Michele Kang, already one of the most influential figures in women’s professional soccer, has agreed to buy control of Olympique Lyonnais and provide funding for the team. The deal marks the culmination of a methodical takeover that began with the women’s side and now extends to the financially troubled men’s club.
For a franchise that has won multiple Champions League titles on the women’s side and was once a domestic powerhouse in men’s football, the move represents a lifeline. Olympique Lyonnais has been struggling under the weight of mounting debts and the specter of relegation, problems that accumulated under the previous ownership structure led by John Textor and the Eagle Football Group.
From women’s soccer to full club control
Kang first acquired a 52.9% stake in OL Lyonnes, the women’s team now rebranded under that name, in a deal completed in 2024. By June 30, 2025, she had been appointed president and chair of Olympique Lyonnais. Shortly after, she took on the role of CEO and chair of Eagle Football Group, effectively replacing Textor at the top of the organizational chart.
Her financial commitment has been substantial. She provided a personal bank guarantee of €30 million to support the club’s 2025 financing needs. On top of that, she contributed to a total of approximately €87 million in financing efforts for the men’s side during that same period.
