ZURICH (AP) — The prominent ownership group of Major League Soccer team LAFC has sold a majority stake in struggling Swiss club Grasshopper after three consecutive seasons in a relegation battle.
The 27-time Swiss champion from Zurich has been sold to multi-club ownership group Bridge Football Group. Bridge Football Group also has teams in the lower leagues of Italy and the Netherlands.
LAFC described the sale as a “strategic reorganization of its international development network,” with the club announcing that it will now focus on Austrian team Wacker Innsbruck. statement late Monday.
grasshopper Fans protested at home games by holding up abusive banners. In April, he urged a sale by LAFC. LAFC’s owners include entertainment executives Peter Guber and Mark Shapiro, Will Ferrell and Magic Johnson.
The club, which is home to FIFA, does not own the Letzigrund Stadium, the famous athletics stadium it shares with FC Zurich. The Grasshoppers have struggled in the 12-team Swiss League since they last won the title 23 years ago, with their last Swiss Cup title coming 13 years ago.
L.A.F.C. Purchased Grasshopper in January 2024 From the Chinese owners of Wolverhampton, who were relegated from the English Premier League in May.
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