City Football Group adds Belgian side as ninth club

Belgian second division side Lommel SK is celebrating its addition the City Football Group.

Manchester City’s got a new friend in the group, giving City enough peers for a baseball starting lineup.

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City and Lommel are in a group with Girona (Spain), New York City FC (MLS), Melbourne City FC (Australia), Montevideo City (Uruguay), Mumbai City (India), Yokohama FC Marinos (Japan), and Sichuan Jiuniu (China).

Lommel was sixth in the Belgian second tier when the season was paused for the coronavirus pandemic. The club’s predecessors played in the top flight, and Lommel has been the home of Belgian national teamer Hans Vanaken.

From The Manchester Evening News, here’s CFG chief executive Ferran Soriano:

“Belgium is one of Europe’s best football countries as demonstrated by the success of the national team and the development of world-class players, some of whom we know very well, like Kevin De Bruyne and Vincent Kompany. This investment is part of our long-term strategy to be present in key football countries, play beautiful football and develop talent.”

The group’s growth hasn’t just been about competition and development. It’s also made money, as CFG posted a $100 million profit on NYCFC from the 2018-19 season (Forbes.com).

[ MORE: American investor looks to recreate City Football Group ]

We are family! #iedereenLSK🇳🇬 pic.twitter.com/HvnYpJ7zcS

— Lommel SK (@LommelSKOff) May 11, 2020

We are family! #iedereenLSK🇳🇬 pic.twitter.com/JjgLVidElE

— Lommel SK (@LommelSKOff) May 11, 2020