After years of rapid growth: MCO expansion stalls
IMAGO | After a two-year pursuit of an additional club to establish an MCO model, Fenway Sports Group, owner of Liverpool, put its plans on hold last month despite analysing 25 clubs.
The Recap
The presence of multi-club ownership (MCO) groups at the top of global football has stalled, with growth in affiliated clubs and new MCOs declining significantly, according to Off The Pitch’s MCO database.
Data Insight
The number of clubs within MCO structures linked to top leagues has increased by less than 1.5 per cent since the end of the 2024/25 season, down from peak growth of 30 per cent in 2022/23.
Why It Matters
As a prominent and widely adopted strategy at the top of football, stagnation following a period of rapid growth may point to a shift in market demand.
The Perspective
As market opportunities narrow, investment activity is increasingly focused on clubs already part of MCOs, pointing towards consolidation rather than expansion of the model.
8 April 2026 - 4:30 PM
While this represents a marginal increase, it signals stagnation compared with previous growth rates.
It should be noted that three months remain of the current season, meaning the comparison serves as an early indicator. However, the slower pace of growth is not an isolated development.
Between July 2021 and June 2023, 70 clubs joined MCO structures at the top of global football. Between July 2023 and April 20
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