The scene in Bilbao, in 2024, foreshadowed the change that would come. Michele Kang, the owner of OL Lyonnes, strode around the edge of the pitch in the San Mames to greet the travelling supporters of the women's football powerhouse, who were buoyed by her ambition and intent to invest. Barcelona won 2-0 to lift their third Women's Champions League **** le in four years, thanks to goals from their two Ballon d'Or winners Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas. But while Kang, the South Korean-born American billionaire and philanthropist, vowed that Lyonnes would return stronger, her sphere of influence was also primed to have an impact elsewhere.
As well as the French champions, Kang owned two other teams as part of her multi-club Kynisca group, the US side Washington Spirit and the London City Lionesses, based out of Bromley and playing in the second tier of English women's football. Two years on, driven by Kang's vision and fuelled by her deep pockets, London City have secured promotion and undergone a remarkable makeover. From that Champions League final alone, they have signed not just Putellas, making the Spain international and World Cup winner the biggest overseas signing in Women's Super League history, but two of her Barcelona team-mates in Mapi Leon and Jana Fernandez. From sister club Lyonnes, London City have signed two of their starting forwards in Kadidiatou Diani and Delphine Cascarino, as well as midfielder Danielle van de Donk.
Michele Kang celebrates London City's promotion to the Women's Super League in 2025 (Getty)
Within two years, London City have disrupted women's football and have now set their sights on challenging for the WSL **** le. It has not come cheap: Putellas was a free transfer but is one of the highest-paid women's footballers in the world at around £1m per year. Before the new season, London City have also signed former England goalkeeper Mary Earps from Paris Saint-Germain and have built a team set on challenging **** nal and Chelsea's dominance in the capital. In terms of transfer fees within the WSL, only **** nal and Chelsea have come close to matching the £1m London City paid PSG for midfielder Grace Geyoro last summer. Their position is also a unique one. Of the 14 teams in this season's expanded WSL, London City are the only independent outfit with no affiliation to a men's club, yet their spending comfortably exceeds that of Manchester United and Liverpool, despite the riches that flow from the Premier League.
Kang is the driving force. The 67-year-old, who made her fortune through healthcare technology in the US, is an investor in the true sense of the word, believing in the untapped value and potential of women's sports. Her philanthropy has extended to making $30m and $4m donations to US Soccer and USA Rugby respectively, the latter just hours after watching the US women's rugby sevens team win bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics. London City are likely to make a financial loss in their second season o