitigate the impact of "frustrating" VAR calls on marginal offside positions.
Pacific FC’s Alejandro Diaz made history by scoring the first-ever goal under this scenario during a match on Saturday. While Diaz was in a position that traditional rules would penalize, he was ruled onside because no visible gap existed between him and the Halifax defender. The rule has ignited a fierce debate among fans, with some fearing it will encourage defenses to play much deeper while others welcome the potential for more goals and less VAR interference. But either way, the CPL's decision to host the trial has drawn attention to the league in a positive way.
LAZIO $22M SHIRT SPONSORSHIP DEAL WITH POLYMARKET
Lazio has secured a new front-of-shirt sponsorship deal with the US-based prediction market operator Polymarket, valued at approximately $22 million. This multi-year agreement, which runs through the 2027/28 season, ends the club's three-year search for a principal partner. As part of the deal, Polymarket will also serve as Lazio's "official fan intelligence and digital insight partner," focusing on sport, data, and technology.
The partnership may face regulatory scrutiny in Italy, where sports betting advertising has been illegal since 2018. Italian clubs often bypass these restrictions by promoting the media or live-score divisions of gambling-related companies rather than their betting platforms. While Serie A is seeking to relax these rules to close the financial gap with the Premier League, the deal highlights the ongoing tension between soccer clubs' revenue needs and gambling regulations.
MLS CLUBS RANKING HIGH IN GLOBAL SOCCER VALUATIONS
Real Madrid and Barcelona lead Sportico’s world soccer valuations at $7.7 billion and $6.65 billion respectively, fueled by massive stadium renovations and being the only clubs to exceed $1 billion in annual revenue. Biut Major League Soccer (MLS) has established a significant global footprint, with 18 teams making the top 50 list, led by Inter Miami at $1.45 billion. MLS teams command higher revenue multiples (9.2) than their European counterparts (4.9) due to strict cost controls, modern stadiums, and the absence of relegation. This structure provides a stable financial floor that attracts investors looking for collaborative, lower-risk sports assets.
CANADIANS TERMINATE BARROW AFC SPONSORSHIP
Attempts to build regional development through shirt sponsorship area always vulnerable to criticism and the Newfoundland and Labrador government has officially terminated its $171,000 sponsorship of the English fourth-tier team Barrow AFC.
Ministers stated they could not identify any clear economic or immigration benefits resulting from the two-year deal, which featured the province's tourism website on the team's jerseys. The initiative had been criticized as a "total waste of money" by local political leaders and taxpayer advocacy groups. On the field, Barrow AFC is currently struggling to avoid relegation to the non-league National League.
NEW GLOBAL FOOTBALLERS' UNION LAUNCHED
A new players' union, the International Association of Footballers (AIF), has launched in Madrid to challenge the established global body, FIFPro. Spearheaded by David Aganzo, the AIF aims to provide an independent voice for players in negotiations with FIFA regarding the international match calendar and player welfare. Aganzo established the rival body after severing ties with FIFPro, claiming that independence is fundamental for players making their own decisions.
FIFPro has criticized the new union as a "speculative attempt" driven by personal motives rather than a mandate from the world's players. They argue that the AIF lacks the fundamental legitimacy to represent professional footballers globally. FIFA has acknowledged the AIF’s creation, stating a general commitment to engaging with stakeholders that uphold principles of representativeness.
GAMMA WAVES PARTNERS SPORTS INVESTMENT
Former Juventus official Andrea Agnelli, a primary architect of the controversial European Super League, has returned to the sports world by launching Gamma Waves Partners. The investment firm, based in Amsterdam, will target minority stakes in innovative sports formats, AI-generated content, and technology designed to improve athletic performance. Agnelli stated that he is not trying to prove anything but is looking to write a "new exciting page" in his career at age 50.
The firm has secured €55 million of its €100 million funding target, with high-profile co-founders including former Italian national team captain Giorgio Chiellini. Gamma Waves aims for a 25% internal rate of return, focusing on mature start-ups that can enhance fan engagement. This venture joins a growing group of specialist investors looking to capitalize on data and technology shifts within the global soccer and sports industries.
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Contact Simon to discuss partnership opportunities - simon@thesoccerbusiness.com
