Michele Kang takes control of Lyon

Michele Kang, a major investor in women's soccer, has taken control of Olympique Lyonnais, one of France's most successful football clubs.

Olympique Lyonnais said June 23 that its parent company, Eagle Football Group, had reached an agreement with Kang on the sale. Under the deal, Kang will acquire the 87.7% stake in Lyon held by Eagle Bidco and assume responsibility for 32.6 million euros in debt. She has also committed up to 75 million euros in future investment.

Kang already owns Olympique Lyonnais Féminin, the club's women's side. When Lyon was relegated to France's second division over financial troubles in June last year, she spearheaded the club's appeal and helped secure a reversal of the decision. She also contributed funds to support the club's recovery efforts. Lyon rebounded to finish fourth in Ligue 1 in the 2025-26 season.

"I accept the acquisition of Lyon with a deep sense of responsibility and great pride," Kang said. "We will restore this club to the forefront of European football."

Kang's connection to the sport began after she attended a celebration in Washington following the U.S. women's national team's victory at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup. She acquired the struggling Washington Spirit of the National Women's Soccer League in 2022, saying she wanted to expand opportunities for women in sport. She later invested heavily in player development and training infrastructure tailored to female athletes.

Kang moved to the United States in 1981 while studying at Sogang University. She went on to earn an economics degree from the University of Chicago and a master's degree from Yale University. She founded healthcare information technology company Cognosante in 2008 and has an estimated net worth of $1.2 billion. She is the third daughter of Lee Yun-ja, honorary chair of the Consumer Education Central Association and a former member of South Korea's National Assembly.


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