Mexico’s winningest soccer club has teamed up with a U.S. investment group in an alliance that will place Club América under the same umbrella as the NFL’s New England Patriots, bringing to five the number of Liga MX teams with significant U.S. funding.
The private equity firm General Atlantic agreed on Tuesday to purchase a 49% stake in Grupo Ollamani, which owns América, the 88,000-seat Estadio Banorte (formerly Estadio Azteca) and land adjacent to the stadium that will become the site of a shopping mall, a hotel and a parking structure.
Reports indicate the alliance — which will include the Kraft Analytics Group, a subsidiary of the Kraft Group, owners of the Patriots and MLS soccer club New England Revolution — is based on an enterprise value of US $490 million. General Atlantic’s stake is estimated to be roughly US $240 million.
In a statement announcing the partnership, General Atlantic confirmed that “Ollamani will retain a 51% controlling stake and continue to oversee the group’s long-term strategic direction and vision, while General Atlantic will hold a 49% equity stake in Grupo Águilas.”
The new entity is named Grupo Águilas and will collaborate with Kraft Analytics Group “to enhance the use of data and analytics in connecting with more than 45 million fans (30 million in Mexico and 15 million in the United States).”
Immediately after the announcement on Tuesday, Grupo Ollamani shares rose 6% on the Mexican Stock Exchange to 86 pesos per share, before ending the trading day at 83.4.
Emilio Azcárraga Jean, the controlling shareholder in Ollamani, will serve as executive president of Grupo Águilas.
General Atlantic said Azcárraga’s presence will ensure “continuity of leadership and long-term strategic stewardship” as the board and management team work “to drive sustainable development across the club, stadium and real estate platform.”
Azcárraga said the partnership with General Atlantic — a global investor that has invested more than US $3 billion in Mexico since opening an office in Mexico City in 2015 — adds long-term vision and international expertise.
“This strategic alliance positions us strongly for our next stage of leadership as we expand our reach and deliver even more unforgettable experiences for fans in Mexico and beyond,” Azcárraga said in a statement.
In February 2024, Azcárraga, the former CEO and president of Telecom and broadcasting giant Grupo Televisa, separated his non-media assets including América and Estadio Banorte to form Ollamani.
The new partnership comes at a strategic time as the stadium is undergoing renovations ahead of the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Four other Liga MX teams enjoy significant funding from foreign entities:
- Querétaro F.C. is backed by global investment firm Innovation Capital, chaired by Marc Spiegel.
- Atlético de San Luis is part of Apollo Sports Capitol, the sports investment arm of New York City-based global asset manager Apollo Global Management, which recently completed the acquisition of Spanish giants Atlético de Madrid.
- Necaxa is half-owned by an investment group including international celebrities such as Eva Longoria and Ryan Reynolds.
- FC Juárez is owned by El Paso, Texas, native Alejandra Vega (the first woman to own a Liga MX club)
With reports from Proceso, ESPN, Bloomberg News and Quién
